Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)

When Globox, Rayman’s best friend, inadvertently swallows a dreadful Black Lum, it isn’t the end of the world - but it could well be! To prevent a full-scale invasion of malicious, illmannered hordes, there’s only one solution: Rayman must get someone to treat his burdensome pal who totally loses control under the influence of the Black Lum. He sets off on a frenzied adventure through the Marshes (where the witch Bégoniax lives), the World of Bad Dreams and many other, increasingly inhospitable places, till he reaches the pirates’ den where his old enemies, Razorbeard and his henchmen, are ready and waiting for him. Fortunately, Rayman can rely on Murphy. So if everything goes reasonably well, and he manages to accumulate enough cages, Rayman should have the strength to overcome all the obstacles that loom up on the hazardous road to Globox’s recovery!

—Manual, Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)

Rayman 3
Published by	Ubisoft
Developed by	Ubisoft Montreal
Directed by	{{{directed by}}}
Produced by	{{{produced by}}}
Designed by	Kevin Guillemette with Louis Martin Guay
Programmed by	{{{programmed by}}}
Art by	{{{art by}}}
Written by	Alexis Nolent (script writer)
Soundtrack by	Éric Chevalier (original score), Daniel Masson (musical arrangements, programming and composition)
Release date	Game Boy Advance 21st February, 2003 4th March, 2003 Nokia N-Gage 9th December, 2003 2003 Wii U (Virtual Console) 20th April, 2017 25th May, 2017
Genre	2D platformer
Gameplay mode	Single player, multiplayer
Languages	{{{languages}}}
Platforms	Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nokia N-Gage, Digiblast, Nintendo Wii U (Virtual Console)
Ratings	{{{ratings}}}
Distribution media	{{{distribution media}}}
Game engine	GbaEngine

Rayman 3 is a portable version of the console game of the same name which was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. It is a 2D side-scrolling game with elements from Rayman 2 and Rayman 3, and a gameplay similar to that of the original Rayman game.

The game was originally developed as a Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 2, with its Rayman 3 elements added late in its development so that it could be marketed as a Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 3. As a consequence, its story is still mostly centered around that of Rayman 2, and so are the locations that Rayman visits. The game was not given the ‘Hoodlum Havoc’ subtitle, presumably because Hoodlums are only present in three levels in the game.

There are also versions of this game for some mobile phones, and it was ported to the Nokia N-Gage. In 2017, it was released on the Wii U's Virtual Console alongside Rayman Advance.

Plot

Admiral Razorbeard plots his revenge on Rayman.

The game begins with Rayman rebuking Globox for swallowing a Dark Lum while he was trying to save the Teensies. As Rayman is about to go and find a way to cure him, Globox runs away, and leaves him worried that he will end up doing something stupid. Meanwhile, Admiral Razorbeard hears about this incident and becomes hellbent on catching Globox to extract the Dark Lum, so he can use it to make himself more powerful, while hoping to destroy Rayman again.

During his quest, Rayman is helped by the fairy Ly, who gives him new powers, and Murphy, who gives him advice. He eliminates the Hoodlums and Robo-Pirates who stand in his way and reassembles the fragments of the Heart of the World, which was once again destroyed by the Pirates. At the end of his journey, Rayman reaches the Pirate Stronghold, where Globox is held prisoner. Admiral Razorbeard confronts the hero aboard a combat robot that he has just acquired: the Grolgoth. The latter ends up being destroyed, though Admiral Razorbeard's fate is uncertain. Once freed, Globox spits out the Black Lum and leaves with Rayman to find his family.

Timeline

It is unclear if this game is meant to be a prequel to the console version of Rayman 3 or an alternative retelling of its story on the handheld.

Early production

The first available prototype of the game, at which point the game was known as Rayman 2.

