In Rayman 3D, players help Rayman run, jump, climb and swim his way through a cartoonish and outlandish 3D world in an effort to find his friend Globox and stave off the invasion of the robot-pirates from outer space.

If the game sounds a little off-the-wall and strange, it’s because it is.  Everything in Rayman is made to seem fantastical and magical, with a sprinkle of dry humor.  All the text commands and story are written, so players will need to be strong readers in order to at least attempt to understand what is going on in the game.

Rayman runs around by using the circle pad, and can jump and shoot using the A and B buttons.  As explores levels, he can gather flying orbs of different colors, called Lums, which all have different powers and abilities.  Some help him breathe when he’s swimming under water, some give him energy, some help him swing great distances.  You’ll also need to find green Lums to save the game, and the ultlimate goal of the game is to collect as many yellow Lums as possible.

Each level in Rayman 3D is accessed through the Island of Doors, and they mostly consist of puzzles or quests in which Rayman needs to collect a certain number of Lums, or make his way to a certain area.

The 3D effects in Rayman 3D are nice, but are definitely not the best we’ve seen on the 3DS.  They do add an element of intrigue and depth to the gameplay, but they really did not seem necessary to our enjoyment or challenge of the game.

Rayman 3D is an entertaining and immersive experience that is suited for single-player play.  It’s especially suited for players with a somewhat unique sense of humor.  Some of the levels and puzzles can be difficult, so we’d recommend it only for tweens and up.  There are no multiplayer options for Rayman 3D, so really there are no options for playing together.