Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends is a vibrant, action-packed 2D platformer that builds upon the success of its predecessor, Rayman Origins. Released across multiple platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC, this charming adventure takes players through a magical journey filled with creativity and challenge.

🔥 What is Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends follows the adventures of Rayman, Globox, and the Teensies who discover a mysterious tent filled with enchanting paintings. While examining these artworks, they are suddenly pulled into a medieval world, beginning an epic quest to save the captured Teensies and warrior princesses from the nightmares of the Bubble Dreamer and the villainous Dark Teensies.

Set one century after the events of Rayman Origins, the game features stunning hand-drawn visuals that are crisper, cleaner, and more charming than its predecessor. The artistic style brings the vibrant worlds to life with incredible detail and imagination, creating a visual feast that captivates players from the first level.

Story and Setting

The narrative takes players through various themed worlds, each represented by a magical painting. As Rayman and his friends progress, they encounter increasingly challenging obstacles and enemies while working to free the captured Teensies and restore peace to the realm.

What makes Rayman Legends special is how it weaves its story into the gameplay, creating a seamless experience that never feels forced or interrupts the flow of the action.

👉 Features of Rayman Legends

Extensive Content

Rayman Legends boasts over 120 levels, including 40 remastered stages from Rayman Origins that can be unlocked by collecting Lucky Tickets. This wealth of content ensures players have plenty to explore and master, with each level offering unique challenges and secrets to discover.

The game also includes daily and weekly challenge stages where players can compete with others via leaderboards. These challenges range from collecting a certain number of Lums in a limited time to surviving as long as possible on a particular stage.

Multiplayer Options

Up to four players (five on the Wii U) can join in for cooperative play, making Rayman Legends an excellent choice for family gaming sessions or playing with friends. The game also features a local multiplayer football mini-game called Kung Foot, adding even more variety to the experience.

Murfy the Helper

A unique feature is the inclusion of Murfy, a greenbottle character who assists players by cutting ropes, activating mechanisms, and helping gather Lums. On certain platforms like the Wii U and PlayStation Vita, an additional player can control Murfy directly using touch controls, adding an extra layer of cooperative gameplay.

Gameplay

Rayman Legends excels at constantly introducing new and unpredictable ideas throughout its approximately 12-hour campaign. The game starts with simple running, jumping, and punching mechanics but quickly evolves to include stealth sections, rhythm-based challenges, and frantic escape sequences.

Unlike Rayman Origins, players have access to all core abilities from the beginning, including gliding and swimming, which allows for more freedom of exploration in early levels. This design choice pushed the developers to create more innovative challenges as the game progresses.

The platforming feels slightly floaty compared to other games in the genre, but this unique physics system quickly becomes second nature and adds to the distinctive feel of controlling Rayman. The controls are precise and responsive, essential for navigating the increasingly complex obstacles and challenges.

One of the most memorable aspects of Rayman Legends is its rhythm-based levels set to covers of songs like “Black Betty,” “Eye of the Tiger,” and “Woo-Hoo”. These musical stages perfectly blend platforming with rhythm gameplay, creating some of the most enjoyable moments in the game.

Pros and Cons

✔️ Pros

• Stunning hand-drawn visuals that showcase incredible artistry and animation
• Impressive variety of levels and gameplay mechanics that constantly introduce new ideas
• Catchy music and sound design, especially in the rhythm-based levels
• Extensive content with over 120 levels and additional challenges
• Accessible yet challenging gameplay suitable for players of all skill levels
• Enjoyable cooperative multiplayer for up to four players

❌ Cons

• Murfy sections can be frustrating in single-player mode, especially on Wii U and PS Vita where AI controls Rayman
• Multiplayer becomes chaotic with three or more players, making it difficult to track your character
• The interface can be initially confusing for new players
• Some difficulty spikes may frustrate less experienced gamers

Rayman Legends represents the pinnacle of 2D platforming, combining gorgeous visuals, precise controls, and inventive level design into a package that remains as enjoyable today as when it first released. Whether you’re a platforming veteran or new to the genre, this adventure offers a delightful experience that showcases the creativity and charm that has made Rayman a beloved gaming icon.