Ubisoft has revealed Rayman Legends Retold, a 3D remake of 2013’s Rayman Legends, and it launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on October 1. Don’t let “3D” scare you – it still looks and plays like the original 2D platformer, but with newly updated 3D visuals courtesy of Ubisoft’s Snowdrop engine, used for games like Star Wars Outlaws and The Division 2. In congruency, this 3D remake of a 2D game makes Retold a 2.5D platformer.
I traveled to Montpellier, France, to visit Ubisoft Montpellier, the studio that created Rayman and is working as lead developer on this remake alongside Ubisoft Milan, to play roughly two hours of Retold. I played through the first two worlds – Old Teensie Kingdom and The Stinkbog – tried out the new Star Fox-esque dragon-riding levels, got a quick look at the returning-from-Rayman-Origins-but-new-to-Legends-Retold Land of the Dead world, and even played through two new music levels. Rayman Legends is one of my favorite platformers, and though I am still conflicted on Ubisoft leaving behind its beautiful hand-drawn animated visuals of the original 2D adventure, I can’t deny that I had a blast playing Retold; I even grew quite fond of the 3D visual style, and that’s because of a thoughtful design approach to updating the visuals. Yes, it’s now in 3D but it still contains the whimsical fantasy of Legends’ 2D style, now with additional fore-and-background details that add welcome touches of staging to each level.
But first, check out the Rayman Legends Retold trailer for yourself below to get a look at its new art:
Like the original, Retold will feature 1 to 4-player couch co-op in the campaign, with playable characters Rayman, Globox, Teensy, and Barbara returning but with updated visual styles to transition them from 2D to 3D models. Plus, Kung-Foot returns with its simple but fun Smash Bros. meets soccer gameplay. Despite Retold looking quite different to the original Legends, I’m happy to report that it plays identically, and that’s because under the hood of the 3D staging is still the same 2D bones that felt great in 2013. Of course, tweaks here and there and quality-of-life updates make it feel all the better, but trust that Retold will retain the gameplay that makes Legends so great. Ubisoft Montpellier developers even showed us the 2D engine running under the 3D visuals, highlighting how the art and level design teams have worked hard to use interesting and unique visual tricks to make a 3D-looking game play like a 2D one, hence the 2.5D feel.
The parallax scrolling is an especially pleasant addition, adding environmental depth to the platforming gauntlets throughout Retold. It’s an especially fun effect in the new dragon-riding levels, which connect the end of one world with the beginning of the next. They play like fantasy-flavored Star Fox missions, where you control the dragon like a starship, shooting fireballs at enemies and obstacles alike in your way. Unlike the standard platforming levels of Retold, where Rayman is looking to collect kidnapped Teensies on the way to the end, each dragon begins with every teensie of the level on their back; your goal is to reach the end without losing any, but each time you take damage, one falls off. You can also hold down a button to make the dragons fart, though I wasn’t able to discern if this did anything at all (other than make me chuckle because I am a child).
Returning music levels, like the “Black Betty” one, remain a highlight of the remade Legends adventure, as do the new additions. And though I lamented the new songs selected for these levels – one is the “Macarena”, which begins in a Mexican festival-themed level before strangely becoming an old-world Italian restaurant stage – it’s still a great time speeding through levels while jumping, punching, and gliding to the beat of a real-world track.
For all the greatness of Legends, its finale sucks (something a producer at the studio agreed with me on), and Ubisoft Montpellier is tackling that issue head-on with a brand new villain. However, their likeness remains a mystery to me, save for purple glowing eyes, a black shroud, and the ability to corrupt enemies with magic. I’m excited to see what depth, if any, this villain adds to the entire Retold package. At the very least, I hope they make for a more satisfying and climactic conclusion to an otherwise excellent platforming adventure.
There’s a lot more new in Retold, including additional tracks from famed composer Grant Kirkhope, and I dive into all of that, as well as exclusive insight from Ubisoft Montpellier art directors, producers, animators, and more, in my six-page feature on Retold in the next issue of Game Informer. Keep an eye out for it there if you’re a subscriber, and if you’re not, head here to do so before it’s too late.
Rayman Legends Retold launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on October 1.
In the meantime, read Game Informer’s Rayman Legends review, and then check out our preview of Ubisoft’s other 2026 remake, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.
How do you feel about Rayman Legends’ new look in Retold? Let us know in the comments below!
