Rayman 3 scoring system

Rayman 3 is the first game in the series to introduce a score system in an arcade-style format. Until the reformat of RaymanZone, players were able to enter the key code provided at the end of the game in order to participate in a worldwide score ranking. A new Hall of Fame was created on Rayman Pirate-Community in 2009. The score system notably increased the replay value of the game.

The combo mode

Basic mechanics

As soon as points are scored, the combo mode is activated. If the scoring continues while the combo mode is still active, it is possible to increase the score considerably. Actually, the combo system is the key to reaching high scores in this game.

First is a list of how long the various objects will keep the combo mode activated:

Jewels, piggybanks, kickflips, meadowscrews, Armaguiddons, Hoodlum watercrafts, Black Lums, Crowns, switches, doors, Tribelles and Matuvus: 2 seconds.

Hoodlums, Muddibogs, Ninja Crabs and the last Podocrock in the group: 6 seconds.

In order to keep the combo mode activated after an object from the first group, it is necessary to collect the next object before 2 seconds have passed. If an object from the second group is collected, the combo mode will stay activated for no less than 6 seconds. It is worth noticing this when creating combos.

The combo system is structured in the following way. The objects in a combo are gathered in groups of five and will be assigned combo points as follows:

• Objects 1 – 5: Objects 2 – 5 will have their points added to the combo counter.
• Objects 6 – 10: These objects will have their points doubled and added to the combo counter.
• Objects 11 – 15: These objects will have their points tripled and added to the combo counter.
• Objects 16 – 20: These objects will have their points quadrupled and added to the combo counter.
• Objects: 21 – : These objects will have their points quintupled and added to the combo counter.

In order to maximize the score under these rules, it is a good strategy to save objects with high points for as late in the combo as possible and start the combo with low-points objects, like yellow gems, for example.

As an example, consider a combo with five yellow gems, five red gems and one green gem. These objects can be combined in many ways; consider a few variations. Let y denote a yellow gem, r a red gem and g a green gem. One combo could look like this:

• gyyyy | yrrrr | r

According to the rules above the combo points are: 4·10 + 2·(10 + 4·30) + 3·30 = 390 points

Another combo could be:

• yyyyg | yrrrr | r

This combo is worth: 3·10 + 1500 + 2·(10 + 4·30) + 3·30 = 1880 points

A third option could be:

• yyyyy | grrrr | r

This combo is worth: 4·10 + 2·(1500 + 4·30) + 3·30 = 3370 points

And one last option:

• yyyyy | rrrrr | g

This combo is worth: 4·10 + 2·5·30 + 3·1500 = 4840 points

This example shows how important it is to let objects with high points come as late as possible in a combo. The difference between the highest and lowest combo is 4450 points. If the combo were played with a Power-up, the difference would have been 8900 points.

The green gem problem

There is a quirk in the game concerning the green gem taken in combo with a Power-up. If the green gem is object number 16 or higher, it will not count in said combo. According to the rules above it should give 12.000 points in combo or even 15.000 points if it were object number 21 or higher in the combo. The reason for not allowing 12.000 or 15.000 combo points for the green gem is likely that it would be too easy to reach the maximum score in the levels concerned.

However, there are at most three places where this is a problem. One place is famously the secret room in SBTC part 2. It is important to include the green gem in this combo as object number 11 – 15; otherwise, it will not count.

The other two places are in LS part 1, the secret room combo and in DOTK part 7 the green gems combo.

Note: The problem does not arise when not using a Power-up.

How to pass 100.000 points

It is not possible to keep scoring when reaching 100.000 points; the counter simply stops and no more points are added. If one tries to keep scoring this way, the result is always lower than 100.000 points.

However, there is a way to pass this scoring limit, and the secret lies in the fact that combo points are still added to the counter provided that the player has stopped scoring before reaching 100.000 points. The way to get the most out of scoring would therefore be to land on exactly 99.999 points before the combo points are added.

Here is an example that shows how to use this. Consider the previous example with five yellow gems, five red gems and one green gem. Using the following combo, which is worth 4840 points:

• yyyyy | rrrrr | g

The sum of the points from the gems is: 5·10 + 5·30 + 1500 = 1700 points.

To find the required points before playing this combo, one must subtract the points from the desired limit. In order to get the most out of this combo, it is necessary to have this amount of points before starting the combo:

99.999 – 1700 = 98.299 points

When the combo is finished, the counter will show 99.999 points. This allows the combo points of 4840 to be added to the counter, and the final score will be:

99.999 + 4840 = 104.839 points

The bonus point issue

This section deals with the situation where bonus points can be used to pass the scoring limit. It is only relevant in CF part 4, but the calculations will nevertheless be done in full here.

It turns out that bonus points that come from defeating a Hoodblaster with one hit are added to the counter regardless of the score. To clarify, if the player has 99.899 points and defeats a Hoodblaster with one hit, a 30-point bonus is added on top of the 100 points from the Hoodblaster itself. The score would therefore be: 99.899 + 100 + 30 = 100.029 points. If one has more than 99.899 points when defeating the Hoodblaster, no points will be awarded because the scoring limit of 99.999 points has been passed.

Now for the calculations of the maximum score in CF. The maximum score in this level is achieved through the combo where Rayman, wearing the Hoodstomper (boss) outfit, steps on three Slapdashes and 27 Hoodmonger Soldiers. Each Hoodmonger Soldier is worth 100 points plus 30 bonus points. Again, scoring must stop on 99.999 points before combo points are added. First, calculate the sum of the points from each of the Slapdashes and Hoodmonger Soldiers: 3·30 + 27·130 = 3600 points.

