Michel Ancel
Michel Ancel (; born 29 March 1972) is a retired Monégasque-French video game designer. He is best known for creating the ''Rayman'' franchise and was the lead designer or director for several of the games, including ''Rayman Origins'' and its ...
for
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Anno'', '' Assassin's Creed'', ' ...
. Since the release of the original game in 1995, the series has produced a total of 45 games across multiple platforms.
The series is set in a fantastical, magical world which features a wide range of environments that are very often based on certain themes, such as "the Eraser Plains", a landscape made entirely of stationery. The core games of the series are platformers, but there are several spin-off titles in other genres. The protagonist is
Rayman
''Rayman'' is a franchise of platformer video games, created by video game designer Michel Ancel for Ubisoft. Since the release of the original game in 1995, the series has produced a total of 45 games across multiple platforms.
The series ...
, a magical limbless being renowned for his courage and determination who, with the help of his friends, must save his world from various villains.
Games
Main series
Spin-offs
Raving Rabbids
Other
Cancelled games
* ''Rayman (SNES)'' - Ancel initially produced ''Rayman'' for the
Atari ST
Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's Atari 8-bit computers, 8-bit computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available i ...
, a
16-bit
16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors.
A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two ...
personal computer system, working alone on every aspect of the game. Following Houde's arrival on the project, Ancel noticed that public interest in the ST had started to wane and looked to the
Super NES CD-ROM
The Super NES CD-ROM (commonly abbreviated as SNES CD) was a series of unreleased devices developed in the early 1990s that would have added CD-ROM capabilities to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The project was conceived as an add-on devi ...
, a CD peripheral for the 16-bit
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly shortened to Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in No ...
(SNES). However, in 1993
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles.
The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
abandoned the project before the hardware was produced. Ancel and Houde ruled out a release for the cartridge-based SNES, doubting its ability to handle the large amount of information they wanted to incorporate into the game. The pair switched focus towards newer and more powerful consoles, leaving the SNES version of the game unfinished. This led to the decision to produce ''Rayman'' for the
Atari Jaguar
The Atari Jaguar is a home video game console developed by Atari Corporation and released in North America in November 1993. It is in the fifth generation of video game consoles, and it competed with Fourth generation of video game consoles, fo ...
, a
64-bit
In computer architecture, 64-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 64 bits wide. Also, 64-bit central processing units (CPU) and arithmetic logic units (ALU) are those that are based on processor registers, a ...
cartridge-based system that the team felt could handle the graphics they wanted. In late 1994, magazine advertisements announced the game as a Jaguar exclusive title. Between 1993 and 1994, Rayman originally was submitted to Apogee Software by Ancel, however the publisher was scrapped.
* ''Rayman 2 (2D platformer)'' - ''Rayman 2'' was originally conceptualised as a sidescrolling 2D
platformer
A platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a subgenre of action game in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels wi ...
, like
the first game
''The First Game'' is a painting by Arnold Friberg, and was commissioned in 1968 by Chevrolet Motor Division as one of four paintings to commemorate the then-upcoming centennial celebration of college football in the United States. It depicts ...
. Development on the prototype began in early 1996 with a team of six people and a budget of 10 million
francs
The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' ( King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centur ...
. It was slated to be released on the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
,
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it is the successor to the succes ...
, and Microsoft Windows in the fourth quarter of that year. The prototype of ''Rayman 2'' featured some usage of prerendered bitmaps of 3D computer models, differing from the hand painted presentation of its predecessor, beginning in 1998. A prototype containing a single level is playable in the final PlayStation version of the game if the player completes a certain percentage of the game.
* ''Rayman 4'' - Two years after the release of '' Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc'',
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Anno'', '' Assassin's Creed'', ' ...
had foreseen the development of the sequel. The initial stages of development began in 2005, with totally different concepts and without the presence of the Rabbids, and were entrusted to the studios of Phoenix Interactive. The programmers created a considerable amount of concept-artworks, of which a good part was gradually revealed to the public in the following years. These artworks show that the game should have 3D features faithful to many environments of Rayman, such as the "Land of Music" and "Picture City", as well as a new presumed return of Bad Rayman. After four months of initial production, development of the game was cancelled. It appears that the game was to be a reboot/retelling of the original Rayman game, and would have involved Rayman revisiting numerous locations from the original game recreated in 3D and to a high level of accuracy. In the book ''L'Histoire de Rayman'', it was revealed that the Robo-Pirates and the Livingstones/Lividstones were planned to return in ''Rayman 4'', also the evil counterpart Dark Rayman and even Mr. Dark were planned to return. There is also concept art of a young human girl named "Cielle" who was intended to appear in the game. It is unknown what her role was to be in the game or if she was intended to be playable.
