Games can be good for your mind, according to a study that reveals the cognitive and psychological benefits of mobile games, Skillprint said.
Did The Rabbids Kill Rayman? How Ubisoft Ruined Its Mario
06.10.2023 - 05:43 / gamepur.com / Ubisoft
If I sincerely asked you if you knew who Super Mario was, you’d probably look at me like I was an idiot. Of course, you know who Super Mario is. He’s only the most prolific plumber turned mushroom-consuming superhero ever to exist.
Mario Mario was the first of his kind and has remained the face of gaming since his first appearance in 1983. But he isn’t the only videogame mascot recognizable even to those who have never held a controller. Sonic the Hedgehog, Donkey Kong, and Pikachu are right up there with the mustachioed man in red in terms of notoriety.
In fact, most notable gaming icons were conceived between the mid-80s and late 90s. The cultural impact these characters had is unquantifiable, so it’s no wonder other powerhouse developers would attempt to secure their piece of the pie by creating cool yet loveable characters during the early 2000s.
Rayman: No Arms, No Legs, All heart
1995 was an impactful year in gaming. Sony entered the console wards with the original PlayStation, the Tekken franchise was born, and Chrono Trigger spawned one of the earliest cult followings for the medium. Preexisting monoliths began to expand their cast of iconic characters with Knuckles getting a standalone title, Yoshi being a titular character in Super Mario World 2, and Diddy Kong having his own quest in Donkey Kong Country 2.
Enter Rayman: Ubisoft’s first “mascot,” starring in five mainline titles and roughly 26 spinoff titles ranging from traditional sidescrollers to on-foot racing games to educational experiences for kids.
When you look at Rayman’s catalog of games, it’s clear that Ubisoft intended for Rayman to be a mascot character—bowling, Golf, Kart Racing, 3D platformers, 2D platformers, Mario Party-esque minigame collections. For 18 years, Rayman was prolific – but about halfway through this limbless hero’s lifespan, an evil he could not surmount would veer its ugly ears.
But more on that later. Let’s talk about Rayman’s rise to prominence.
Was Rayman Ever An Icon?
As objective as I’d want this piece to be, my mourning for Rayman is deeply rooted in having been exposed to the character at a young age. My father owned a Sega Saturn when I was but a child, and my first exposure to video games was through Street Fighter Collection, Earthworm Jim 2, Sonic Jam, and Rayman.
To be honest, I didn’t play Rayman much in the late 90s, mainly because I was a small-brained child who sucked at video games, and 2D platforming over music notes was something I couldn’t seem to grasp. Regardless, I admired the character design and really liked the idea of his disembodied hands and feet that stayed close to his body via some power unbeknownst to me.
It wouldn’t be until 2003, when I was gifted a PS2 and a copy of
The website gametalkz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Authors
Popular Topics
videogameschronicle.com
19.10.2023 / 18:29
Podcast: The fall of Kong, a new N64, and Mario Wonder is here
The latest episode of VGC: A Video Game Podcast is now available for listening.
blog.playstation.com
18.10.2023 / 19:01
New The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR horde mode hits today
Here at Supermassive Games, we are hugely excited to reveal The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR’s new fast-paced, arcade-style survival challenge. How many rooms can you complete as you descend into hell with just your guns and reflexes for protection? Our focus on Horde Mode was to deliver fast-paced, intense action combat with additional rollercoaster thrills where facing your fears are taken to a whole new level.
gamesradar.com
18.10.2023 / 18:11
This "experimental" base-builder is like Minecraft from another universe, and the experiment is going well based on its 99% positive reviews
This chilled base-builder feels like Minecraft from another universe, and it's already got near-perfect reviews.
thegamer.com
17.10.2023 / 09:41
Adidas Reveals Symbiote Spider-Man Hoodie To Match Its Shoes, Available Now
Two weeks ago, Adidas unveiled some Spider-Man shoes that looked like they were preparing to host a symbiote and they proved to be pretty popular. Despite the $220 price tag, the Spidey shoes sold out almost immediately and don't appear to have been restocked yet. If you missed out on the shoes but still want some official Adidas Spider-Man merch to wear ready for the launch of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, or you did land a pair and you want something else to match, Adidas has now released a hoodie as a part of the same collection.
polygon.com
16.10.2023 / 15:39
The face of Bethesda — no, not Todd Howard — is retiring
Pete Hines, head of publishing at Bethesda Softworks and the second-most prominent face of the company that makes Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and Starfield, is retiring. Hines announced his departure from Bethesda on Monday after 24 years with the company, indicating that he was exiting the gaming industry.
radiotimes.com
16.10.2023 / 10:41
Spider-Man 2 face explained: Why did they recast Peter Parker actor?
The sequel to 2018's Spider-Man (following 2020's spin-off Miles Morales) will release on 20th October, and we're counting down the days.
gamesradar.com
14.10.2023 / 13:51
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless launches with some questionable character traits
Back by popular demand, the next addition to the hilarious and demonic TRPG series, Disgaea, has finally hit game stores. Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless marks twenty years since the launch of its popular predecessor, and in celebration the games director, Shunsuke Minowa, has been giving the low down on the new game's true essence.
comingsoon.net
14.10.2023 / 00:21
Ubisoft Reveals Its Game Streaming Plans in the Wake of Microsoft’s Activision Acquisition
Hot on the heels of Microsoft’s successful completion of its Activision acquisition, has released a Q&A covering how the company plans to use its streaming rights for Activision Blizzard games moving forward. Ubisoft gained the game streaming rights to the Activision Blizzard catalog as part of agreements made by Microsoft to gain the European Commission’s approval for the high-profile acquisition.
gamesradar.com
13.10.2023 / 15:59
"So this is home now?": World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Starfield, and more collide in the utterly bizarre trailer Xbox made for its Activision deal
The fact that Xbox even made a trailer celebrating the closure of its Activision Blizzard acquisition, like it's the last big hitter of an E3 showcase, is bizarre enough, if unsurprising. But the sheer, goggle-eyed, 'Let's hear it for capitalism' chest-beating of the thing is, well, I wish I could say otherworldly, but absolutely strange to say the least.
rockpapershotgun.com
03.10.2023 / 22:55
Minecraft's 2023 mob vote has its first candidate: the crab
Minecraft Live, the blockbuilder's annual event, will take place on October 15th, and bring with it news of the next update and the by-now traditional mob vote. Mojang have started to outline the mobs players will be able to vote upon, with the winner to be added to the game, and the first of the trio is an adorable crab.
pcgamer.com
01.10.2023 / 00:07
Get in the robot, kill some space angels, in this turn-based tactical mecha battler
An upcoming tactics roguelike will see you take the sticks of a giant robot and do battle with interstellar Archangels come to obliterate humanity's cities. Massive Galaxy Studios' Arc Seed will be a combination of turn-based tactics and deckbuilding combined with longer-term roguelite strategy requiring you to upgrade and coordinate the defenses of your city.