Rayman | |
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Genre(s) | Platform |
Developer(s) | |
Publisher(s) | |
Creator(s) | Michel Ancel |
Platform(s) | List
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First release | Rayman 1 September 1995 |
Latest release | Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: Rayman in the Phantom Show (DLC 3) 30 August 2023 |
Spin-offs | Raving Rabbids |
Rayman is a franchise of platform video games, created by video game designer Michel Ancel for Ubisoft. [2] Since the release of the original game in 1995, the series has produced a total of forty-five games across multiple platforms.
The series is set in a fantastical, magical world which features a wide range of environments that are very often based on certain themes, such as "the Eraser Plains", a landscape made entirely of stationery. The core games of the series are platformers, but there are several spin-off titles in other genres. The protagonist is Rayman, a magical limbless being renowned for his courage and determination who, with the help of his friends, must save his world from various villains.
Title | Details |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1995 - Atari Jaguar, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, MS-DOS 2001 - Game Boy Advance 2009 - Nintendo DSi 2016 - iOS, Android |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 1999 - Nintendo 64, Microsoft Windows 2000 - Dreamcast, PlayStation, PlayStation 2 2005 - Nintendo DS 2010 - iOS 2011 - Nintendo 3DS |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2003 - GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, OS X 2012 - PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2011 - PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 2012 - Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita 2013 - OS X |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2013 - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita 2014 - PlayStation 4, Xbox One 2017 - Nintendo Switch 2021 - Stadia |
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Title | Details |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2006 - Wii, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, OS X 2007 - Xbox 360 |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2006 - J2ME |
Notes: Developed by Gameloft Software Beijing Ltd.. | |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2006 - Game Boy Advance |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2007 - Nintendo DS |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2007 - Wii, Microsoft Windows |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2007 - Nintendo DS |
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2008 - Wii |
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Original release date: October 20, 2022 | Release years by system: 2022 - Nintendo Switch |
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Title | Details |
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Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1997 - PC |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1998 - PC |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1999 - PC |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1999 - PC |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 1999 - PC |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2000 - PC |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2000 - GBC |
Notes: A Game Boy Color version of the first game. | |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2000 - PlayStation |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2000 - PlayStation |
Notes: UK version of Rayman Brain Games that was split into multiple games | |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2000 - PlayStation |
Notes: UK version of Rayman Brain Games that was split into multiple games | |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2001 - PlayStation |
Notes: UK version of Rayman Brain Games that was split into multiple games | |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2001 - PlayStation |
Notes: North American version of the Rayman Junior games combined. | |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2001 - PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows 2002 - GameCube, Xbox |
Notes:
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Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2001 - GBC |
Notes: A version of Rayman 2: The Great Escape that was released for the Game Boy Color. | |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2002 - PlayStation |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2002 - Mobile |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2003 - Mobile |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2001 - Mobile |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2003 - Game Boy Advance, N-Gage |
Notes: The Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 3 that focuses on Razorbeard, the main antagonist from Rayman 2, instead of the Hoodlums. | |
Original release dates: | Release years by system: 2005 - Game Boy Advance |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2009 - BlackBerry |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2012 - iOS, Android 2013 - Microsoft Windows, Windows Mobile |
Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2013 - iOS, Android 2014 - Windows Mobile, Microsoft Windows |
Rayman Adventures Original release dates:
| Release years by system: 2015 - iOS, Android |
Original release date:
| Release years by system: 2019 - iOS |
Notes: |
Rayman is the title character and main protagonist of the series. He is a human-like creature who has no limbs, though he has hands, feet, and a head that are able to move independently from his body. [19] He can use his hair as helicopter blades for means of transportation, throw his fists to punch from a distance, and in some games, even project balls of energy from his hands. [20] He is typically found wearing white gloves, a red neckerchief on a purple body with a white ring in the center (the neckerchief was replaced with a hood in later entries), and yellow trainers (which are also slightly modified in the later games). He was voiced by Steven Perkinson in the 1995 video game of the same name. He was voiced by Billy West in Rayman: The Animated Series , although he was given a "New Yorker" accent. He was voiced by David Gasman in Rayman 2: The Great Escape , Rayman M , Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc , Rayman Raving Rabbids , Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 , Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party , and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope . [21] He has been voiced by Douglas Rand in the video games since Rayman Origins , [22] and was voiced by David Menkin in the 2023 adult animated series Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix . [23]
Michel Ancel first drew Rayman at the age of 20. [24] Ancel later returned to his early sketches in 1992 to create a demo for French software developer Lankhor. [25] The character was named after a ray tracing software which Ubisoft used for the original game. [26] Rayman originally had limbs, which was one of his major characteristics. When the developer tried to install the game on the systems, it did not work properly, leaving him with a floating body on the screen. [27] At the time, it was technically impossible to display this character with animated limbs and programmers had trouble rendering them. [28] [29] The creative answer was to create the character without limbs. [28]
Rayman had other appearances such as the Super Smash Bros. series as a trophy and spirit, [30] [31] and in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope as a playable character in a DLC expansion which was announced by Davide Soliani at a Ubisoft Forward 2022 event. [32] [33] [34] DLC expansion was later revealed as Rayman in the Phantom Show and was released on August 30, 2023.