* ''Rayman Raving Rabbids (platformer) -'' From the previous project a second development was started at the studio of
Ubisoft Montpellier
Ubisoft Montpellier is a French video game developer and a studio of Ubisoft based in Castelnau-le-Lez. Founded in 1994 as Ubi Pictures, it is best known for developing the ''Rayman'' and ''Beyond Good & Evil (video game), Beyond Good & Evil'' s ...
, the studio that developed the first three chapters of the series. In 2006, the second phase was again geared towards the development of a 3D platform game designed by
Michel Ancel
Michel Ancel (; born 29 March 1972) is a retired Monégasque-French video game designer. He is best known for creating the ''Rayman'' franchise and was the lead designer or director for several of the games, including ''Rayman Origins'' and its ...
and known by the final title of ''Rayman Raving Rabbids''. This new title, which Michel Ancel himself referred to as ''Rayman 4'', was to be an adventure story in which Rayman teams up with his former enemy André from ''Rayman 3'' to save the world by an army of Rabbids. In addition to the characters already appeared in previous titles, there were new ones, among which stand out an anonymous female one belonging to the same lineage as Rayman who served as
damsel in distress
The damsel in distress is a narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has been kidnapped or placed in other peril. The "damsel" is often portrayed as beautiful, popular, and of high social status; she is usually depicted ...
, and a hedonistic emperor of the Rabbids. Michel Ancel also stated that in the course of history the main purpose would have consisted also in saving, in addition to the aforementioned girl, André himself and the latter's girlfriend. Gameplay innovations included attacking enemies with punches and kicks, the ability to ride creatures such as giant
hawks
Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica.
The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and othe ...
,
tarantulas
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the Family (biology), family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Therap ...
,
sharks
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...
, and warthogs, and in an end-of-level minigame where you had to hypnotize the Rabbids by dancing to access new areas to play. The project was supported for several months, until the developers received the
Nintendo Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America, and in December 2006 for most other regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major home game console, ...
development kit. With these tools, the developers experimented with further varieties of play styles and as a result the action and platform elements were removed and replaced by the final party-style version of ''Rayman Raving Rabbids'', followed over time by new titles of the same kind. However, the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, and to international markets that June. It was later released in mainland China in 2004, under the name iQue Game Boy Advanc ...
and
Nintendo DS
The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...
versions were not generally released as a party but as a side-scrolling platform game and very similar to the gameplay of the Game Boy Advance version of ''Rayman 3'', and the storyline is a fusion of the first two projects. On December 24, 2022 most of the assets and levels used in the prototype were leaked by an anonymous user on
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
including the original designs of the Rabbids, the rideable creatures, some of the cutscenes and the levels. However, when Rayman gets hit by the Rabbids, he loses his clothes for some reason.
Characters
Rayman
Rayman is the
title character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piëce. The title o ...
and
main protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
of the series. He is a
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...
-
like
In English, the word ''like'' has a very flexible range of uses, ranging from conventional to non-standard. It can be used as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, particle, conjunction, hedge, filler, quotative, and semi-suffix.
U ...
creature who has no limbs, though he has hands, feet, and a head that are able to move independently from his body. He can use his hair as
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
blades for means of transportation, throw his fists to punch from a distance, and in some games, even project balls of energy from his hands. He is typically found wearing white gloves, a red neckerchief on a purple body with a white ring in the center (the neckerchief was replaced with a hood in later entries), and yellow trainers (which are also slightly modified in the later games). He was voiced by Steven Perkinson in the 1995 video game of the same name. He was voiced by
Billy West
William Richard Werstine (born 1952), known professionally as Billy West, is an American voice actor, comedian, radio personality, impressionist and musician. His voice roles include Bugs Bunny in the 1996 film ''Space Jam'', the title characte ...
