Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
PAL region cover art
Developer(s)	Ubisoft Shanghai (Nintendo GameCube) Ubisoft (Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC & Mac OS X) Gameloft (Mobile & N-Gage)
Publisher(s)	Ubisoft (Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, Xbox & PC) Gameloft (Mobile & N-Gage) Feral Interactive (Mac OS X)
Producer(s)	Ahmed Boukhelifa
Designer(s)	Michael Janod Michel Ancel
Composer(s)	Plume Leonard, Fred Leonard, Laurent Parisi
Platform(s)	Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, Java ME, N-Gage, Mac OS X, PlayStation Network PlayStation 3
Release date(s)	February 21, 2003 Nintendo GameCube & Game Boy Advance EU February 21, 2003 NA March 2, 2003 PlayStation 2 EU March 14, 2003 NA March 17, 2003 Xbox EU March 14, 2003 NA March 18, 2003 PC EU March 21, 2003 NA March 24, 2003 Mobile NA July 17, 2003 N-Gage NA December 11, 2003 EU January 21, 2004 Mac OS X NA 2003 EU 2004 Playstation Network March 23, 2012 Xbox Live Arcade March 23, 2012
Genre(s)	Platform
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ACB: G8+ / GN-G ELSPA: 3+ ESRB: E (HD: E10+) PEGI: 3+ (HD: 7+)
Media/distribution	DVD-ROM, GameCube Optical Disc, Digital Download, Cartridge

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is the third major platform game installment in the Rayman series. It tells the story of how Rayman stops André, an evil black lum, from taking over the world with his army of sack-like "Hoodlum" soldiers. Unlike the game's predecessor, Rayman 3 took a more light-hearted turn, it has sarcastic self-referential undertones and pokes fun at the platforming video game genre. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC in 2003 and for the Mac OS X in 2004. A remastered HD version of the game was released for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network on March 20, 2012. 2D versions were developed for the Game Boy Advance, Mobile and N-Gage. A follow up game, Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge, was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2005. The intro features the song "Madder" by Groove Armada.

Gameplay

Rayman's controls are similar to that of Rayman 2: The Great Escape, albeit he is now limited to utilising long-ranged punches (and kicks at some opportunities), as opposed to throwing Energy Spheres. Instead, Rayman can now find special "Laser Washing Powder" cans containing one of five temporary power-ups. The Vortex allows Rayman to fire mini-tornadoes instead of punching, the Heavy Metal Fist increases Rayman's strength and allows him to break down certain doors, the Lockjaw gives Rayman extendable claw weapons that can be used to latch onto and electrocute enemies or swing across gaps, the Shock Rocket allows Rayman to fire a remote controlled missile, and the Throttle Copter provides Rayman with a special helmet that allows him to fly vertically for a limited time.

Plot

André, the leader of the Black Lums, is a lum, who was supposedly said to have grown out of pure evil. One night, he transforms other Red Lums into Black Lums to join him. The group eventually gains enough hair from various animals throughout the forest to dress up to disguise themselves as Hoodlums. In the middle of the process, Murfy, one of the residents and workers of the Fairy Council, discovers them. André later on discovers him hiding nearby and begins to make chase of him. Murfy is eventually chased to a small clearing, where Rayman and his friend Globox, are sound asleep. Just as Murfy reaches them, Globox is awakened by the commotion. Now aware of the situation, Globox helps Murfy try to get Rayman, who is still unawakened by the commotion, to safety. In the process, Globox accidentally removes Rayman's hands, forcing Murfy to pick Rayman up by his hair and drag him away from the clearing himself. In an attempt to save himself, Globox runs away to safety, taking Rayman's hands along with him.