Main article: Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance, early production)

The game was originally developed as a Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 2, and elements from Rayman 3 were incorporated late in its development so that it could be marketed as a Game Boy Advance version of the latter. Hoodlums do not feature prominently, being only present in three levels of the game—Hoodlum Hideout, Wretched Ruins and Scaleman's Keep—and the Black Lum swallowed by Globox, who is not named as André, is only a minor character in the game. Instead, Robo-Pirates are common enemies and Admiral Razorbeard is the main antagonist, fought in his Grolgoth like in Rayman 2. Most levels in the game were designed as handheld adaptations of those from Rayman 2, which they strongly resemble, and were only renamed late in the game's development, as shown in early leaked builds which still use the original names.

Single-player gameplay

As in Rayman 2, Rayman must collect 1000 Yellow Lums and must also find and destroy 50 cages – apparently the Heart of the World has been broken again by the Robo-Pirates, but it has also become his main mission to find Globox and have the Dark Lum removed and destroyed. The Yellow Lums are found in the vast majority of the levels, though 14 of them have between 2-4 cages each, unlike the original Rayman in which the 102 cages of Electoons are divided neatly into 6 for each level. Also, not all 50 cages have to be broken in order to reach the Heart of the Ancients.

The game is split into four hub worlds, which contain 6–9 levels each, including bonus areas which are unlocked when every single Yellow Lum in a world is collected. These worlds can be accessed one at a time on a world map similar to that in the original Rayman game, and inside, the levels are presented as curtains rather than Spiral Doors. A red curtain is a level that cannot be accessed just yet, while a blue curtain is one which is open for Rayman to step in. If a blue curtain is sparkling, that means that all the Yellow Lums in that level have been collected. At the end of these worlds is a lightpost guarded by Teensies, though they will only let Rayman move on if he has completed certain levels. Rayman can also exit both a level or a world if he walks to the exit signs at the beginning. Each world contains at least one boss and a Mega Havoc bonus level.

Level types

• Regular levels: Most of the game levels fall into this category. Rayman has to progress through the level in classic 2D platforming style, while avoiding traps and enemies, breaking cages and collecting Yellow Lums. The number of the cages and Yellow Lums varies per level. Typically such levels are split into 2 or 3 phases.
• Boss levels: In these levels there are no cages and no Yellow Lums, and Rayman must battle one of the boss characters. There is one such level in each hub world, except for the Pirate Stronghold which has two.
• Water-ski racing: These levels are set in 3D, with Rayman water-skiing over the marsh, holding to the scarf of Ssssam. Similarly to the Marshes of Awakening from Rayman 2, various obstacles (mostly bombs) must be avoided. These levels contain a single phase where all Yellow Lums can be found. There are no cages to break.
• Kart racing: These levels are set in 3D. Rayman rides a bumper kart. and has to complete 3 laps of the track, while collecting Yellow Lums and avoiding obstacles. The time per lap is limited, adding to the difficulty of the levels. If Rayman runs out of time or loses all of his hitpoints, he also loses all the Yellow Lums collected so far and has to start over. There are no cages to break.
• Bonus levels: These are optional levels, which can only be accessed once all the Yellow Lums in a given hub world have been collected. The levels contain more Yellow Lums, but no cages. They are not mandatory for game completion. Set in classic 2D platformer style, these levels contain no enemies, but the traps are more difficult than in most levels.
• Ly's Punch Challenges: These levels are optional, and contain no Yellow Lums. They are set in classic 2D platformer style, with Rayman starting at the bottom and gradually progressing to the top of the level using punch platforms (hence the name). The punch platforms propel upward when hit with a charged fist, allowing Rayman to progress. Balloons, collapsing platforms and Purple Lums also help Rayman through these levels. If the punch challenge is completed before the timer runs out, a new multiplayer level is unlocked.

Levels

Concept art of the world map.

Another concept art of the world map.

The four hub worlds are all accessed from the main world map.

