Rayman DS Review

By Kristan Reed Published 30 March, 2005

It's a shame about Ray, man.

Version tested: DS

Order yours now from Simply Games.

Hmm. As much as we've enjoyed Rayman's intermittent appearances on handheld formats over the years, there was always a good reason for that. Take Rayman Advance. Ubisoft hit the ground running with a brilliantly realised port that still stands out as one of the finest platformers for the GBA, not only pushing the technical capabilities but managing to hold our attention with dozens of fiendishly designed levels. And however formulaic Rayman 3 on GBA was, the design nous in some of the more challenging levels had us coming back for more almost despite ourselves - plus had the added novelty value of being one of the very first GameCube link titles.

And so we had relatively high hopes regarding the prospect of the limbless wonder's appearance on the DS. Although we suspected there would be more than a hint of shovelware about it, after Super Mario 64 DS we were nevertheless hopeful for a similar selection of novelties to supplement the package and tempt our flexible friend into yet more action.

Dig for victory

'Rayman DS' Screenshot 1

How wrong could we have been? Rayman DS is the most blatant example of shovelware as we've seen for a long time. In simple, cynical terms, all Ubisoft (and conversion house DC Studios) has done here is take Rayman 2 - a six-year-old game that's well past its sell by date - dusted it off, and produced a direct, borderline lazy port of it and slapped a full price tag on it. The punters deserve a lot more than that.

The thing is, however much we have fond memories of Rayman 2 on the Dreamcast from back in the days when 3D platforming was still relatively new and Sega's machine was giving us an early glimpse into the kind of lush graphics we take for granted now, this port is barely up to the (sub)standard that the eventual PSone conversion offered and with a fairly broken control system and camera issues to contend with you're left with a tired looking game that with so many added irritants struggles to sustain your interest for long.

Whereas Super Mario 64 suffered from similar camera/control issues that left the player begging for an analogue stick, Nintendo's seminal classic at least had the decency to distract the user with a bunch of unlockables mini-games, multiplayer novelties and new playable characters. Rayman DS may have three mini-games to seek out, but overall adds virtually nothing new whatsoever to the mix, and is barely even playable using the touch screen. Using the D-pad is acceptable, but you're left constantly falling off narrow ledges because of the inability to creep along them. Hitting any direction using digital control sends the limbless one straight into a sprint of death, and so half of the time you're simply not in full, accurate control the way the designers intended - and once the game starts upping the ante the frustration factor really kicks in.

Give us 2D

'Rayman DS' Screenshot 2

And much like some of the less palatable truths of Super Mario 64 DS, the texture-free visuals commit all manner of once-tolerable graphical sins that once again expose the DS' architectural inferiority when dealing with 3D environments. For a game that visually set the benchmark for platformers in its era, it's disappointing to witness another DS title with hideously unattractive lowest of the low res texturing (even from a distance), and an often muddy, dark, dull look full of greens and browns. Honestly, some kind of innovative, touch-based 2D version would have been infinitely preferable to this. If ever there was a case for why 2D gaming should live on, here's the case in point right here.

And if you're still not convinced how much of a cheap and dirty port this really is, Ubisoft has completely ignored the use of the second screen, with the touch screen given over to the controls. No handy overhead map here, folks. It's the fact that the entire purpose of releasing this game has been to extract the maximum profit for the minimum effort that sticks in our craw, and it's not something we generally associate with the usually proud efforts of Ubi.

But if you can maybe, somehow, someway overlook all of these pressing issues, what lies at the heart of the package is a reasonably decent platformer, but no more. It wasn't even regarded as amazing at the time, being of the solid seven or eight out of ten stock that didn't excite many people to buy it at full price. Given that Jak, Ratchet, and Sly didn't even exist when this came out means it suffers even more by comparison, and merely reminds you of the sort of basic kleptomaniacal fodder that kept us happy back then. If you need reminding, the premise is the same here as it ever was: collect 'Lums' (1000 of the blowing buggers) in 45 areas across 19 levels.

Save your money

There's still a very small part of us that can't help but still be slightly impressed by the appearance of a 3D platformer on a handheld, but given the control issues it's not a happy marriage. If you find yourself really hankering after the chance to replay through Rayman 2 again then you can probably track down Rayman Revolution on the PS2 for pennies these days, but really, there are much better things to buy on the DS, and many better handheld Rayman games compatible with the DS for that matter.

Order yours now from Simply Games.

5 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (24) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Blerk #1 7 years ago

    Aww... leave him alone! He's 'armless.

    /is killed
    /then brought back to life
    /then killed again

  • gizmo #2 7 years ago

    DS Game. Control issues. Again.

    Can anybody else see the common theme?

  • gizmo #3 7 years ago

    DS Game. Control issues. Again.

    Can anybody else see the common theme?

  • Spanky #4 7 years ago

    ha the irony

  • kalel #5 7 years ago

    Yay, a Lemonheads reference! \o/

    Used to love them. I wonder what hapenned to them...

  • Kami #6 7 years ago

    I actually find using the touch screen for analog control a lot easier than people make it out to be. 68 stars and counting.

    As for Rayman... I've never really "got" the appeal of the guy. Although I do admit his GBA outings weren't bad, I still can't see his appeal. The problem with this isn't really in the problems of the DS - it's Lazy Port Syndrome (not enough utilisation of what the DS has available), coupled with the port being of a not-so-hot-game-in-the-first-place.


