BAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!
At first glance, those who are unfamiliar with the Rabbids phenomenon might think that this fourth entry in the Rayman series is a platformer like the first three; I know I did. However, contrary to appearances, Rayman Raving Rabbids is a surprisingly fun party game that holds its own on the strength of its mind-blisteringly inane humor. Er, rather, that's what it was when it was originally designed for the Nintendo Wii. On the PC, Rayman Raving Rabbids is a subpar port of the original game, with no exclusive extras, no improved graphics, and an awkwardly tacked-on control scheme to boot. Playing with an X-Box 360 controller plugged into my computer was often frustrating and unnecessarily difficult, because mini-games that meshed perfectly with the Wii's motion-sensing controls simply did not make the jump to gamepad control very well at all. In fact, PC gamers who do not own a gamepad have an even more pressing reason to avoid this version of the game, as the keyboard and mouse controls are abysmal even by port standards. Simply put, this game was not meant to be on any other system than the Nintendo Wii. Part of the charm of the original derived from the Wiimote control scheme itself, which featured deliberately exaggerated gestures and gyrations that naturally fit the hilarity onscreen. The PC port, and all other versions by extension, have failed to emulate the charm of the original with sufficiently inspired control schemes, thereby relegating themselves to second-rate status when they could have been so much more. Sad.
All other aspects of the game seem to have made the transition to PC well--the graphics look as clear and colorful as the original, and the sound is every bit as good, with the Rabbids' signature screams and other potty noises coming through loud and clear. However, all of that is irrelevant in light of the glaring faults in the control scheme. The bottom line is this: if you own a Wii, by all means go buy the original Rayman Raving Rabbids right now. If you do not own a Wii, go get one just for this game. If, however, you are one of the holdouts who refuse to buy into the Wii phenomenon, and you feel you can settle for a subpar port in order to experience the Rabbids' signature brand of humor (and it is an experience...), then, and only then, buy this game for PC.