Gaming Target - Game Boy: Rayman 3

Written by Tim McGrew on April 07, 2003

Review: Despite the segmented body, Rayman 3 is probably one of the most complete platform titles on the GBA.

The original Rayman games were seen not only as excellent platformers, but also as a relative test of ones patience. The difficulty in each one was staggering in so many ways, requiring attempt after attempt to memorize enemy and obstacle placements in order to defeat even early levels in the game. The first Rayman title on the Gameboy Advance was no stranger to this insane difficulty level and was shunned by many reviewers and players because of it, despite being a relative port of the original title released on so many consoles years before. Although a challenge has never been something to scoff at in regards to videogames it was something that was generally damaging to the game's unintentional focus of difficulty over fun. It is sufficient to say that it was not easily accessible to the obvious target market which surely resulted in a few busted GBA systems.

In the end, Rayman fans and platform fans alike can benefit from the misgivings of that old port and embrace the brilliance that is Rayman 3. Released on the heels of its console counterpart on the Playstation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo Gamecube, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, Rayman 3 is far and away the true sequel in design to the original Gameboy Advance port, Rayman Advance. Aside from its design specific similarities, the story actually bleeds off from Rayman 2: The Great Escape. It features the same antagonist in the form of Razorbeard and his quest to recover the coveted Dark Lum that Rayman's friend, Globox, has accidentally consumed. Disappearing right before Rayman's eyes, Globox is nowhere to be found, leaving the often dangerous task of finding him and getting to the Dark Lum before Razorbeard and his minions can get a hold of it.

From here on out, the story actually takes a backseat to the action as you take the reigns of our limbless hero and venture through swamps climbing vines, leaping over immense bottomless pits, using your helicopter like hair to propel you over even larger gaps, and using your all powerful fists to defeat the many cohorts of Razorbeard both in traditional enemy and boss form. As Rayman, you'll even use a snake to Уjet skiФ on an occasion or two adding just a bit more variety to the level design of what is already a package filled with original and interestingly creative ideas. Although this is all lip service being paid to a game and a series that honestly doesn't need it, it's necessary to make this statement since this game is far better and far more original than the first Rayman Advance.

Although many of you are probably very concerned about the game's difficulty, Rayman 3 does not disappoint, which has a rather interesting double meaning. First of all, the game is not overly difficult which is good for those turned off by the first Rayman Advance; however, the game is not easy. There's no better way to put it than the game is balanced. Those of you looking for a challenge will definitely find it here, but it's nowhere near as daunting as the first. Those of you looking for just a fun platform game they can play between classes will definitely find that here as well with no level requiring more than five to ten minutes to complete it. It fits the perfect GBA medium which is a game you can pick up, play for ten minutes, and set it down when class or a meeting starts.

Speaking of the speed of the game and the time it takes one to go through it, the game can honestly be gone through in a couple of good sittings. However, the game is definitely worth every second of your time. Rayman has some very interesting abilities forcing you to use the environments around you in a number of different ways which range from climbing to crawling, from jumping to fighting, and from gliding to skiing. The design of Rayman adds volumes to this, making players use their imagination and foresight to fill in the gaps where Rayman's arms and legs should be. It's a remarkable achievement in animation and character design that is a spot on signature with every Rayman game despite the character being, for the most part, shunned by other gamers satisfied with Mario, Sonic, and Yoshi.

Graphically, the game is gorgeous. It has a look similar to that of Donkey Kong Country on the Super Nintendo in that each level is vibrant and full of colors that stand out on its own without the help of flashy explosions or speed. It's just a testament to what the GBA hardware can do with big colorful sprites that animate fluidly from vine to barrel. The only exception of which are the stock enemies, which are few and far between, that animate rather horribly in comparison to the boss characters and Rayman himself. It's not really a gripe since each one will only be seen long enough for you to double tap a button, but it is worth mentioning since it stands in stark contrast to the rest of the game.

The sound of Rayman 3 is perfect for the presentation. It's happy, it's chipper, and it's catchy as you listen to it while leaping throughout the levels like a magical bean. In fact, the tunes might even be too catchy as you'll be repeating them over and over again in the level and although most people say you can't have too much of a good thing, that generally isn't true since the same good thing over and over can quickly become monotonous and drive the player crazy. Aside from the music, the game has decent and fitting sound effects both from the actions of the game and the character's УvoicesФ which are depicted during the story stills that move the game along.

One of the more original features about Rayman 3 is the game's connectivity and multiplayer features with other Gameboy Advance systems and the Nintendo Gamecube. Strictly speaking, no other game goes to as great a length when it comes to connectivity features as Rayman 3 does. With a copy of the Gamecube version of Rayman 3 and a GBA to GCN link cable, players can unlock extra levels in the GBA game which greatly extends the replay value of a game that doesn't necessarily need it. In fact, the multiplayer features, both with the additional carts of the game and without, are excellent. There are a number of mini games that can be played including Tag, Bandit, and Bumper Cars with one other mode for single game support. Although the modes aren't nearly as engaging as the first couple of plays, they do extend the replay value a great deal.