    I think the warning is simple for developers: don't get hung up on 3D... look at things like Castlevania DS (2D and looking bloody brilliant)... 3D isn't the be-all-and-end-all, lets see some 2D (Castlevania DS) or 2.5D (Pandemonium or Klonoa) platform adventure games... sure, the DS is capable of 3D yadda yadda yadda, who cares?

    GIVE ME CASTLEVANIA DS!!!

  • Blerk #7 7 years ago

    Wait 'til they convert those 'fantastic' 3D Castlevania games from the N64, Kami! :-)

  • gamingdave #8 7 years ago

    DS Game. Control issues. Again.

    Can anybody else see the common theme?

    Yeah. Tom and Kristan cant use a touch screen, thats obvious from most of the reviews on here ;)

    Seriously though gizmo, have you used one? The touch screen is incredibly accurate, so much more than any pocket pc or laptop pad ive ever used. Some people dont seem to "get" it when using the thumb strap but those that do, and from what I can tell thats the majority, have no problem with it.

    Really, the controls in Mario are fine, it may take a little getting used to at first, and I would rather a true analogue stick, but the touch screen is a great substitue. I certainly wouldnt say I was "begging" for an analogue stick.

    This sounds dire though. Cheap rushed tat for the sake of it. Why did they even bother to activate the bottom screen, theres nothing on there that couldnt be on the top screen. So is this the worst of the launch titles?

  • Kami #9 7 years ago

    Come now Blerk, they weren't THAT bad, just not very pretty and a little short. At least you could play those games and enjoy them while they lasted... which is more than can be said for some games...

    But no, wouldn't like to see them ported to the DS... I think they were OK for their time but should be left to die in peace and with dignity.

  • Blerk #10 7 years ago

    Heh heh - I've not actually played them, Kami. Just going on 'general review scores'. :-)

    But this is 'the games industry' we're talking about. Sooner or later they'll show up on the DS, I'm sure of it.

  • jumpdeveraux #11 7 years ago

    It's crappy titles like this that are best advertisement for getting a PSP.

    Was going to opt for both a PSP and a DS, will get a PSP now and hold off on the DS purchase until this current wave of careless ports and poor use of the touch screen is over.

  • Royal Fool #12 7 years ago

    I can tolerate the stylus control in Mario 64 DS, but it' still frustrating to the point that it makes me want to scream, particularly during some of the more platforming-intense stages where the camera absolutely refuses to cooperate.

  • DaM #13 7 years ago

    Yay, a Lemonheads reference! \o/

    Used to love them. I wonder what hapenned to them...


    Evan Dando has gone quite Country, and released a live album (possibly Australian) and an album.

  • IronGiant #14 7 years ago

    "/is not a spastic"

    That comment is up there with some of Medulla's.. congratulations.

  • Burton2000 #15 7 years ago

    mario 64 ds cntrol is totaly awsome especialy with using the stylus but i think the only problem with it is that your keep moving the stylus even tho theres no need to and then it gets to the end of the screen so you have to take the stylus off the screen then back into the centre and it keeps hapening cus unlike analouge sticks theres no barier to stop u from moving it to far

  • Kami #16 7 years ago

    Just thought of something... patent office, HERE I COME!

  • gizmo #17 7 years ago

    Innovative games using the stylus are fine, but I think the console needed an analogue stick AS WELL.

    Most of the comments in here seem to make that clear. I do not want to 'feel like screaming' whilst 'relaxing'.

  • ProfessorLesser #18 7 years ago

    I think the control issues with DS are, aha, largely a matter of preference. I for one just can't be bothered to play through SM64 again with the added lurning curve of a new control scheme (and yes, I have tried it).

    I don't think this is an inherent flaw with the DS, however. It is inherent of porting old games with characteristic control schemes... Metroid, Mario... even Rayman was built around analogue to some extent. If you made a new bloody game, what comparisons could you make?

    Personally, I think the DS is the perfect spring-board for a point-n-click revival. And it wouldn't be so bad, either... imagine a Ninty-crafted Myst. Could be pretty sweet, I reckon. Of course, I'm not ruling out other genres, but until people stop porting things... it just seems obvious really. The DS gives you a stick. Let's have some poking!

  • skybluesam86 #19 7 years ago

    It's a shame that this doesn't seem all that good.

    I have fond memories of Rayman 2. Very fond.
    I would rate it on a par with Mario 64 for the finest 3D platformer. It's a game I truly love.
    Edited by 1 at 30/03/05 @ 13:42

  • ProfessorLesser #20 7 years ago

    Just noticed... EG's clock is an hour slow! :-D

  • krudster #21 7 years ago

    oerhört, it's not a negative comment, more of a factual statement that the DS has difficulty texturing environments in 3D without them getting extremely blocky, and I'm including Mario and Metroid in that assessment. It's much worse in Rayman DS, however. We generally love the DS when people make games *for* it rather than port them lovelessly.

  • krudster #22 7 years ago

    I don't regard an 8/10 game as "slightly above average". That'd be a six.

  • krudster #23 7 years ago

    Fair enough; though it's hard to see how it deserved more than an 8 even then. It sold really badly on its initial release too, which kind of summed up the apathy around the title. Much like Rayman sales only took off once it went down to a tenner.

  • Genji #24 7 years ago

    A handheld RTS would be perfect for the DS. I think it'd go down in history as the first non-PC RTS that didn't suffer from the lack of keyboard and mouse.