Rayman 2

[Greengoop]

That was the level that made me give up on R2 on the 3DS

[Master]

I played the 3DS version at the beginning of the year, it's definitely sub-par to say the least. The touched up geometry doesn't really help against some of the other graphical and audio hiccups, there's some oddities in the controls and overall it's not a version I'd recommend personally, it's serviceable but definitely not the game at its best. I can't remember much of Rayman DS (i've played it in the past, but it's been a long time), but of the versions that are fresh in my mind (PS2, DC, PC, PS1) I'd say the 3DS version is probably amongst the worst.

[Greengoop]

Yeah, a lot of rayman 2 versions aren’t amazing and there’s barely any that offer the full experience, but overall I enjoyed it considering it was my first experience with rayman 2

[Master]

The problem for me is that there isn't any one version that I'd say is my wholly "definitive" version. Revolution's probably the most substantial version, but I dislike some of the moving around of levels (The changes made to the Echoing Caves and Precipice just don't make sense to me, for instance the foreshadowing that the original Echoing Caves finished on - where it had a warship in the background leading to the Precipice, gets lost cause of how the levels have been mixed about). The fact that music doesn't play on level revisits infuriates me too, I don't understand who thought replacing that with ambient sounds would be a good idea, levels feel a lot emptier as a result (kinda ironic really, considering they actually did do something I liked here and add more enemies or change some elements on revisits).

The Dreamcast version is the best traditional version of Rayman 2, but over the years I find myself not liking the Isle of Doors. It's not a bad level select by any means, but it just doesn't compare to the original Hall of Doors when it comes to atmosphere and feel.

Then you have the other versions, PC and N64 in particular, which are probably the classic traditional versions, where you get the base game at it's purest, but don't get the extras like the minigames that the prior aforementioned versions have. PC version has been a pain in the arse to get running for me lately however, and (with no hate to those who do), I personally don't really gel with the N64 MIDI soundtrack, it's not bad, but not for me.

The PS1 version is watered down, yes. There are legitimate complaints to be had there, but I give the PS1 version a pass because it is running on weaker hardware, and it at least has some interesting differences in level design that make it worth checking out. (I actually prefer its version of the final boss, feels more like a battle than the more puzzle-like boss the other versions have).

I think for me, my definitive version would be Dreamcast + Revolution extras (as in the minigames and unlockables...maybe not the OP ones though), and the Hall of Doors.

[Greengoop]

I can barely consider revolution a port of rayman 2. It’s certainly a good game, but a bad port of what it is supposed to be. There’s a reason there’s 2 separate speedrun.com pages for each

The dreamcast version is indisputably the best version in my eyes, it isn’t the original experience by any means but all of its changes are just building onto the base game, unlike revolution. There’s a reason almost all later ports are based on it.

The N64 and PC versions are what to go for if you want the original experience, and are often what you think about upon hearing the name “rayman 2” however, ports are only based on these ones when the device they are porting onto is underpowered, essentially the DS version

[Master]

Yeah, I think Revolution is probably more in line as a remake than a port, even if it's not completely fitting the definition.

Is DS the only ported version that based off what we're defining as "original experience?" I'm trying to think of any other ports and the only ones that come to mind are iOS and 3DS, both of which were based off the Dreamcast version if memory serves.

[Greengoop]

Yes, it’s a lot more underported than rayman 1. The 3DS and iOS are based off the DC version because it’s simply better than the PC version, ironically removing most of the cool new Dreamcast features

[Master]

Haha quite so. Make me yearn for an honest to goodness remake of both, and I suppose the fandom shared that sentiment given how both have fangame reimaginings.

Meanwhile Rayman 3 clearly is objective perfection, and doesn't need a remake xD
(In all seriousness, of all the classic games, I do think Rayman 3 probably could get by with the least amount of change. You could probably get by with just redoing the assets with the odd QoL a la Metroid Prime Remastered and jobs a good 'un)

[Greengoop]

Pretty much all rayman 3 versions (at least the ones which are actually rayman 3 ) are the same, and rayman 3 HD is a double edged sword, having a lot of interesting new content but also removing a lot of stuff the fanbase loved. A lot of people act like there is a lot of difference between versions while there really isn’t, and people would do anything for a “traditional” port of rayman 3 for modern consoles (closest we’ve got is buying an original PS3 of eBay for £800 or something and using the PS2 disc in it ) same with rayman 2 really

[Hugo]

I'm glad I never got Revolution as a kid. I tried it as an adult and I think it's complete garbage. All the tweaks meant to flesh out the world or add more gameplay just seem terribly designed and water down the experience for me.

The original manages to build incredible atmosphere with very few "pieces" and even today, with its paper mâché graphics, I can feel the magic. Well designed textures and animations say more than the sum of their parts, without a lot of superfluous details that modern games tend to be obsessed with. And Rayman 2's soundtrack is just bliss...

