Hoodlum

After some punishing auditions, the developers have brought together the worst army ever, made up of the dumbest enemies. They’re dressed like potato sacks and are ready to use any old tactics, however ludicrous or dangerous, to stop Rayman and Globox.
—Manual (UK version), Rayman 3

Shooting, smacking, bombing, and slashing! These mayhem wreakers live to wreak mayhem! You'll have to take out as many as possible to keep the land from falling into darkness.
—Manual, Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge

The Hoodlums (once called Kagoulards) are an army of enemy creatures which first appeared in Rayman 3. The Hoodlum army was created when the evil Black Lums, under the leadership of the lord, André, began to steal the fur from Bontons and weave it into costumes for themselves. Hoodlums are often found sporting an assortment of weapons and powers, ranging from blunderbusses to explosive bottles of plum juice, and even giant stomping machines and tripod submarines. They come in many shapes and sizes, and have many different strengths and weaknesses. When a Hoodlum is defeated, the Black Lum that was controlling it from the inside escapes; later on in the game, Rayman receives the power to grimace, which can be used to revert these Black Lums back into Red Lums which Rayman can absorb for health.

Creation

Some Hoodlums like the Hoodmonger, the Hoodboom and the Slapdash had a different design during the development of *Rayman 3*. Hoodlums were planned to talk in the beta version, but this idea was removed.

The Hoodlums were originally created by Stéphane Zinetti, the lead character designer for Rayman 3. Zinetti had the following to say regarding the genesis of the Hoodlums in an interview with RaymanZone at about the time of the game's release:

We were looking for a fairly simple principle that would be easy to offer in a variety of forms for several characters, without repeating exactly the same thing.
The idea for the Hoodlums came from one of my sketches. It was a sort of Mexican holding a fat rifle and wearing a big sombrero and a kind of poncho covering his whole body. He was a blend of Darkman [sic] from Rayman 1 – a mysterious character rolled up in his cloak, for those who don't know him – and the hunter, also in Rayman 1. Then came the idea to make characters out of cloth. This was easy for the player to recognise, and very simple for us to vary. What's more, rendering the flexibility of different fabrics was a graphic challenge that was interesting to take up.
Once we'd found the basic principle, we worked on the basic psychologies to create a whole heap of characters. For example, using a slightly mannered and mysterious profile, we created 'Hoodoo', an elongated sorcerer. For 'Slapdash', we wanted to create a fat moron. So we made him a nice bright strawberry color and gave him a vacant look and a fairly oafish physique.

—Stéphane Zinetti, RaymanZone

In Rayman 3 and its spin-offs

The Hoodlums are a vast army with an insidious plan: to seize the mystical Heart of the World and turn it black with evil. But before achieving eternal conquest, they must free their Dark Lum Lord master from the recesses of Globox's stomach. And with the meddling Rayman in the mix, getting to Globox won't exactly be a cakewalk.
—Manual (US version), Rayman 3

The Hoodlum army is formed at the very beginning of Rayman 3, when a lone Red Lum is given a terrible fright - later revealed to be caused by Rayman's hands - and becomes the Black Lum known as André. He then proceeds to convert many other Red Lums into Black Lums. Stealing the fur of animals such as Bontons, they weave their outer bodies from cloth. They begin their invasion by launching an assault on the Fairy Council, where the Heart of the World is kept; André hoped to corrupt its 1000 constituent Yellow Lums into a more powerful army of Hoodlums. However, André was accidentally swallowed by Globox before he could reach the Heart, thus setting the events of the game into motion.

From there, the Hoodlum army spread their forces across the Glade of Dreams, attempting to hinder Rayman and Globox's progress however they could. Eventually, André was released from Globox's belly and teamed up with Reflux, planning to use the power of the recently-stolen Sceptre of the Leptys to multiply and create an unstoppable army of Hoodlums. However, Rayman and Globox soon defeat Reflux and the former pulls a grimace to revert André back to a Red Lum, ending the Hoodlum invasion.

Set of flags representing the Hoodlum army.

In Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)

A Spinneroo in the Game Boy Advance version of *Rayman 3*.

Hoodlums also appear in the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 3, in which Rayman must defeat both them and the Robo-Pirate minions of Admiral Razorbeard. They mostly appear in Hoodlum Hideout, but Spinneroos can be found in Wretched Ruins, and Scaleman in Scaleman's Keep.

In Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge

Hoodlums appear once more in Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge, the isometric Game Boy Advance sequel to Rayman 3. In this game, it is revealed that a fragment of André's evil spirit remained in Globox's body. As Rayman and Globox fight against the new Hoodlum invasion, Globox gradually becomes possessed by André, who eventually transforms him into a clone of Reflux.

Other appearances

A Hoodmonger appears as a playable character in Rayman Kart, a spin off racing game available only for mobile phones, and as a scarecrow in a Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party cutscene.

In the credits of Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party, a picture frame depicts the Hoodlum army that also parodies the 'Usual Suspects'.

Types of Hoodlums

Hoodmonger (also known as Hoodblaster)
Slapdash
Hoodmonger Soldier (also known as Hoodstyler)
Hoodboom
Master Kaag (piloting the Hoodstomper)
Stumbleboom
Spinneroo (also known as Hoodlock)
Hoodstormer
Grim Keeper
Grim
Hoodoo
Hoodmonger Officer (also known as Elite Monger)
Heckler
Lavomatrix (also known as Lavicraft)
Hoodloon
Hostess
Armoured Slapdash
Shielded Hoodboom
Scaleman
Armed Spinneroo
Conjoined Hoodlum (unused)
Kagoubinôme (unused)
Gunslinger Hoodlum (unused)

Hoodlum devices

Gallery

First draft of the Hoodlums, where they were originally going to be the creators of the Robo-Pirates
Concept art of the Hoodlum army.
More early designs and some scrapped Hoodlums.

External links

Hoodlums
Hoodlums from Rayman 3
André • Black Lum • Hoodmonger • Slapdash • Hoodmonger Soldier • Hoodboom • Master Kaag • Stumbleboom • Spinneroo • Hoodstormer • Hoodlum airship • Grim Keeper • Grim • Hoodoo • Hoodmonger Officer • Heckler • Céloche • Lavomatrix • Hoodlum watercraft • Hoodloon • Hostess • Armaguiddon
Hoodlums from Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance) and Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge
Armoured Slapdash • Shielded Hoodboom • Scaleman • Armed Spinneroo • Helicopter bomb
Scrapped Hoodlums
Lav-O-Matic • Kagalpha • Conjoined Hoodlum • Kagoubinôme • Gunslinger Hoodlum

Hoodlum

Contents

Creation