David Gasman
David Gasman is an American television, film and voice actor. He has appeared in many cartoons and video games, such as the ''Rayman'' series, ''Code Lyoko'', and List of Dragon Ball films, ''Dragon Ball'' films. He appeared in the films ''Jeffer ...
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Mario (; ) is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintendo. ...
''. He has been voiced by Douglas Rand in the video games since ''
Rayman Origins
''Rayman Origins'' is a 2011 platform game developed and published by Ubisoft. It is the fourth main installment in the '' Rayman'' series and the first main installment since '' Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc'' (2003). The game was released for the P ...
'', and was voiced by
David Menkin
David Menkin (born 10 May 1977) is a Norwegian-born American actor. He is best known for his voice roles as Porter and Jack in the US dub of ''Thomas & Friends'' (2013–2021) and as Virgil and Gordon Tracy in the 2015 reboot series '' Thunderb ...
Michel Ancel
Michel Ancel (; born 29 March 1972) is a retired Monégasque-French video game designer. He is best known for creating the ''Rayman'' franchise and was the lead designer or director for several of the games, including ''Rayman Origins'' and its ...
first drew Rayman at the age of 20. Ancel later returned to his early sketches in 1992 to create a demo for French software developer Lankhor. The character was named after a ray tracing software which Ubisoft used for the original game. Rayman originally had limbs, which was one of his major characteristics. When the developer tried to install the game on the systems, it did not work properly, leaving him with a floating body on the screen. At the time, it was technically impossible to display this character with animated limbs and programmers had trouble rendering them. The creative answer was to create the character without limbs.
Rayman has had other appearances such as the ''
Super Smash Bros.
is a series of platform fighting video games published by Nintendo. Created by Masahiro Sakurai, the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series is a crossover featuring many characters from other video game series created by Nintendo and other develope ...
'' series as a trophy and spirit, featuring as a playable character in a ''
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Mario (; ) is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintendo. ...
'' DLC expansion titled ''Rayman in the Phantom Show,'' which was released on August 30, 2023, as well as an inclusion in
Astro Bot
is a 2024 Platformer, platform game developed and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 5 to coincide with PlayStation's 30th anniversary. Following ''Astro's Playroom'' (2020), it is the fifth overall installment in ...
as an unlockable bot found in the game's Winter Wonder level released in a free update on December 12, 2024.
Secondary characters
*Globox was a
toad
Toad (also known as a hoptoad) is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands.
In popular culture (folk taxonomy ...
-like creature who is Rayman's dimwitted best friend and
sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion or colleague who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to those whom they accompany.
Origins
The first recorded use of the term dates from 1896. It is believed to have originated in pickpocket slang of ...
. Although easily frightened, he has often demonstrated his courage and has a heart of gold. However, from '' Rayman Arena'' and onward, he is no longer cowardly. He and his wife Uglette have over 650 children. For his speaking role, in '' Rayman 2'', he is voiced by
Christian Erickson
Christian Erickson is an American actor based in Paris, France. He is known for his role as La Trémoille in ''The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc'' (1999), as General Kormarov in the film adaption of ''Hitman (2007 film), Hitman'' and as L ...
John Leguizamo
John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez (, ; ; born July 22, 1960 or 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and film producer. He has appeared in more than 100 films, produced more than 20 films and documentaries, made more than 30 televisio ...
.
*Grand Minimus is the king of Teensies, magical creatures created to protect the Heart of the world. In ''Rayman 2'', after Rayman saves four Teensies, with one being the Grand Minimus, they're having trouble remembering who is the king. Grand Minimus is a playable character from ''Rayman Origins'' onward.
*Goth Teensy is a playable character from ''Rayman Origins'' onward. He is the guardian of the door to the Land of the Livid Dead to keep them from coming to the surface – however, he and his friends' snoring eventually annoy them to the point where they invade the Glade of Dreams.
*Barbara is a spunky, red-haired
princess
Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for ...
,
warrior
A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste.
History
...
and
barbarian
A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice.
