Nintendos new handheld offers many cool features that new games can utilize. Unfortunately, Rayman 3D is not a new game...
Rayman 3D is one of the launch games for the Nintendo 3DS console. However, the vast majority of the game is not new at all. Instead, Rayman 3D is a port of a much older Rayman 2: The Great Escape, which was released for the N64 back in 1999. While many new gamers will not have played this game yet, Rayman 3D still feels dated and does not offer many improvements.
The Great Escape
In the game, you play as Rayman, a character with a head, feet and hands but no neck, leg or arms. Rayman can jump around and shoot balls of light from his hands to fend off enemies, which you will be doing a lot. Rayman 3D is an adventure platformer similar to Mario or [kwlink 518]Banjo and Kazooie[/kwlink]. You will swing, jump, shoot and slide your way through various colorful worlds, each with something interesting to keep the game fresh.
Along the way, you will collect Lums to advance through the game. Rayman features a light story with silly characters. The goal of the game is to defeat the pirates that have taken over Rayman's world and rescue his captured friends who, in turn, will help out Rayman in various ways.
Pirates of a Different Sort
All the good stuff that made Rayman 2: The Great Escape successful is still in this 3DS port. However, there isn't much new content added if at all. The graphics haven't really improved that much and the 3D effect doesn't help either, except on a few levels where seeing depth was useful.
Worst of all, old problems, such as the unhelpful camera, still exist to frustrate players. Rayman 2 was a hit game when it came out over a decade ago, but for a new system, Rayman 3D is a bit of a disappointment and definitely feels and plays like a previous generation game.
Rating:
Price: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
