Rayman Legends Retold was among the more interesting reveals of Sony’s recent State of Play. Of course, it wasn’t totally shocking for those in the know. Audiences have long speculated that a Rayman game remake is on the way, and Ubisoft itself said it was exploring reviving the franchise back in 2024. But seeing it in action still hits different.
The original Rayman Legends launched in 2013 and is easily one of Ubisoft’s best releases—arguably one of the best 2D platformers ever made, in fact. It’s massive, with well over 100 levels, but even so, it’s consistently surprising and joyful. Creativity seeps out of every pore of Rayman Legends, and with smooth, responsive controls and rock-solid level design to boot, it’s hard to think of the game as anything but exceptional. Even 13 years later, it holds up incredibly well, solidified as one of the best platformers you can buy on modern consoles. Of course, this might naturally lead some to wonder why it needs an ambitious remake in the form of Rayman Legends Retold, if it’s already stood the test of time and is readily available.
Rayman Origins: Enhanced Edition Leaks Online
A new remaster of Rayman Origins appears online from an official source, with the game reportedly offering a number of performance improvements.
Rayman Legends Definitely Doesn’t ‘Need’ a Remake
No game truly needs a top-to-bottom remake. Most modern gamers prefer, for example, the revised third-person shooting of 2019’s Resident Evil 2 remake, but this doesn’t invalidate the earlier gameplay of the original RE2. The newer Resident Evil 2 is closer to contemporary tastes, but saying that it’s “better” than the original is both reductive and a potential example of recency bias.
It’s very strange because, other than film and theater, I struggle to think of other artistic mediums that hold fast to this “newer is better” philosophy. You would be laughed out of an art museum for criticizing a painting because it’s too old, and you wouldn’t be taken seriously by a jazz musician for saying that Miles Davis’ music is too old. Conventions and means, such as game development technology or CGI software, evolve over time, but such growth doesn’t describe a linear path of constant improvement.
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Find all 10 pairs
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In the case of Rayman Legends, we have a game that’s very difficult to meaningfully improve upon. This is actually something that the game’s developers seem to be aware of. Speaking with Polygon, Ubisoft brand manager Loïc Gounon said that Legends was chosen to be remade specifically because it is the most “complete” Rayman experience, describing it as having “the richest version of the world, the widest set of characters.” Ubisoft says that it wants to relaunch Rayman with this remake, setting up a new era for the series and welcoming new players in the process. And to be fair, if you’re going to introduce Rayman to a new audience, it makes sense to start with the best in the series.
Rayman Legends Retold Doesn’t Replace Rayman Legends
For the record, I’m largely neutral about Rayman Legends Retold. The new visuals look good and the 3D Dragon Ride levels should be a nice novelty (and, for what it’s worth, a potentially smart replacement for the original Legends’ level select), but again, Legends doesn’t need a remake. If I had to form a hard opinion about Retold, I would probably say that it risks losing some of the original’s magic without the direct involvement of Michel Ancel (although he is consulting).
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
But even if this winds up being the case, even if Rayman Legends Retold is disappointing on several levels, the original Rayman Legends still exists. As far as I know, Ubisoft isn’t attempting to pull a GTA: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition with this remake, having it literally replace the original on digital storefronts, so even though Retold is a little unnecessary, it’s no harm, no foul. I’m always open to being pleasantly surprised, but for now, I’ve still got Rayman Legends within arm’s reach, and it’s not going anywhere.
- Released
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October 1, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Multiplayer
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Local Co-Op