A "barbarian" may ...
who first appeared in ''
Rayman Legends
''Rayman Legends'' is a 2013 platform game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft. It is the fifth main title in the ''Rayman'' series and the direct sequel to the 2011 game ''Rayman Origins''. The game was released for Micros ...
'', becoming the first human being to be playable in the main series – simultaneously with a younger sister and eight barbarian princess cousins who can be rescued throughout ''Legends''. She is armed with a
flail
Flail may refer to:
* Flail (tool), an agricultural implement for threshing
* Flail (weapon)
A flail is a weapon consisting of a striking head attached to a handle by a flexible rope, strap, or chain. The chief tactical virtue of the flail i ...
battle axe, whose head can be launched forward from the shaft to strike foes from a distance, and uses a magical winged helmet to float through the air, mimicking Rayman's helicopter hair ability.
Supporting characters
*Betilla the Fairy is a benevolent
fairy
A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Cel ...
and Rayman's "mother". After failing to stop Mr. Dark from stealing the Great Protoon, Betilla assists him in his quest by granting him various new abilities as the game progresses. Betilla reappears in a similar role – and with a new humanoid, curvaceous design – in ''
Rayman Origins
''Rayman Origins'' is a 2011 platform game developed and published by Ubisoft. It is the fourth main installment in the '' Rayman'' series and the first main installment since '' Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc'' (2003). The game was released for the P ...
'', where it is revealed she was the one who created Rayman and that she also has five sisters, who may also have contributed to the aforementioned event.
**Holly Luya, the fairy of the Desert of Dijiridoos and one of Betilla's sisters.
**Edith Up, the fairy of the Gourmand Land and one of Betilla's sisters.
**Annetta Fish, the fairy of the Sea of Serendipity and one of Betilla's sisters.
**Helena Handbasket, the fairy of the Mystical Pique and one of Betilla's sisters.
**Voodoo Mama or Fée de la Mort, the fairy of the Land of the Livid Dead and one of Betilla's sisters, she was transformed into a multi-eyed tentacled monster, Big Mama, by one of the Bubble Dreamer's nightmares which Rayman must defeat to return her back to normal.
*Ly the Fairy is a benevolent fairy, an ally of Rayman who assists him through the course of the second game and in the other versions of ''Rayman 3'' (e.g. Game Boy Advance) and ''Rayman Raving Rabbids'' (e.g. Game Boy Advance). She has an assortment of magical powers. According to the official site of ''Rayman 2'', Ly and Rayman are in love.
*Murfy serves as a guide to Rayman. He has a snarky, sarcastic nature, unable to deal with failure. He appears to be bored with his job and cannot be bothered with trivial details. His race is depicted as mischievous and described as "cultivated hedonist". He is voiced by
Billy West
William Richard Werstine (born 1952), known professionally as Billy West, is an American voice actor, comedian, radio personality, impressionist and musician. His voice roles include Bugs Bunny in the 1996 film ''Space Jam'', the title characte ...
.
*The Teensies are a magical race of ancient, diminutive and wise creatures created by Polokus.
*Polokus, also known as the "Bubble Dreamer" in ''Rayman Origins'' and ''Legends'', is a divine being and, according to ''Rayman 2'', is the creator of Rayman's world. During the plot of ''Rayman 2'', Polokus is sleeping and can only be awoken with four masks that Rayman is tasked with collecting. He later got redesigned in ''Rayman Origins'', where he appears larger, a little more amphibious and elderly while blowing bubbles with a
hookah
A hookah (also see #Names and etymology, other names), shisha, or waterpipe is a single- or multi-stemmed instrument for heating or vaporizing and then smoking either tobacco, flavored tobacco (often ''muʽassel''), or sometimes Cannabis (drug ...
or pipe.
*The Captain, an adventurous and good pirate introduced in '' Rayman Adventures'' where he requires Rayman and Barbara's help to rescue Incrediballs from enemy hands.
*Rabbids, lunatic and psychotic rabbits first introduced in '' Rayman Raving Rabbids'', they mainly appear to be white anthropomorphic rabbits with blue eyes (which turn red when getting aggressive). They are also not very smart at times and usually use plungers as weapons; despite this, they are a very advanced species capable of creating giant robots and time machines, and reproduce with the use of science. They went on to star in their own spin-off series of
party games
Party games are games that are played at social gatherings to facilitate interaction and provide entertainment and recreation. Categories include (explicit) icebreaker, parlour (indoor), picnic (outdoor), and large group games.Frankel, Lillia ...
