Rayman Origins

Rayman Origins was released in 2011 by Ubisoft Montpellier and marked a triumphant return of the series to hand-drawn two-dimensional platforming after years during which the Rayman brand had taken a back seat in favor of the Raving Rabbids spinoffs aimed at a different, more casual audience. The game offered cooperative play for up to four players at once, who together traveled through colorful, fantastically styled worlds full of imaginative enemies, collectible items, and hidden bonus levels tucked away off the main path.

In terms of gameplay, the game remained true to the classic run-and-jump formula of the series' previous installments but enriched it with new character abilities, such as inflating or pounding the ground, which had to be alternated depending on the needs of a given level. Visually, the title ranked among the best the Xbox 360 generation offered in the platformer genre, thanks to hand-painted graphics with fluid animation that resembled an interactive cartoon full of color and humor. The level design relied on precise timing of jumps and dodges and collecting small glowing creatures called Lums, with difficulty gradually increasing and rewarding players striving for a flawless run through individual levels without losing a single life. The musical accompaniment excellently underscored the playful and colorful atmosphere of the whole game and was able to adapt to the pace of individual sections.

Critics received the title extremely warmly and called it one of the best platforming experiences of its generation, although commercially the game initially did not perform as well as it deserved, leading to its subsequent rediscovery by both players and press in the following years. Rayman Origins helped revive interest in the hand-drawn platformer genre and foreshadowed the even greater success of its sequel, Rayman Legends. It is still considered one of the visually most beautiful and precisely crafted platformers of its entire generation, holding up even in comparison with later independent games in the genre.

Why play it: Thanks to its hand-drawn visuals and precisely crafted level design, it ranks among the most beautiful and precise platformers of its generation, holding up even against later independent games.