If you are looking for a good gaming platform game that has aged beautifully, then the Rayman franchise is a good choice. The old school graphics and the gameplay are very nostalgic and fun. Rayman games maintain a sense of whimsy but also has a very high level of difficulty that will truly prove your mettle in playing the game.
The positive tone of the series is more than enough to hook you into playing the game. However, there are games hidden within this franchise that truly shine and embody what Rayman is about. In this article, you're going to get a rundown on the following list.
A Brief Story About Rayman
Developed by Michel Ancel, Rayman is a platform video game that is set in a magical world where players will have to move through a series of platforms and cross each level until the finish line.
The original game came out in 1995 and was available for Atari and PlayStation.
The game centers around the titular character named Rayman as he travels through different worlds and saves them against different villains. With the success of the original game, many games were ordered.
Some of them were sequels to the original game while others are considered as spinoffs that veer away from the platform genre.
4. Rayman
Touted as one of the most difficult games in the genre now, the original Rayman came out in 1995 and lulled players with its easy early levels. However, later on, it turned into a complex and complicated side-scrolling platform video game.
Developed for the Atari, Rayman follows the character who travels through six worlds and each with three different levels to free all the captured Electoons. In this version, Rayman can walk, crawl, and taunt enemies by making faces.
Along the way, players will get to acquire new skills that will help them cross through the progressing difficult levels of the game. These skills include telescopic punching, grappling through the edges, flying rings, and gliding through the air to go through the rough terrains of each world.
The game is notorious for its difficult levels due to traps, pits, and many complex obstacles. While many players can get past these difficulties, what truly made the original game challenging was that it only allows players to save and continue the entire game five times.
How to Beat the Game
The original Rayman game was very difficult to beat but that does not mean it is impossible to do. You only have five lives in this game and while you can acquire more throughout the game, they are rather difficult to find.
There are still ways to go around the limited number of lives and maximize your time in the game. The first and most important thing you do in this game to succeed is to collect all the Electoons. Electoons are the caged creatures that you need to gather at each level.
Most players might squander their time in the game trying to dodge traps or go over obstacles and leave the Electoons alone. Avoid this mistake and collect Electoons as much as possible. Collecting Electoons means that you get to unlock different skills that will help you in the game.
Unlock skills that make traversing through the deadly terrain much easier and it can even unlock a secret ending. It can be difficult to collect all of them and it will take some practice and replays to fully pull off this move but if you have invested this much in the game, why not go for gold.
Final Verdict
The original Rayman might feel like an impossible game to beat with most of the game stacked against the player. However, the overall charm, the inherent difficulty, and the gameplay is what makes the first game of the franchise a true masterpiece
3. Rayman Legends
Rayman Legends is the fifth entry to the franchise and is available to play for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PlayStation Vita. The game was released in 2013 and follows a similar game style to another great Rayman game - Rayman Origins where you get to play with up to four players.
In this game, Rayman is joined by Globlox, the Teensies, and a new female character called Barbara.
With over 120 levels to play, the game also offers daily and weekly challenges where players can win additional Lums and Teensies to unlock new worlds. Collect trophies and unlock more challenges that will help you collect even more Lums or simply top the leaderboard position after each challenge.
How to Beat the Game
Rayman Legends is built to play with your friends While the single-player experience is great all on its own, the game takes to new heights when it is played with friends. Each stage becomes a fun running ground for all four of you as you collect all the Lums and Teensies along the way.
Start from the easiest skull ranking and make your way up to level five where the game is at its most difficult. At these levels, obstacles become increasingly difficult to get through and it will take a lot of skill to complete.
It is recommended to start slow starting from the lowest and easiest level first so you will have time to unlock new characters in the game and use them to complete each challenge effectively.
Get the feel of the game by starting on your own and then work your way into incorporating other characters into the mix. It is a good way to understand this fun game as you slowly immerse yourself into the world of Rayman Legends.
Final Verdict
The amazing cooperative play is the breakthrough concept of Rayman Legends that make this game one of the best in the series. Never let yourself play this game on your own. It's more fun slapping your friends in-game.
2. Rayman Origins
Rayman Origins is the fourth game released within the series of Rayman games. Developed by Ubisoft, this platform video game is the first game to be released since Rayman 3 that heavily follows the concept of the original game. However, the game takes the graphics, level design, and humor to a whole new level.
In Rayman Origins, Rayman is joined by his friend Globox and two teens in their fight against Darktoons and other creatures that want to invade the Glade of Dreams. The game was an overall success that spawned a sequel in Rayman Legends.
Released in 2011, Rayman Origins is available to play for the PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, and Windows PC.
How to Beat the Game
Unlike the original game where you need to be careful with your progress in the game, Rayman Origins provides a smart checkpoint system where you can save your progress so you don't need to restart each level from the start.
Make good use of this system so you can progress through the game without any issues.
Run the game first at the easiest level so you can get the feel of the game. Just like the sequel, the game allows you to ease up on the game first before you challenge yourself by choosing the higher levels.
Progress through the game through the easiest level first and unlock skills to master them. Once you are well-versed with the game, take the highest and most difficult level to unlock the potential of the game.
Final Verdict
The introduction of the co-op gameplay allows for the most fun the game has in years. The ability to slap your friends while playing the game is one of the most hilarious additions to the game apart from the cooperative play.
1. Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is a direct sequel to the original Rayman game developed by UbiSoft. Released in 1999, Rayman 2: The Great Escape is the series' first foray into 3D graphics to great appeal.
The use of 3D graphics elevated the game but it is the level design and gameplay that puts a proper distinction into the sequel from its predecessor. Rayman 2 is set in the Glade of Dreams and Rayman must protect it from the invading Robo-Pirates led by Admiral Razorbeard.
With the help of his friends, Rayman must stop the nefarious invaders from enslaving their world. Collect Lums and unlock more information about the world and discover more backstories. The platformer uses the third person perspective to great use.
The game starts with Rayman having limited abilities but as the game goes, he learns more abilities that will help through difficult situations in the game. Rayman uses his fists to shoot energy orbs to defeat enemies while also using his helicopter hair to glide and jump through obstacles.
How to Beat the Game
Each time you finish a level, you will earn 3 to 5 experience points depending on how fast you clear each level with the difficulty of the level. Start slowly and learn each level so the next time you play the game, you can clear each level faster and earn more points.
That will help you in the later stages of the game where it is more difficult to execute. Never leave Lums behind. Collect them to gain more information and additional abilities in the game. Red Lums heal Rayman while Purple ones help you swing through obstacles.
Blue ones restore oxygen which helps Rayman move underwater while Green Lums resurrect you back to the place where you collected it and Silver Lums provide special new abilities. Do not miss the change to gain some in-game bonuses.
Those include unlocking hidden bonus levels by collecting all Lums and breaking all the cages within the level. In doing so, you unlock a level where you get to control Globox's child in a race. If you win the race, you get more health or a power-up that will help you in succeeding levels.
Final Verdict
Rayman 2: The Great Escape truly made the Rayman series an iconic game in the genre. Fun, challenging, and very entertaining, you'll spend countless hours trying to finish all levels perfectly. The replayability of the second entry of the series makes the game worth playing for many years to come.
Conclusion
Many people grew up playing Rayman during their childhood years. Today, Rayman continues to dominate the platform video game genre by innovating and adding more features to the game.
Ubisoft has had some hits and misses but they seemed to have known what they were doing with Rayman. The series is still going strong to this very day and that's probably because it's not afraid to experiment in a market full of generic platform games.