.
Antagonists
*Mr. Dark is Rayman's
archenemy
In literature, an archenemy, (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) or nemesis is the main enemy of the protagonist — or sometimes, one of the other main characters — appearing as the most prominent and most-known enemy of the hero.
Etymolog ...
, the main
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Rayman Origins
''Rayman Origins'' is a 2011 platform game developed and published by Ubisoft. It is the fourth main installment in the '' Rayman'' series and the first main installment since '' Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc'' (2003). The game was released for the P ...
'', although he is absent, his influence inspired the Magician to become a villain and his successor, as seen in the E3 2011 trailer of ''Rayman Origins'' and in the level "The Reveal" of the same game (with various references and clues such as various drawings depicting Mr. Dark, a sign with "Love Mr. D." written on it, and the same hat worn by the Magician disguised as Mr. Dark in the aforementioned trailer exposed on a shelf). He later reappears for a mode in '' Rayman Mini''.
*Admiral Razorbeard is Rayman's second archenemy and the leader of the Robo-Pirates and the main
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Rayman 2: The Great Escape''. He invades Rayman's world and captured its inhabitants and destroyed the Heart of the World, causing Rayman to lose his powers. Throughout the game he tries to prevent Rayman from getting the four masks and awakening Polokus, who can destroy his troops on the land. At the end of the game, Razorbeard uses a robot called Grolgoth to fight Rayman. After his defeat he sets Grolgoth to self destruct while he escapes. Razorbeard returns as the main antagonist of the Game Boy Advance version of ''Rayman 3'', where he kidnaps Globox to harness the energy of the Black Lum he has swallowed. He is voiced by Ken Starcevic in the PlayStation version of the game, and by Matthew Géczy in other ports. and by
Carlos Alazraqui
Carlos Jaime Alazraqui (born July 20, 1962) is an American actor. His voice acting roles include the original voice of Spyro from '' Spyro the Dragon'', the Taco Bell chihuahua in the Taco Bell commercials, Rocko on ''Rocko's Modern Life'', D ...
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc''. He was created after Rayman's hands accidentally scared a Red Lum while he was sleeping, and since then he has been creating more Black Lums. He was accidentally eaten by Globox. At the end of the game he teamed up with Reflux (an enemy Rayman encountered along the way) to defeat him, but was ultimately defeated and turned back to normal. André returns as the main antagonist of '' Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge'', as a part of his spirit remained in Globox after he was swallowed and extracted out of him. He slowly started to possess Globox, causing him to become mean, but is eventually expelled out of him. He is voiced by Ken Starcevic.
*The Magician is a supporting character to secondary antagonist of the series, serving as the main antagonist of ''Rayman Origins'' and ''Rayman Legends''.
Reception
Rayman was named the Best New Character award of 1995 by ''
Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The magazine was fou ...
''. Since his debut in 1995 on the
Atari Jaguar
The Atari Jaguar is a home video game console developed by Atari Corporation and released in North America in November 1993. It is in the fifth generation of video game consoles, and it competed with Fourth generation of video game consoles, fo ...
, Rayman has become a well received, fan favorite and recognizable video game character by countless players and was known for his lack of limbs.
Other media
Rayman has been the subject of a short-lived animated television series in 1999, '' Rayman: The Animated Series'', which was produced as a tie-in to the video games, though significantly different from the source material. Only four episodes were made.
In 2019, another animated TV series was announced to be in works at
Ubisoft Film & Television
Ubisoft Film & Television (formerly known as Ubisoft Motion Pictures) is a French-American film and television production company and a subsidiary of video game publisher Ubisoft based in Montreuil and Los Angeles. The company was founded on 20 ...
David Menkin
David Menkin (born 10 May 1977) is a Norwegian-born American actor. He is best known for his voice roles as Porter and Jack in the US dub of ''Thomas & Friends'' (2013–2021) and as Virgil and Gordon Tracy in the 2015 reboot series '' Thunderb ...