Forgotten Forests

• Wanderwood Forest
• Shining Glade
• Swamp of Bégoniax (replaced by Ascension in the N-Gage version)
• Garish Gears
• Mega Havoc 1
• Hoodlum Hideout

Haunted Dreams

• Magma Mayhem (replaced by Ly's Punch Challenge 1 in the N-Gage version)
• Vertigo Wastes
• Void of Bones
• Jano's Nest
• Mega Havoc 2
• Prickly Passage
• Ly's Punch Challenge 1 (renamed Ly's Punch Challenge 2 in the N-Gage version)
• Swamp of Bégoniax 2 (replaced by Free Falling in the N-Gage version)

Magmacosm

• River of Fire
• The Underlands
• Boulder Brink
• Den of Rocky
• Wretched Ruins
• Wicked Flow
• Mega Havoc 3

Pirate Stronghold

• Creeping Chaos
• Scaleman's Keep
• The Mettleworks
• Mega Havoc 4
• Magma Mayhem 2 (replaced by Falling Down in the N-Gage version)
• Razor Slide
• Ly's Punch Challenge 2 (renamed Ly's Punch Challenge 3 in the N-Gage version)
• Heart of the Ancients
• Lum Challenge
• Ly's Punch Challenge 3 (renamed Ly's Punch Challenge 4 in the N-Gage version)

Powers

As is the case in most Rayman games, Rayman will need certain powers to reach certain areas. As a result, he will have to return to replay these levels later on in the game, once Ly the Fairy has given him whatever power he needs. The only power he has at the beginning of the game is his telescopic fist, which functions much like it did in the original Rayman game.

• Double Fists: This power allows Rayman to quickly use both his fists, which becomes useful for knocking down large objects.
• Grappling Fist: This allows him to grab onto Purple Lums and reach places he couldn't before.
• Climbing between two walls: Once Rayman receives this power, he will be able to scale between two walls.
• Super Helicopter: Allows Rayman to fly with his helicopter whenever he eats a Blue Lum.
• Body Shot: This power is exclusive to the game. It allows Rayman to throw his body downwards and break through weak floors, such as wooden bridges. This can only be done while he is in the air.
• Super Fist: Increases the power of Rayman's fully charged fist.

Items

• Yellow Lums: Rayman has to collect all of these in every level. Some are hidden, and some are in his pathway. Getting all of the Yellow Lums in one world gives him access to the Mega Havoc level of that world.
• Red Lums: These refill one space of Rayman's health if he collects one.
• Blue Lums: Blue Lums let Rayman use his helicopter hair to fly. Most of them only allow him to do it for a short time, but at one point in the game he finds one that lets him fly for as long as he wants until he reaches the end of that part.
• Green Lums: These work as checkpoints. If Rayman collect a Green Lum, he returns to the place he got it if he dies.
• Silver Lums: Whenever Rayman collects one of these he will gain an extra life. They are some of the rarest Lums in the game.
• Cages: Cages are hidden throughout the levels, and imprisoned within them are some of the inhabitants. Rayman usually has to hit the cage twice to free them.
• Lightposts: These are green lights on a post. They always at the end of a part of a level, and whenever Rayman goes to one, he will proceed to the next part of the level.
• Magic curtains: These are what Rayman uses to enter a level in the world map. They are blue in colour and the red ones must be unlocked.

Multiplayer gameplay

One of the multiplayer modes available.

As well as the single player story mode, there is also a number of multi player games in which up to four players can play using the Game Boy Advance Game Link cable. Players can either choose the Single-pak link, in which only one Game Pak is needed to play with up to 2 players, or the Multi-Pak link, in which each of up to four players will need a copy of the same cartridge each.

Single-pak game

In this game, both players control Rayman riding in the same rocketship that he uses in Heart of the Ancients, and the aim is to defeat each other, akin to the Missile Dogfight game in Rayman Revolution.

Tag Mode

Tag mode.

This game is a tag game in which the player with the tag has to hurry and tag the others before their time runs out, and they can only do so by picking up the fist power-up and using it.

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  Web Tag (Game Boy Advance version)
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  Web Tag (N-Gage version)
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  Slide Tag (Game Boy Advance version)
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  Slide Tag (N-Gage version)

Burglar Mode

Burglar mode.

