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Rayman DS

EMAIL PRINT ds

8.8 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 9 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft

Genre(s): Action, Platform

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: March 24, 2005

Summary

Although he (or she?) has no arms and no legs, Rayman is one of the most recognizable videogame characters around the world. The fearless and friendly Rayman heroically arrives on the Nintendo DS to defeat the pirate terror that has enslaved his world. Players assume the role of Rayman and travel through magical worlds with surreal landscapes and gorgeous eye-popping 3D graphics. Race and battle through 45 intricately designed areas. Explore waterfalls, deep sea caves, and pirate hideouts rendered in rich 3D. Monitor your progress, track your lums, and keep an eye on Rayman's health on the interactive bottom screen of your DS. Run, jump, ski, swim, and fly with your helicopter hair. Fly rockets, ride whirlwinds, and surf lava flows on the road to victory. [Ubisoft]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: GameSpot Impressions IGN Preview Nintendojo Preview

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

N-Insanity

The game’s plot keeps it interesting and the huge worlds keep player sucked in. The sloppy camera and tight controls can sometimes get you frustrated but the feeling will pass.

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Play Magazine

As always, the Rayman universe is endlessly entertaining and the gameplay model diverse and bursting with creativity. [May 2005, p.72]

Nintendo Power

"Super Mario 64 DS" set a high bar for DS-ified N64 classics; sadly, Rayman DS doesn't alter the gameplay, include new worlds, or throw in any surprises. [May 2005, p.90]

Gamers' Temple

A great game at its core that lost a little in translation from the home console version of the game.

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Nintendophiles

Combine the lack of utilization of the DS’ unique capabilities and any improvements over the original with sloppy graphics, horrid controls, and a dreadful save feature, and the Rayman name begins a steady decline into mediocrity with this title.

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PALGN

This once fantastic platformer title has been struck down into a very sluggish and amateurish conversion and leaves us here at PALGN questioning what exactly happened?

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Nintendo Insider

If you've played Rayman 2 before, there's really no good reason to pick this title up. If you haven't played it before, then I strongly suggest you find a copy for the N64, Sega Dreamcast, or PS2.

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Game Informer

Compared to "Super Mario 64 DS," this is a shoddy port that doesn't scratch the surface of the DS's potential. [May 2005, p.134]

NintendoWorldReport

The developers made little effort to adapt Rayman 2 for the handheld, transforming a brilliant game into a mushy blur.

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G4 TV

A fun game with great characters and level design, and plenty of gameplay. While the graphics aren’t as good as they should be, this port comes from a solid pedigree that manages to shine through.

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GameSpot

Dogged by a number of graphical issues that often interfere with gameplay.

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IGN

A not-all-that-great port of a fantastic platformer, losing a ton in the translation of what made Rayman 2 so great in the first place. Sub-standard control and muddy graphics muck up the original's tight gameplay and vivid imagery.

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WHAM! Gaming

The game is a complete port of a much better game (Rayman 2) already in circulation on the Dreamcast, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation 2. If you’re dying to play this game you’re better off playing it on one of those consoles (that you probably already own).

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1UP

The absence of the thumb stick perhaps dampens game play the most. Like we saw with "Mario DS," 3D platformers are heavily reliant on analog control, and the DS touch screen makes for a very poor analog stick indeed.

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Eurogamer

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.

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Cheat Code Central

Being a Rayman fans it's frustrating to play a game that's so close to the original but yet so far away. Since it doesn't use the touch screen in any innovative ways it really doesn't make much sense for this game to be on this system.

RewiredMind

If you’re a die-hard Rayman fan (they exist, believe me), then even you will probably be a little disappointed with Rayman DS. The game as a whole doesn’t even come close to the high points of the series.

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Modojo

It almost feels like a debug copy of the game, with some parts unfinished and others glitchy.

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GameSpy

The first time I played the game, I thought that the speakers on my DS had blown out. Background noises that were supposed to sound like running water instead sounded like a harsh mix of radio static and feedback.

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Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

It's hard to imagine anyone splashing their moolah on Ninty's new handheld and being happy to entertain themselves with pedestrian ports of antique titles such as Rayman DS.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Lauren W. gave it an8:
Great game, very addictive. Camera and controls are annoying at first but quite easy to ignore after a while. Touch screen completely useless though, which was disappointing. Also, the save feature is terrible due to the long levels. But all in all, I really enjoyed it.

Mr. Game Reviewer gave it a10:
Ignore the reviews, this game is still the same awesome game that came out 10 years ago. Rayman 2 is still the best Rayman in the series and it's great it be able to play it on the DS. Due to the DS having no texture filtering, the game doesn't look as good as it should but it still looks great IMO. I always loved the environment, music and sound in Rayman 2 and it's all still here which is great. The controls using the touch screen, while taking some time to get used to, will eventually feel normal and if you've played Super Mario 64 DS, the controls are almost identical, but will take a bit of time to adjust. I had Rayman 3 before but found it absolutely..um how can I put it....crap? It was boring, the characters stupid english spoken American accents (no offence intended) ruined the whole magical, fantasy atmosphere of Rayman 2 where they spoke a jibberish language. Also, it was dead set boring, tried to be too different to Rayman 2 and I did not find it fun at all. You may think that both Rayman 2 and 3 are still Rayman so how can they both be so different? I'm not sure really, but Rayman 2's environment, characters and story are just so much better so I'm happy that I can play Rayman 2 on the DS cause it's still the same awesome game that it was back in the days! 10/10!

Chad R. gave it an8:
This is an excellent platforming game with decent use of the touch pad although it only has a vitural joystick to touch and move, it's not bad. The camera can be a pain as well but it's addictive and it's rayman, what more do you want?

Micheal L. gave it a10:
The best game of the year for DS.

Taylor L. gave it a10:
If you liked mario ds then get this game kuz itz like an expantion and itz cooler.

Verrecas G. gave it a10:
I have played it now5 hour and ITS BRILJANT because of the giant areas and very varied its even better then rayman 2 and 3.for the first area 1 played almost an hour to complete. the controls are very easy.its a masterpiece.

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Rayman DS

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