For over 20 years, a legendary sequence from Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc has intrigued players and continues to captivate the community: the deleted Xowar level.
Originally planned as the final boss of the Clearleaf Forest, this gigantic gorilla was meant to chase Rayman in a frantic chase across a level entirely dedicated to this sequence. But like many elements during video game development, this section was cut before the final release.
And yet… it was never forgotten.
Even in 2026, the game's original developers discussed this lost sequence in several behind-the-scenes videos of Rayman 3's development. Thanks to these recent archives and elements recovered from the game files, it's now possible to glimpse what this level could have truly become.
Today, this project has a clear objective: to fully recreate the lost Xowar level as a playable mini-game faithful to the original universe.
The mini-game will feature a massive chase sequence inspired by iconic Crash Bandicoot scenes. Rayman will have to flee the Xowar across plains, caves, and wooded paths, avoiding obstacles, enemies, and environmental traps in a setting faithful to the spirit of the original game.
The project relies on extensive reverse engineering and reconstruction in Unity using the original game files and data restored via Raymap.
Several tools have already been developed specifically for this reconstruction:
- automatic export of 3D models;
- retrieval of original textures and animations;
- extraction of enemies and objects;
- retrieval of environments;
- reconstruction of original lighting;
- complete integration of assets into Unity.
Today, the reconstruction of the environments is already well underway, and the first areas of the level have been recreated with their original assets and atmosphere.
The next objective is to finalize:
- the gameplay;
- Collisions;
- Xowar behavior;
- Cutscenes;
- Cameras;
- Playable web integration.
Every contribution will directly help revive a lost sequence from Rayman 3 and transform this legendary level into a fully playable experience.
The mini-game will begin in a calm atmosphere in the heart of the Clearleaf Forest.
Rayman will arrive in the area and gradually explore the surroundings before heading down towards the entrance of the main course. The player will be able to admire the scenery and environment before the action truly begins.
Once the area is reached, the original cutscene from the game — “xow_cinematic_ca” — will trigger with its original shots showing the Xowar's arrival.
After this introduction, a screen will explain the mini-game controls:
- Movement;
- Jumping;
- How the chase works.
Then the race will begin.
The camera will adopt a fixed, dynamic top-down view, traversing the level's various environments. Rayman must flee the Xowar through:
- plains;
- caves;
- rocky passages;
- wooded paths.
Throughout the sequence, the Xowar will pursue the player with its original animations restored:
- xow_run for running;
- xow_hit when it jumps or destroys obstacles;
- xow_paf when Rayman is caught, triggering a Game Over followed by a fade to black.
The player will have to avoid numerous obstacles:
- Hoodlums;
- crates;
- tree trunks;
- planks;
- environmental traps.
The Xowar can also destroy certain enemies and elements of the scenery to enhance the impression of power and chaos during the chase.
All animations used will be taken directly from the original game:
- Rayman's animations;
- Xowar animations;
- Visual effects;
- Lighting;
- Assets and atmosphere.
At the end of the level, Rayman will reach an area too narrow and dangerous for the Xowar to continue its pursuit.
The original boss ending animation — xow_death — will then trigger, giving way to a calm and mysterious atmosphere.
The player will then discover an environment inspired by the doctor's house in Clearleaf Forest, creating a natural connection to the original game.
Several elements cut from development will also appear:
- The Flabar, seen in the original opening cinematic;
- The character Glute;
- Other content removed from the final game.
The goal is to recreate a true lost expansion for Rayman 3, faithful to the spirit, animations, and atmosphere of the original game.
What are the subscriptions for?
Subscriptions on this page directly support the project's development and accelerate the complete reconstruction of the Xowar level.
Each contribution helps to:
- continue developing the mini-game in Unity;
- finalize the gameplay, collision detection, and chase mechanics;
- integrate and restore the original animations;
- optimize performance, especially for a browser-based version;
- develop and improve the technical tools for exporting and rebuilding;
- refine the visual effects, lighting, and atmosphere;
- improve the staging and cinematics;
- dedicate more time to restoring deleted content.
Beyond providing support, subscribers will also have access to exclusive content related to the project at various stages of its development.
The different tiers will also allow for:
- the online release of the browser-based mini-game;
- the publication of the project's source files;
- Sharing the tools and scripts developed during the reconstruction.
Who is leading the fundraising?
Passionate about Rayman 3 for many years, we have been working for several months on restoring the deleted Xowar level through extensive research, archiving, and reconstruction using Unity.
The project relies on the original game files, data restored via Raymap, as well as several videos and development materials recently released by the game's developers.
Hundreds of hours of research, reverse engineering, and testing have already allowed us to reconstruct a significant portion of the environments and integrate numerous original assets into Unity.
The goal of this fundraising campaign is to allow the project to take the next step: transforming this technical reconstruction into a fully playable mini-game, faithful to the spirit of Rayman 3.
This project is entirely independent, driven by passion, and conceived as a video game preservation initiative focused on lost content from the original game. This is an unofficial fan-made recreation created to revive and preserve a forgotten part of the game.
This fan game is developed on a non-profit basis, and all images and sequences shown are from a work-in-progress version and do not necessarily represent the final version of the project.
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, as well as all associated elements, characters, names, and content, belong to Ubisoft. This project is entirely independent and is neither affiliated with, endorsed by, nor supported by Ubisoft.
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