We’re not quite sure just how we missed it, but while Touch Arcade was at Macworld 2010, Gameloft posted a short teaser video spreading the news that Ubisoft’s classic (and cuddly) platformer Rayman is on its way to the iPhone and iPod touch.
Rayman made his debut in 1995 on the Atari Jaguar and MS-DOS, followed closely by Playstation and Sega Saturn releases. The 2D platformer featured some of the most lavish console graphics ever seen at the time and was immensely playable. I, personally, threw several weeks of my life into the game, glued to my shiny new Playstation back in early 1996. And, while the game was followed up by a number of 2D and 3D sequels, it’s really the first that feels the best, and which we believe (and hope) is the version that’s headed to the iPhone.
The game’s backstory is as amusing as its colorful, cartoony graphics.
In Rayman world’s, nature and people live together in peace. The Great Protoon provides and maintains the harmony and balance in the world.
Sorry Folks, this apparently can’t last.
… one fateful day, the Great Protoon is stolen by Mr. Dark, an evil being! The Electoons who used to gravitate around it lose their natural stability and scatter all over the world! Troublesome, isn’t it? (and untidy, too!) In this now-unbalanced world, strange phenomena begin to occur: freaks and hostile characters appear, capturing every Electoon they can find! They definitely need a HERO to save them now, don’t you think?
Rayman must recapture the Great Protoon from its mysterious kidnapper, free the Electoons and reasseble them all to restore the world’s harmony. But will the bad guys let him do it?… After all, he doesn’t have arms or legs… but don’t panic, neither do the bad guys.
Have a look at a bit of gameplay from the Playstation version of the game.
We’ll be sure to let readers know when they can expect to begin their own iPhone-based search for the Great Protoon as soon as we get further details.
