Limbless platforming mascot Rayman first appeared (perhaps surprisingly) on the Atari Jaguar back in 1995. However, his popularity was truly cemented by his first game being launched as an early PlayStation title on Sony’s original console (as well as appearing on the Sega Saturn and PC).
Since then, Rayman has appeared in five mainline titles on a pretty incredible variety of console platforms, moving from its origins as an aesthetically beautiful 2D platformer into 3D and then back again, as well as numerous spin-off titles such as the educational Rayman Brain Games and the competitive multiplayer racing/battling title, Rayman M. The Rayman series also spawned the Rabbids series of games, which initially began life as multiplayer party games for the Wii, and even led to an animated series!
The Rabbids themselves even popped up in two underrated Nintendo Switch strategy titles, alongside Mario and his friends, in Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle and Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. The latter title even saw Rayman himself making an appearance and crossing over with Mario, thanks to the limbless wonder being the focus of the Sparks of Hope DLC, Rayman in the Phantom Show.
So it’s fair to say that Rayman can lay claim to being one of the most iconic and enduring video game characters at this point, so it makes sense that he’d also make an appearance in a tabletop game too; the only surprise is that it’s taken this long for it to happen!
With its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign launching in September, there’s currently no firm release date for Rayman: The Board Game, but even in its early, prototype form, it looks set to brilliantly reproduce the gorgeous visuals and character design of the video games, while offering an accessible gaming experience that the whole family can enjoy.
No strangers to licensed games (having created tabletop games based on the World of Darkness TTRPGs, Vampire: The Masquerade, and Werewolf: The Apocalypse), along with their own successful, original titles, Flyos Games have already seen success on Kickstarter with numerous projects, so Rayman’s new game seems to be in very safe hands.
The images of the character miniatures and other components, though not necessarily final, including the card, board, and box, all point towards it having incredibly high production values, and it already looks like a set that’s designed for Rayman fans, by Rayman fans.
A game based on achieving the quickest time for 1-4 players (that’s right, you can play it solo if you want!), you will choose one of the heroes on offer (including, of course, Rayman himself), then dodging obstacles and saving Teensies as you work your way around the board.
Every component has recreated the painted, characterful look of Rayman’s world wonderfully, and a closer look at the Rayman miniature reveals, thanks to the clever folk at Flyos Games, that the hero’s lack of limbs has even, somewhat magically, been adhered to in physical form!
You can sign up to be notified of Rayman: The Board Game’s crowdfunding campaign launch on Kickstarter here, with the campaign set to go live in September 2024. As long-term Rayman fans, we here at Retro Dodo can’t wait to see more details emerge for Rayman: The Board Game, and we’re very keen to get our hands on the finished product too!
While you, like us, are waiting with bated breath for Rayman: The Board Game, why not check out our ranking of the best Rayman games of all time?