Now calculate: 99.999 – 3600 = 96.399 points.

But since the 30 bonus points from the last Hoodmonger Soldier (no. 27) are added to the counter, the actual score before playing this combo should be:

96.399 + 30 = 96.429 points.

As for the combo points, this can be calculated as follows. Let S denote a Slapdash and H a Hoodmonger Soldier. The combo can look like this:

• SSSHH | HHHHH | HHHHH | HHHHH | HHHHHHHHHH

The value of this combo is: 2·30 + 2·100 + 2·5·100 + 3·5·100 + 4·5·100 + 5·10·100 = 7760

The total score will be: 99.999 + 7760 + 30 = 107.789 points.

The green gem issue

This section deals with another maximum score situation, this time in TLOTLD.

It turns out that there is an unexpected issue when passing the scoring limit of 100.000 points when the green gem is taken with a Power-up. This issue can be illustrated by using the well-known example:

• yyyyy | rrrrr | g

This time, the combo is played with a Power-up. Using the previous calculations concerning this combo:

The sum of points: 2·1700 = 3400 points

The combo points: 2·4840 = 9680 points

Using the original rules, the result would be:

Points needed before the combo: 99.999 – 3400 = 96.599 points

Total score: 99.999 + 9680 = 109.679 points.

However, it turns out that the green gem only counts for 1500 points in relation to the scoring limit, even though it is taken with a Power-up. The remaining 1500 points are carried over the limit in much the same way as the bonus points in the previous section. Therefore, the following corrections to the above calculations are necessary:

Points needed before the combo: 99.999 – 3400 + 1500 = 98.099 points

Total score: 99.999 + 9680 + 1500 = 111.179 points.

Note: This is the only level where the maximum score is reached through gems taken with a Power-up. So these special calculations are not needed elsewhere.

This section concludes with the actual calculations for part 5 in TLOTLD.

The combo used is the following and the Power-up is the Shock Rocket:

• HHHHH | yyrrr | rgrg

The sum of the points: 5·260 + 2·20 + 5·60 + 2·3000 = 7640 points

The value of the combo: 4·200 + 2·(2·20 + 3·60) + 3·(2·60 + 2·3000) = 19.600 points

Now the final calculations can be made, keeping in mind that 1500 points must be added as above:

Points needed before the combo: 99.999 – 7640 + 1500 = 93.859 points

Total score: 99.999 + 19.600 + 1500 = 121.099 points

This is the maximum score for TLOTLD.

Glitches

Rayman 3 scoring makes extensive use of the glitches present in the game.

Solutions

When playing the game, there are certain tricks or glitches that can be used to increase the score. Here follows a list of tricks and glitches. Details and videos are found in the walkthroughs.

The Fairy Council

Main article: Solution of the Fairy Council

• Part 2. The Turtle Trick allows the player to return to the first area with hands available.
• Part 3. The Lift Trick allows the player to use the lift and jump/helicopter to the Hoodblaster platform.

Clearleaf Forest

Main article: Solution of Clearleaf Forest

• Part 2. The Piggybank Trick allows the player to either jump from one Piggybank directly to the upper level, or to roll from one Piggybank into another to be launched high enough to reach the upper level.

The Bog of Murk

Main article: Solution of the Bog of Murk

• Part 3. Wait until the Hoodblaster survives and play the part from there.
• Part 5. The Razoff Glitch. This glitch allows the player to hit Razoff two or three times for up to 9000 extra points.
• Part 6. It is possible to make Razoff stay on the ball while hitting him up to five times. This strategy allows an extra 10.000 points in this part.

The Land of the Livid Dead

Main article: Solution of the Land of the Livid Dead

• Part 2: In the Xbox version, Rayman can jump the balloons and get the Vortex.

The Desert of the Knaaren

Main article: Solution of the Desert of the Knaaren

• Part 1. Passing the Knaaren with the Lockjaw. This trick gives an extra 4500 – 5000 points.
• Part 7. The Black Lums Glitch is a great help in the Stumbleboom – Hoodstormer Combo. The glitch works like this: When Black Lums fly away high in the air, usually from Hoodstormers, they can be converted into many Red Lums and thus increase the score. This glitch does not work for PC players.
• Part 7. After hitting the Hoodoo three times, the player can quickly hit the Hoodlock and penetrate his shield with the Lockjaw. Push him back in order to pass him for a big combo.

The Longest Shortcut

Main article: Solution of the Longest Shortcut

The Summit Beyond the Clouds

Main article: Solution of the Summit Beyond the Clouds

• Part 1. It is possible to enter the upper deck with the Lockjaw by using the Launching Glitch. This helps in getting the green gem for 9000 combo points.
• Part 2: The beginning trick helps the player to get the second Hoodlock with the Lockjaw.
• Part 3. The Launching Glitch for the Snowboard allows the green gem to be taken for 7500 combo points.

Hoodlum Headquarters

Main article: Solution of the Hoodlum Headquarters

• Part 2. The Lums Glitch can be used in the first room to get a good score. Make sure the Hoodblasters are high in the air when defeated. This does not work for PC players.

The Tower of the Leptys

Main article: Solution of the Tower of the Leptys

• Part 1. Go to the room with the yellow gems and collect at least twenty before re-entering the area with the Hoodlums. This allows for one of the biggest combos in the game.

Development

While the developers thought the maximum attainable score was around 500,000 points, the discovery of various glitches and the mastery of the scoring mechanics allowed much higher scores, the highest known overall score being 918,395 points.

See also

• Hall of Fame

External links

• Rayman 3 scores topic at Pirate-Community