Rayman (series)
- This article is about the Rayman series in general. For the character, see Rayman. For the original game, see Rayman 1.
The Rayman series is an action platform video game series. The series was created by French games designer Michel Ancel, and each instalment has been developed and published by Ubisoft. The protagonist of the games is the heroic Rayman, a character destined to combat the forces of evil and preserve the equilibrium of the universe. The games take place in a fantastical world known as the Glade of Dreams, which was dreamed into existence by the god Polokus and is sustained by a mystical keystone known as the Heart of the World.
The Rayman series began in 1995 with the release of the original Rayman game, a 2D sidescrolling platformer set in a region known as the valley. This was followed in 1999 by Rayman 2: The Great Escape, a 3D platformer sequel. The year 2003 saw the release of another 3D platformer, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc. In 2005, a fourth instalment, tentatively titled Rayman 4, was unveiled. This game was planned as another 3D platform title. However, the game was ultimately cancelled. Many of the cancelled game's elements were recycled into the spin-off party game, Rayman Raving Rabbids, which went on to spawn its own series of sequels. In 2011, a 2D sidescrolling platformer was released called Rayman Origins
Rayman
Rayman is first seen in-game having fun with the Electoons in his peaceful world, until Mr Dark comes along to kidnap the Great Protoon. He was then seen asleep in a hammock, where he lazily speaks the words "No problem", in response to his calls from the Magician to save the world from the terror caused by this mysterious villain. At that time, he apparently lived by the sea in what looks like a shipwrecked boat, though what seems to be his home is never fully seen. He then travels through six different lands in search of Mr Dark's Dare, where he challenges and defeats Mr Dark and his hybrids.
Rayman Junior
From 1996, Rayman appeared in several educational computer games designed especially for children, notably a game based on the original Rayman in which the player has to solve several reading and mathematics questions throughout modified versions of the original levels. This game had several names, and was later released for the PlayStation in 2000 as Rayman Junior.
Other educational Rayman games include the following:
- Rayman Brain Games
- Amazing Learning Games with Rayman
- Rayman Activity Center
- Rayman Premier Clics
- Rayman Éveil
- Rayman Dictées
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Now it was time for Rayman to show his heroism. Admiral Razorbeard and his Robo-Pirate army soon attacked and in the Great Forest, Rayman and Globox fought off a bunch of them. Suddenly, Rayman's powers disappeared and Ly telepathically communicated with him to tell him that the Heart of the World had been smashed into 1000 Yellow Lums, causing Rayman and Ly's powers to disappear. Then Rayman was captured and he told a frightened Globox to go to Ly for help. Rayman was put in a jail cell and Globox himself soon arrived, giving him a Silver Lum from Ly. The Silver Lum gave him back the power to shoot his magic fist and he used it to escape. Globox accidentally knocked Rayman off the ship and they both fall to the ground.
On his journey to find Ly, Rayman meets Murfy, the Grand Minimus Teensies, the Baby Globoxes, and more. He soon finds Ly, who gives him the grapple power back and tells him he needs to find the four masks of Polokus to reawaken Polokus himself. On his journey to collect them, Rayman carried out many tasks such as finding the Elixir of Life to cure Clark, rescuing many friends from captivity and even defeating the guardians of the masks. Eventually, he collected all four and was taken to the Prison Ship to defeat Razorbeard. After beating him, Razorbeard destroyed the Prison Ship and Rayman was believed to have died in the explosion, with the only thing left of him being his left foot. At his funeral, Rayman arrived almost safe and sound and was reunited with his foot, and after a long and difficult journey, he was told to rest.
