Even if this is just another port of Rayman 2, it's definitely the best handheld one out there, and still fun to play!
If I had to describe Rayman 3D in just five words, this would be the phrase: another port of Rayman 2. It's really nice to see old classics get ported now and then, but Rayman 2 tends to have been over-ported. Is Rayman 3D even worth your time, money, and/or effort? Let's find out!
Here are a few things I liked about Rayman 3D. The graphics look absolutely gorgeous on the 3DS! I think it's pretty safe to say that Rayman 3D is the best looking version of this game out there, especially with the cool 3D effect. The music is also fantastic! It isn't the kind of music you would want to put onto your mp3/iPod and listen to, but it sounds like it was composed for a movie, and the music changes depending on what is happening on the top screen, which is pretty cool! Even though the bottom screen is just used for stats, it's really handy because I found myself looking at it all the time to find out how many Yellow Lums I have collected, or how many Captives I have freed. I also really keeps the clutter off of the top screen. The gameplay in this game is very fun, the camera works well most of the time, and the game has lots of replay value. Oh! And I almost forgot! The controls work like a dream, and the story is very well done and quite humorous as well! Just like the original Rayman 2.
Now, a few things I didn't like about the game. The 3D effect is really strong, and will make your eyes a bit sore after a while. However, you shouldn't worry about this, because it doesn't hurt your eyes, but I recommend using a lower 3D effect, as when there is stuff blocking the camera, they look really weird with the full 3D effect. Sometimes, you can also see doubles or triples of the character when it's in 3D. I'm not sure if this is how the 3DS is supposed to work, because the only 3DS game I've had before this was Mario Kart 7, and that game's 3D worked flawlessly. But, if other games are like this one (3D wise), you should definitely use the 3D because it adds a cool sense of depth and it just looks decent! I also found that the frame rate was kind of slow at times, and the game is quite easy. Actually, new to the 3DS version of Rayman 2 (What!? Something new in a port of Rayman 2?? Yeah, I know!) is that every time you die, you would lose all of your health, and then respawn at the nearest checkpoint (Green Lum) with full health. You also don't get any lives, making it impossible to get a game over. (In the original, everytime you died, you would lose just a little bit of your health, and then respawn at the checkpoint/green lum with the same amount of health, and then once you ran out of health, you got a game over) This makes the game a bit better, since you die A LOT, but it also makes the game really easy.
I always like to do a comparison with another game, and what do you know, we have a port! I think it is pretty obvious that I am going to compare Rayman 3D with the actual game itself, and the other ports. Well, since I've never played any of the console ports, I know for a fact, that if you want to play some Rayman 2 on a handheld, this is the best one out there. This one is far better than the awful iOS version and the ok DS version, and the Game Boy Color version......yeah. However, I somewhat prefer the console versions because the screen is bigger and easier to see, especially for the entire 3D platformer genre, but I have to admit, this is the best version of Rayman 2 I've ever played!
Alright, here's a recap:
+ Beautiful and especially colorful graphics Cool movie-like soundtrack
+ Great, and very humourous story Cool 3D effect adds depth to the
+ awesome platforming gameplay
- slow frame rate at times
- 3D is very strong when on full blast, can make your eyes feel weird (it won't hurt your eyes!)
- Low difficulty
Overall Rating: 9.0/10 - This wonderful 3D platformer improves on everything from it's original except for the frame rate and length of the game. If you already own a copy of Rayman 2, then don't bother buying this one, it's the exact same. However, if you're looking for an improvement upon Rayman DS, OR if you own the awful iOS version, pick this up! If you've never played any version of Rayman 2, it's never to late to start! Pick up your copy of Rayman 3D today, because it's only $30 (That's $10 cheaper than most other 3DS games! Bargain!) and it's extremely fun! This is sonicriders02, and if you want to see an honest reviewer review a game that you like, just ask in the comments on my profile!