Developed by Ubisoft’s Montpellier studio, Rayman Origins resurrects a mascot long-since thought relegated to the dustbin of history. After finishing the game, you’ll wish he never left.

Let’s begin with the first thing you notice when you open the game: the graphics. Rayman boasts hand-drawn art in a very unique style that’s probably the best I’ve ever seen in a game; many times it will make you stop what you’re doing and stare at the screen, simply to soak it all in. The vibrant colors feel as though they’re coming out of your TV - especially on the later levels, with their fast-paced chases which will leave you marveling at the color palettes used.

The amount of creativity in Origins will overwhelm you. As you play this beauty, prepare to see all manner of weird things, like giant toothpaste packets which shoot fire at stoves to cook thunderstorms. Can’t visualize that? Neither could I, until I saw it with my own eyes and then used it to progress further in the level.

What I truly love about Origins is how diverse each world is; every time you enter a new world you’ll feel a massive difference from the previous one - everything in the environment drastically changes. This change is not only pleasant to the eyes but also a pleasure to play, as each world has different types of platforming challenges. For example, in the grassy world you’ll come across a lot of hillside jumps and water slides that avoid spikes, but in the gourmand world you’ll be jumping on cheese, avoiding flaming toothpaste and jumping on top of sausages to avoid the deathly forks.

A game is nothing without its controls and it’s fortunate that Origins controls with much fluidity. Similar to any platformer, you’ll be running and jumping around, but that’s not all. In Origins, you’ll gain new powers as you traverse the worlds. These powers make the game feel fresh; you’re never given the chance to become bored from doing the same thing over and over again.

Not many platformers can make an enjoyable 2-4 player experience without becoming too chaotic and headache inducing. However, don’t be worried - Origins plays just as well with 4 players as it does by yourself; playing with friends is a surefire way to conjure up plenty of laughter. One gripe - and my only gripe - is the lack of any online options. Multiplayer is strictly local, and it’s the one area where Ubisoft potentially could have improved.

Music is very important for a game - from Skyrim‘s orchestral soundtrack to Mario’s upbeat music, every gamer has their favorite track. Origins not only has some of the weirdest music I have ever heard, but also some of the funniest, catchiest ones. It’s a soundtrack that knows how to put a smile on your face - the ukulele is nicely played, the random singing in a made up language never gets old and the chef’s singing in the gourmand levels is something that you’ll find yourself singing in the shower.

At roughly 6-7 hours long, Origins may seem short, but trust me: this is a game that will encourage you to do all the extra challenges, speed trophies and what-nots. While games like Uncharted 3 and Sonic Generations couldn’t entice me into completing their extras for trophies, Origins excels at it. With all the extra challenges, levels unlocked through collecting all the little electoons and speed trophies, you can easily spend around 15+ hours for a fully completed file.

After finishing Origins, I went back to other platformers such as Super Mario Bros. 3 and Sonic Generations. After coming back to write this review, I realized how amazing Origins is. It has a level of diversity that Sonic would die for, and graphics that Mario would salivate over. Rayman Origins is head and shoulders above the competition; in some regards, it’s the best platformer ever made.

Rayman Origins is a masterpiece in game design and art-style, but most importantly it’s just pure fun. I recommend it to everyone, from 6 year-old kids to 60 year-old adults. Rayman Origins has something for everyone.