One day Rayman will let us down again. We'll look into those beady little eyes and feel nothing but sadness and disappointment. That day is not today. Today is a day to party with Rayman: Fiesta Run.
There was a time Rayman meant nothing to me — a time before Rayman Origins. Origins established a new paradigm for the series — gorgeous, distinctive 2D art design coupled with masterful game mechanics and level construction to create some of the finest-flowing platforming action going.
Rayman: Jungle Run, the mobile accompaniment to Origins, brought that same combination to mobile, with an auto-running twist. Freed from the need to constantly hold a game pad to the right, players could concentrate on the jumping, hovering and punching needed to make it through the game's wonderfully designed and decorated stages.
Rayman: Fiesta Run is all that, with a delightful twist of lime.
More than 75 levels of fantastically fluid gameplay. New game mechanics — swimming, shrinking (which really makes the art pop), and sliding. Players now progress along a game board-style map, progressing with each lum saved.
We're not just playing this time around. We're progressing and unlocking and achieving. This map gives us a sense of purpose. A direction. It's pretty.
As is the entire game, really. I spent nearly 20 minutes this morning figuring out which shot to top the review with.
Too blue?
Too burny?
Too scary?
I probably should have gone for this guy. I love this guy, even if he's spitting deadly fish at me. I've had worse. The point is every screenshot is a work of art, which makes the unlockable art gallery sort of silly, but I can handle silly.
Rayman: Fiesta Run is practically perfect. It's the impractical bits where it stumbles. I could do with some more music. I could do without the new power-ups, the use of which detracts from a game designed to be conquered through precision and intuition.
But I am not disappointed — that day has yet to come. Instead I am absolutely delighted to have more practically perfect Rayman to play with. I shall always cherish the good times.
Rayman: Fiesta Run
Genre: Auto-Running Platformer
Developer: Ubisoft
Platform: Android, iOS
Price: $2.99
Get Rayman: Fiesta Run on Google Play — Get Rayman: Fiesta Run on iTunes