Game | Metacritic |
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Rayman | (JAG) 85% [42] [lower-alpha 1] (SAT) 85% [43] [lower-alpha 1] (GBA) 84/100 [44] (PC) 77% [45] [lower-alpha 1] (PS1) 75% [46] [lower-alpha 1] (DSi) 66% [47] [lower-alpha 1] (iOS) 60% [48] [lower-alpha 1] |
Rayman 2: The Great Escape | (DC) 93% [49] [lower-alpha 1] (PC) 91% [50] [lower-alpha 1] (N64) 90/100 [51] (PS2) 90/100 [52] (PS1) 87% [53] [lower-alpha 1] (3DS) 61/100 [54] (NDS) 58/100 [55] (iOS) 53/100 [56] |
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc | (GBA) 83/100 [57] (GC) 77/100 [58] (PS2) 76/100 [59] (Xbox) 75/100 [60] (PC) 74/100 [61] (PS3) 72/100 [62] (X360) 69/100 [63] |
Rayman Origins | (Wii) 92/100 [64] (Vita) 88/100 [65] (X360) 87/100 [66] (PS3) 87/100 [67] (PC) 86/100 [68] (3DS) 71/100 [69] |
Rayman Legends | (WiiU) 92/100 [70] (XOne) 91/100 [71] (PS3) 91/100 [72] (PS4) 90/100 [73] (X360) 90/100 [74] (PC) 89/100 [75] (Vita) 87/100 [76] (NS) 84/100 [77] |
Rayman was named the Best New Character award of 1995 by Electronic Gaming Monthly . [78] Since his debut in 1995 on the Atari Jaguar, Rayman has become a well received, fan favorite and recognizable video game character by countless players and was known for his lack of limbs. [19] [79] [80]
Rayman has been the subject of a short-lived animated television series in 1999, Rayman: The Animated Series , which was produced as a tie-in to the video games, though significantly different from the source material. Only four episodes were made.
In 2019, another animated TV series was announced to be in works at Ubisoft Film & Television. However, the project was scrapped in 2023. [81] [82]
Rayman appears as a recurring character in the 2023 animated series Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix , voiced by David Menkin. [23]
Rayman is a 1995 platform game developed by Ubi Pictures and published by Ubi Soft. It is the first installment in the Rayman franchise. The player controls Rayman, who must recapture Electoons and the Great Protoon after being told that Mr. Dark kidnapped them and uses its power to wreck havoc. Rayman gains new abilities throughout the game and the completion of each world requires defeating a boss with special abilities.
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is a 2003 platform game developed and published by Ubi Soft, and the third major installment in the Rayman series. It follows Rayman in his quest to stop an evil Black Lum named André from taking over the world with his army of hoodlum soldiers, while trying to find a cure for his best friend Globox after he accidentally swallows André. It was released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows, and on OS X by Feral Interactive in 2004. It was also released for the Game Boy Advance, N-Gage and mobile phones as a 2D platformer.
Michel Ancel is a retired Monégasque-French video game designer. He is best known for creating the Rayman franchise and was the lead designer or director for several of the games, including Rayman Origins and its sequel Rayman Legends. He is also known for the critically acclaimed video game Beyond Good & Evil, as well as for King Kong, based on Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong, which sold well and was critically acclaimed. In 2017, he began work on Beyond Good and Evil 2, although he left the project in 2020.
Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge, is a platform game developed by Backbone Entertainment and published by Ubisoft for the Game Boy Advance in 2005. It was the first Rayman game to be a isometric platformer and was set after Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc.
Rayman Raving Rabbids is a 2006 party video game developed and published by Ubisoft. It is a spinoff for the Rayman series and the debut title for the Rabbids franchise. The story follows Rayman as he was interrupted by an earthquake, in which he was also kidnapped and forced to play minigames with the Rabbids. The game received generally positive reviews from critics, with some criticizing the minigames either being broken or unenjoyable.
Rabbids, also known as Raving Rabbids, is a multimedia franchise developed and published by Ubisoft. It originated as a spin-off video game from the Rayman video game series, 2006's Rayman Raving Rabbids. Rabbids is centered on a titular fictional species of mischievous rabbit-like creatures, who speak gibberish and scream wildly whenever they experience an adrenaline rush. Most video games from the franchise are of the party video game genre, though other genres have been explored as well.