As time passes, more and more Hoodlums are invading the forest. After reaching the entrance to the Council, Rayman and Murfy discover Globox hiding in a barrel. Just as Rayman gets his hands back from his rather cowardly friend, André and a few of his minions join them, giving chase to a much frightened Globox. As Rayman and Murfy pursue after them, they learn of André's evil plan: to taint the heart of the world so that he can create that same energy into an army of Hoodlums. Undeterred, the twosome continue the chase. Eventually, André catches up with Globox, who ends up accidentally swallowing the evil creature. Afterwards, Rayman attempts to seek out a doctor that can rid André from Globox's insides and Murfy departs from the team, warning Rayman that the Black Lum may force Globox to drink plum juice which the glute is allergic to (when he leaves and remains absent for the rest of the game, Murfy says, "See you in Rayman 4!").

Along the way, Rayman meets up with three doctors: Otto Psi (a play on the word autopsy), Romeo Patti (homeopathy), and Art Rytus (arthritis) (or Gonzo). As all three doctors fail independently to purge André with body music, which André appears to hate (when Otto tried playing Globox's arm like a guitar, André moved to the glute's vistula by going through a kidney near a spare rib and when Romeo tried playing Globox's body like a Caribbean drum set, the Black Lum moved to Globox's brain. Art Rytus' head-pricking failed to work also, though the Black Lum remained in Globox's head), they succeed in getting rid of him after allying with each other in Art Rytus' clinic room. Now angry and still undeterred by his plans for world domination, André teams up with Reflux, a being whom Rayman had to duel with to prove his worth to the Knaaren race. Hungry for power and desperate to get rid of Rayman, the two decide to team up and make even more havoc for Rayman.

In a final faceoff, Rayman ends up destroying Reflux and turning André back into a red lum. Shortly thereafter, Rayman and Globox return back to the clearing that they were in at the very beginning. Globox is sharing his sorrow with Rayman about André's return to a Red Lum. Rayman tries to console him by saying that he thinks that there is really no way to bring André back. Globox then shares that, unlike making a Black Lum turn back into a red one by scaring it, you can also do it the other way round. At a loss for what would truly scare a lum, Rayman and Globox fall asleep.

The cut-scene at the end reveals how it all began; Rayman's hands go off on their own (which might explain how they were pulled off from Rayman) and once they come across a red lum they scare it, turning it into André.

Notable versions

Handheld version

As a counterpart to the 3D console versions of the game, the Game Boy Advance and N-Gage versions of the game were 2D sidescrolling platformers, controlling similarly to the original Rayman game. This version received a sequel, Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge, released for Game Boy Advance in 2005.

GameCube version

The GameCube version of the game features exclusive content compared to the other releases of the game, which include several minigames. Additional content could be unlocked by connecting the Game Boy Advance version of the game to it.

HD version

A high definition version of Rayman 3, titled Rayman 3 HD, was announced by Ubisoft in November 2011 and was released on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade on March 23, 2012, nine years after the original version. The game runs at 60 frames per second, in up to 1080p. This version includes the original game content including the nine extra standalone minigames, and features newly introduced leaderboards and trophies/achievements. However, it lacks the original opening intro (featuring the Groove Armada song "Madder"), and also lacks the "Wanna Kick Rayman" bonus videos.

Reception

In general, the game has been received positively. Overall, the game has been praised for its graphics and sound quality, but is more hit-or-miss on the gameplay and sound style. IGN lauds the game for the voice-acting, calling it "exactly what the Rayman franchise has been begging for", whereas GameSpot notes that the dialogue for the game is "trying too hard to be self-aware and hip". Reviews also note that the gameplay sets into what can become an obvious pattern.

References

All other respective information concerning scenarios and in-game items were taken from the Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc instruction manual.

External links

• Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc at MobyGames
• "IGN: Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc Review (GCN)". http://cube.ign.com/articles/388/388218p1.html. 
• "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc Articles". http://www.gamestats.com/objects/478/478841/articles.html. 
• "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc For GameCube Review". http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/rayman3hoodlumhavoc/review.html. 
• "A Look Back: Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc". http://www.gamekiq.com/wordpress/2008/06/23/a-look-back-rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc-review.