Rayman: The Animated Series
Rigatoni, the villainous boss of an intergalatic circus, captures Rayman and takes him to his circus. Rayman, however, does not take this and jokes around with Razorbeard, who is now portrayed as Rigatoni's servant. Rayman finds out how badly the other circus freaks are being treated and helps them escape. Angered, Rigatoni phones Inspector Grub and tells him to find Rayman and his new friends and bring them back. Meanwhile, outside the vast city of Aeropolis, Rayman and the gang see an old man struggling to fix a car. The man promises he'll let them have the car if they can fix it and Cookie (one of the other fugitives) successfully manages to do so. After evading Inspector Grub, they seek refuge in what seems to be the detective's house.
Rayman M
Rayman and his friends and foes returned for a competition to see who actually was the best. This surprising biathlon contained two parts: Racing and Battle. The events of this game do not seem to be connected to those of the main series.
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Rayman and his best friend Globox are napping in the Crossroads of Dreams. Rayman's hands suddenly come to life and walk off. They see a Red Lum and scare it by making shadow puppets. The Red Lum is scared so much that it turns into 'a cantankerous little ball of fluff', a Dark Lum. André, who goes and creates his Hoodlum army by transforming other red lums into dark lums, attempting to destroy the Heart of the World and conquer 'Rayman's world'.
Eager in his intents, he storms through the doors of the Fairy Council, unaware that Rayman and Globox had already arrived there, frantically searching for him. Globox, standing in front of the hallway, screams and swallows André, where André soon decides to reside. From there, Rayman and Globox visit three different doctors, to remove him from the insides of Globox and hopefully destroy him. The third of the 3 doctors decides to meet with the first two, where they could cooperatively attempt to extract André, and succeed, however André makes his flee. André then visits the fallen Knaaren warrior Reflux, where he encourages him to follow through with his new plot. Reflux, ashamed of his defeat, takes well to the offer and, once more, pursues his goals of power and might, stealing King Gumsi's staff.
After Rayman and Globox follow the recently-formed duo throughout several different locations, they finally arrive at the Tower of the Leptys, where Reflux was waiting, now with the power of Leptys, to once again face his enemy. Following his final defeat (where he then crystallizes and shatters), André is converted to a Red Lum again thanks to the power Rayman had been rewarded for deafeating Reflux at an earlier stage, triggering all other Black Lums back to their original blissful state.
Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)
When Razorbeard strikes back at the Glade of Dreams, it is up to Rayman to save his friends yet again. These events seem to take place between those of Rayman 2 and Rayman 3. Rayman and Globox talk about how Globox was saving the Teensies, when he accidentally swallowed a Black Lum. Suddenly, Globox vanishes and Rayman goes looking for him. Facing similar events to Rayman 2, Rayman soon battles Razorbeard's machine, the Grolgoth, once more and defeats Razorbeard.
Later, Globox tells his children that he saved the world, with a little help from Rayman.
Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge
Even though André had been expelled from Globox's body, his spirit still remained within him. The spirit of André summoned back the Hoodlums to get their revenge on the world for being defeated. One of their plans was to create a clone of Reflux to kill Rayman.
Rayman and Globox were napping in the Clearleaf Forest, when Globox heard a strange sound and went to follow it, only to be captured by the Hoodlums. Rayman awoke later that afternoon to find Globox missing, and went searching for him with the help of Murfy, fighting the Hoodlums along the way and destroying Reflux's plum juice factory. Rayman later reunited with Globox as he fought the wily witch Begoniax.
As the duo went further, Rayman started noticing Globox's strange split personality, the other side of him being very cruel and rude. When he defeated the Fire Monster, André's spirit announced his full possession over Globox, all to Rayman's shock and surprise.
Eventually, Rayman defeated the Reflux Clone, expelling André's evil spirit from an unconscious Globox. Globox then awoke, back to his normal self, and the two walked off together in the forest, Rayman stating they made a great team.
Rayman Origins
Rayman, Globox, Polokus and some Teensies wake up and old Granny with their obnoxious snoring. She decides to get revenge and sends Darktoons to capture them, as well as some Electoons. The heroes later escape and set out to save the Glade of Dreams.