Few protagonists have spanned multiple consoles over the years. While Mario has been a Nintendo stalwart and Crash Bandicoot Sony's poster boy, Rayman has appeared on multiple systems throughout our entire lives. He's instantly recognisable from his trademark sneakers and quiffed hair, the limbless wonder who has taken us on many adventures since he first appeared on the scene back in 1995.
To celebrate all things Rayman, publisher Cook & Becker have announced a new release titled 'Into The Glade Of Dreams: The Art & Design Of Rayman', with pre-orders open from now until Christmas 2025.
Can you believe Rayman has been around for three decades? It's hard to believe, isn't it, and we still don't really know what happened to his arms and legs. When Michel Ancel created Rayman back in the 90s, I doubt he would realise how much of a global phenomenon he would go on to be or how much the art and design of the games would go on to influence game developers in future decades.
That's what makes this 250-page hardback book so important; it pays homage to Ancel's work, from the very first sketches of the character to the Rayman you know and love today. You'll read passages from the artists and designers who made all of this possible, taking a look behind the curtain to see how these games were brought to life, as well as the processes involved with creating the friends and enemies Rayman encounters on his quests.
There are two versions of Into the Glade of Dreams available to purchase. The standard edition will set you back $54.95, but for $149 you can pick up the Collector's Edition shown in the featured image of this article. It comes with a slipcase that can be displayed separately via Rayman's trademark sneakers, a concept art print + holder, and 7 character magnets to stick to the ring of the slipcase.
You can only place a pre-order up to Christmas 2025, so if you want to get your name down for this epic slice of Rayman history, you'll need to act now! Head to Cook & Becker for more information!