Rayman Raving Rabbids is a 2006 platform game developed and published by Ubisoft for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. It was the handheld version of the 2006 party game Rayman Raving Rabbids.
Ubisoft Montpellier is a French video game developer and a studio of Ubisoft based in Castelnau-le-Lez. Founded in 1994 as Ubi Pictures, it is best known for developing the Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil series. At 350 employees as of September 2019, Ubisoft Montpellier is led by co-founder Frédéric Houde as technical director.
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 is a party video game developed and published by Ubisoft. The sequel to Rayman Raving Rabbids and the second installment of the Raving Rabbids spin-off franchise, it was released for the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms worldwide in 2007. It follows the Rabbids' attempt to invade Earth, with their headquarters set up near a local shopping mall. Players have the option to play as a Rabbid or as Rayman, who has disguised himself as a Rabbid to infiltrate their plans. This is the first Rayman game to have an E10+ rating by the ESRB, a greater emphasis on simultaneous multiplayer gameplay compared to the original game, and online leaderboards. It was followed by Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party in 2008.
Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party is a party video game developed and published by Ubisoft in 2008 and is the third and final installment in the original Rayman Raving Rabbids' trilogy.
Rayman is the title character and main protagonist of the Ubisoft's Rayman series developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. He debuted in 1995 platform game Rayman and is a player character in all the games of the series. He is an anthropomorphic limbless protagonist dressed with a red neckerchief and white gloves with the ability to use his hair as helicopter blades and punch at a distance. He was created by Betilla and her nymph sisters to protect the Glade of Dreams.
Rabbids Go Home is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Ubisoft for the Wii and Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America on November 1, 2009, in Australia on November 5, 2009, and in Europe on November 6, 2009. A modified, shorter version of the game was ported to Microsoft Windows and released in Russia and Poland.
Just Dance is a 2009 music rhythm game developed by Ubisoft Paris and published by Ubisoft as the first main installment of the Just Dance series. The game was released exclusively for the Wii on November 17, 2009, in North America, November 26, 2009, in Australia, and November 27, 2009, in Europe.
Rayman Origins is a 2011 platform video game developed and published by Ubisoft. It is the fourth main installment in the Rayman series and the first main installment since Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc (2003). The game was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii platforms worldwide, with PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, and Microsoft Windows versions being released the following year. The OS X version of the game was released on December 12, 2013, by Feral Interactive. The story follows Rayman, his friend Globox and two Teensies as they fight Darktoons and other evil creatures that have infected the Glade of Dreams after they unleashed said evil by complete accident.
Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time is a party video game developed and published by Ubisoft for the Wii. It was released in North America on November 21, 2010, in Europe on November 26, 2010, in Australia on November 25, 2010 and in Japan on January 27, 2011. It is the fifth installment in the Rabbids series and, unlike the previous entry, Rabbids Go Home, it returns to the party game genre.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is a 1999 platform game developed by Ubi Pictures and published by Ubi Soft for the Nintendo 64, Windows, Dreamcast and PlayStation. The game centers on the titular character Rayman, who was tasked with saving his friend Globox and the fantastical land of the Fairy Glade from an army of robotic pirates led by Admiral Razorbeard.
Raving Rabbids: Alive & Kicking, also known as simply Rabbids: Alive & Kicking, as The Lapins Crétins: Partent en Live in France and as Rabbids: Fuori di schermo in Italy, is a Xbox Kinect party video game developed by Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Milan and published on December 26, 2011 in Australia, February 10, 2012 in Europe and March 20, 2012 in North America for the Xbox 360. This is the sixth game from the Rabbids games franchise and it is the first Rabbids game not released on the Nintendo Wii. The game was exclusively developed for the Kinect and consists of mini-games with up to 4 players.
Rayman Legends is a platform video game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft. It is the fifth main title in the Rayman series and the direct sequel to the 2011 game Rayman Origins. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PlayStation Vita platforms in August and September 2013. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released in February 2014, with a Stadia version released in November 2021. A Nintendo Switch port, titled Rayman Legends Definitive Edition, was released in North America, Europe and Australia on September 12, 2017.
Rayman Mini is a platform video game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and Pastagames and published by Ubisoft released on September 19, 2019 for iOS, macOS and tvOS through Apple Arcade as a launch title.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a 2022 action-adventure turn-based strategy video game developed by Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Paris and published by Ubisoft for the Nintendo Switch. The game is a crossover between Nintendo's Mario and Ubisoft's Rabbids franchises and is a sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017). Three expansions were released in 2023, one featuring Rayman.
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