I completely agree with Master and Greengoop about the versions. Rayman 2 has a huge number of versions, it's a very odd title in the history of gaming and truly a product of its time. I want something like that so badly, but it seems as though mankind has lost touch with fantasy and imagination.

[Master]

Pretty much all rayman 3 versions (at least the ones which are actually rayman 3 ) are the same, and rayman 3 HD is a double edged sword, having a lot of interesting new content but also removing a lot of stuff the fanbase loved. A lot of people act like there is a lot of difference between versions while there really isn’t, and people would do anything for a “traditional” port of rayman 3 for modern consoles (closest we’ve got is buying an original PS3 of eBay for £800 or something and using the PS2 disc in it ) same with rayman 2 really

Wait did HD have new content? I just thought it repackaged some of the extra videos that was on RaymanZone. And also did that really annoying cut in the intro because they didn't want the old UbiSoft logo showing. And also the HD logo looks hideous in comparison to the original. I get wanting brand parity with Origins, but c'mon that logo was so uninspired compared to the original.

Can't say I've noticed differences I'd class as substantial between the different Rayman 3 versions, at least nowhere near to the extent as between Rayman 2. I know there's a lot more minutae involved that affects scoring, but honestly all things considered if there were a remake I'd probably just standardise and not really try for any particular version's take there, but I say that with lacking knowledge xD.

I completely agree with Master and Greengoop about the versions. Rayman 2 has a huge number of versions, it's a very odd title in the history of gaming and truly a product of its time. I want something like that so badly, but it seems as though mankind has lost touch with fantasy and imagination.

Honestly, as much as I find it fascinating to see version differences, I don't necessarily miss it. Especially in this day and age where console hardware has become very similar and differences are more in image quality and performance than in actual content. I don't mind developers wanting to add on or having new ideas, but I feel that having difference from the onset would be arbitrary. Granted there's some exception there given the existence of the Nintendo Switch, but in general if you were targeting the mainstream power consoles/PC, I don't think there'd be any point in there being much difference, they all have similar levels of capability and features, the only difference I could really think of is having extra bells and whistles for the haptics and sensors in the Dualsense like Astro Bot does.

[Greengoop]

The problem with technology having pretty much no limitations is that clever work-arounds can no longer be implemented. If rayman was created today he’d certainly have limbs, and we wouldn’t have had ports such as the GBC/GBA games (I would use the word “remake” but it’s a lot more than that) and the rayman 3 scoring competition may have never existed since the scoring mechanic in the game would already have a built in leaderboard

Also to answer master’s question (cheeky you, ninja’ing me ) rayman 3’s points worked a different way as well as having built in leaderboards, and there were a few extra bonuses, one of them is origins concept art being featured!

[dr_st]

The dreamcast version is indisputably the best version in my eyes, it isn’t the original experience by any means but all of its changes are just building onto the base game, unlike revolution. There’s a reason almost all later ports are based on it.

The N64 and PC versions are what to go for if you want the original experience

I have gotten more fond of both PC and Dreamcast versions when I learned of the cool cheats hidden in them:
https://raymanpc.com/wiki/en/List_of_cheats_in_Rayman_2

[Greengoop]

They seem very random cheats, but certainly very cool! I specifically like the Atari one

[Hugo]

Woah I had NO IDEA these cheats existed!! Finally another reason to go back

Wahoooo... hah!

[Greengoop]

Probably my favourite one is the revolution cheat that displays the globoxes names

[Sabertooth]

The PS1 version has good voice acting and Revolution has bad voice acting that sucks. Why they have David Gasman re-record every single one of his lines? He did great the first time.

[Greengoop]

The PS1 version has good voice acting and Revolution has bad voice acting that sucks.

Heh, usually I hear it as the other way around

[The Jonster]

I haven't played the PS1 version enough, so can't comment much on that. All I remember is Ly stating in the intro "Raymin".

......

I just remembered something about my first time playing Rayman 2 on the PC version and I thought about checking it out. After breaking the first cage in the Woods of Light, Murfy mentions how to access the Knowledge of the World and discover why collecting yellow lums was so important, which is by pressing J.

There's a hint stone shortly afterwards that gives the same advice:

However this is what actually happens when I press J:

Turns out the only thing the J key does is toggle the stats (health, lum count, and cage count) to appear onscreen. Pressing J again made them disappear. Later on in the Fairy Glade I attempted to call Murfy while I was at a hint stone where he didn't appear, and upon holding F1 down I accessed the Knowledge of the World, and in fact the first page mentions you have to press F1 down, and not J.

So in the end, Murfy in fact gives Rayman misinformation at the start of the PC version of the game.

How do I know this? Well I tried this on the N64 version (with Project64) too, and this is what I got)
The hint stone bringing up Knowledge of the World (not going to bring up Murfy again since I'm going to exceed the limit for a post):

What happens when I press L:

[Greengoop]

So, that screen is unused in the PC version, but they never updated murfy’s text?