The Longest Shortcut

The Longest Shortcut
The Longest Shortcut
← The Desert of the Knaaren	The Summit Beyond the Clouds →
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The Longest Shortcut, also known as the Temple of the Grand Minimus, is the sixth level of Rayman 3. Its strategic obstacles demonstrate what kind of a maze the Teensie beings have devised for passers. In this world, Rayman is faced with several challenging and confusing booby-traps, including invisible platforms, fake walls and illusional mirrors. Each requires deep investigation – a skill vital for such a world. The Teensies have made this "shortcut" ever more challenging by locking each door until all the 85 crowns are collected. These crowns are distributed all around the area to make sure passers provide strong determination and effort before proceeding. No Hoodlums can be found in this level, but in every stage there is a Matuvu and a Tribelle.

As a level

Stage 1 – The Long Shortcut

At the beginning of the level, Rayman and Globox meet up with Otto, Roméo and Art Rytus, who tell the duo that Reflux and André have already stolen Gumsi's sceptre, and offer to use the locked door behind them to catch up with them. Globox tries unsuccessfully to open the door with a series of chants (believing the door is 'magic') whilst Rayman has to take a portal to collect all fifteen crowns required to unlock the door. Almost immediately after leaving the portal, Rayman has to fight his Crazy Shoe to obtain a Lockjaw to ascend the area and collect crowns. Once all have been collected, Rayman must step on the button in front of Globox to access the next area.

The score thresholds for this stage are 5000 points for 25% (2 stars), 10000 points for 50% (3 stars), 15000 points for 75% (4 stars) and 20000 points for 100% (5 stars).

Secret area

A reflection of a non-existent window between two statues of Teensies can be seen on the floor - if Rayman jumps into the space where the window should be, he will find himself in a secret area containing a lot of yellow gems and two green gems.

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  The first section.
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  The main room.
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  Rayman must pass through the wall to access the secret area.
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  The secret area.
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  The end of the first section.

Stage 2 – Even Longer Shortcut!

To the displeasure and complaint of how this "shortcut" isn't really one, Globox quickly takes up position in front of the door to again attempt to open it, so Rayman must go through a passage, leading to a series of challenges, with portals leading to each one:

• Similar to the challenge in the last stage, the floor is mirrored and Rayman must ascend to collect all thirty of the crowns, although this time he uses levitating platforms instead of a can of Laser-Washing Powder.
• The sole levitating platform in this room is invisible. Luckily, Rayman can use the mirrored floor (where the platform is visible) to collect the crowns.
• This challenge is almost the same as the last one, only there are four invisible platforms that must be seen using a mirrored wall.
• This challenge is similar to the second one, only this time there are three invisible platforms (and an invisible hole in the wall leading to the exit) which, as before, must be seen with the mirrored floor.

Once all the crowns have been acquired, Rayman must step on the switch in front of Globox to gain entry to the next area.

The score thresholds for this stage are 1015 points for 25% (2 stars), 2030 points for 50% (3 stars), 3045 points for 75% (4 stars) and 4060 points for 100% (5 stars).

Secret area

In the second chamber containing crowns in the first challenge, there is a dark patch on the wall. Hitting it will reward the player with a small cache of gems, including a green gem.

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  The second section.
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  The first room.
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  Rayman has to destroy this wall to access the secret area.
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  The secret area.
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  The second room.
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  The third room.
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  The fourth room.
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  The end of the second section.

Stage 3 – The Longest Shortcut Ever!

Once more, Globox tries to open the door by chanting at it. Rayman must follow a path into a hall containing entrances into several challenges to obtain the necessary forty crowns. First of all, he must jump from one side of the huge room to the other before a gate closes. Then he must repeatedly hit switches to raise himself up to access the rest of the hall, which contains three more challenges. One challenge involves jumping up platforms rapidly to access a small chamber full of crowns, another makes use of a machine that moves forward every time Rayman hits a switch with a curved punch, and the last one involves jumping across platforms with no time limit. Once all crowns have been collected, Rayman must stand on the switch in front of Globox again, to gain entry to the very last part of the level - a beach, where the three doctors offer the heroes a boat to catch up with Reflux and André.

In Rayman 3 HD, the room where Rayman must hit a machine with curved punches has the wall on the left moved closer inside, making it smaller.

The score thresholds for this stage are 1938 points for 25% (2 stars), 3875 points for 50% (3 stars), 5813 points for 75% (4 stars) and 7750 points for 100% (5 stars). This is one of two stages in the game where the score requirement differs in the GameCube version. There the 100% requirement is instead 8730 points, with the other requirements changed proportionally, making the score most likely impossible to achieve in this version. This is the same requirement as listed in the official strategy guide.

Secret area

After completing the first challenge, if Rayman shoots a fully-charged fist at a circular switch, a panel in the wall in the next room will open up, containing a small handful of gems and a full-size statue of Ly the Fairy from Rayman 2.

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  The third and final section.
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  The room from the first floor.
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  Rayman must use the lifts to access the second floor.
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  A statue of Ly the Fairy can be found in stage 3.
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  Rayman must use both these trampolines and many platforms to reach the crowns.
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  Rayman must use these three flying platforms to reach the crowns.
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  Rayman must use this flying platform to reach the crowns.
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  The boat Rayman and Globox will have to use to achieve the Summit Beyond the Clouds.
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  The Teensie doctors at the end of the Longest Shortcut.

Soundtracks

• "The LockJaw Challenge"
• "The Jumping Challenge"
• "The Mirror Challenge"
• "The Platform Challenge"

Saves

This section lists saves for the PC version of the game. Instructions on how to implement them can be found here.

• Phase 1
• Phase 2
• Phase 3

Gallery

• 
  The Longest Shortcut (stage 2)

External links

• The Longest Shortcut's playthrough at YouTube (PC version)