This time, the player with the tag has to keep him or herself as far away from the others as possible, and the first one to reach the maximum time of one minute wins. A second Burglar map can only be unlocked when Rayman completes Ly's Punch Challenge 2 in the single player story mode.

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  Steal n' Slide (Game Boy Advance version)
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  Steal n' Slide (N-Gage version)
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  Steal n' Spider (Game Boy Advance version)
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  Steal n' Spider (N-Gage version)

Bumper Car Race

Bumper Car Race mode.

This is a bumper cars race that is set in the same environment as that in Magma Mayhem, and as such a player has to take care not to get pushed into the lava by the others as they race three laps for first place.

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  Bumper Race (Game Boy Advance version)

Bumper Car Arena

This is the same game as above, only this time the aim is for each player to push their opponents into the lava. The last one standing is the winner. This can only be unlocked when all 50 cages have been found and broken.

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  Bumper Arena (Game Boy Advance version)

Capture the Flag (N-Gage exclusive)

Capture the Flag.

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  Middle Ground (N-Gage version)
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  Floors (N-Gage version)
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  One for All (N-Gage version)
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  All for One (N-Gage version)
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  Team Work (N-Gage version)
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  Team Player (N-Gage version)

Items

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GameCube link

Ly's Punch Challenge 3 being unlocked

Players which have both Rayman 3 on the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo GameCube can link the two games together using the special Game Boy Advance/GameCube link cable. Both of these have content only playable through this method. On the GameCube, two bonus stages - 2D Madness and 2D Nightmare, are made unlockable based on progress in the Game Boy Advance version, although the former is easily unlockable on other platforms and the latter cannot be accessed without cheats due to an oversight. On the Game Boy Advance, when the link is detected (due to data having to be transferred from the GameCube game to play), shorter bonus stages are available to play. A new bonus stage becomes available for every 100 Yellow Lums collected (out of 1000). If connected to a fully completed GameCube version, where 2D Nightmare has also been completed, then Ly's Punch Challenge 3, the final bonus level, unlocks.

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Version differences

N-Gage version

A Nokia N-Gage version of Rayman 3 was developed by Gameloft. It was based heavily of the Game Boy Advance version, but there are some differences between the two:

• The screen is smaller (176x208 pixels, while the Game Boy Advance screen's resolution is 240x160 pixels).
• Some graphical elements are sharper, including Rayman himself.
• Some sound effects are different, including the Super Fist sound effect and Rayman's jump sound effect.
• Some visual effects have been removed. The curtains on both sides of the screen in the overworld levels are missing, as well as the animation from the world transition).
• Four levels (Swamp of Bégoniax, Magma Mayhem, Swamp of Bégoniax 2 and Magma Mayhem 2) were replaced by new redesigned levels: Ascension, Ly's Punch Challenge 1, Free Falling and Falling Down. The number of Lums and cages was not changed.
• New multiplayer modes

Digiblast version

A version for the Digiblast was developed by Endgame Studios with the following differences:

• All 3D levels such as Swamp of Bégoniax and Magma Mayhem are missing, which makes it impossible to collect all 999 Lums.
• The music sounds different and some of the sound effects are played in a higher pitch.
• Some of Murfy's dialogues are different.
• Multiplayer mode is missing.

Manuals

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  Game Boy Advance multi-language manual
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  Game Boy Advance US manual
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  N-Gage English manual
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  Digiblast Italian and Spanish manual

Gallery

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  The Virtual Console artwork.
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  A cage.
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  A yellow Lum.
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  A red Lum.
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  A green Lum.
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  A silver Lum.
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  A blue Lum.
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  A light blue Lum.
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  A wooden arrow.
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  A purple Lum.
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  A purple Lum.
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  A purple Lum.
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  Rayman in the flying vehicle he uses to defeat Razorbeard.
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  Alternate art of Rayman in the flying vehicle he uses to defeat Razorbeard.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art of the level exit.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art of the level entrance curtain.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art.
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  Concept art of a falling platform.
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  Concept art.

External links

• Rayman 3 for Game Boy Advance playthrough at YouTube