raymantogether

[raymantogether]

I commissioned BlookMook to make this awesome Rayman artwork showing off the best parts of the series! Huge thanks for all their work on Rayman Together.

[raymantogether]

What better way to celebrate Rayman's 30th anniversary than new artwork for Rayman Together?

[raymantogether]

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #4 - MarkedAsUnreal

Introduction:

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc was published by Ubisoft Paris and released on February 21st, 2003, in Europe and in March 2003 worldwide. That was almost 22 years ago. Feeling old yet? Well, Ubisoft did release Rayman 3: HD in 2012, but we won't talk about that. Rayman 3 is undoubtedly a fan favorite in the series thanks to its whimsical but very risque adult humor. The game is also critically acclaimed thanks to its very fun and diverse 3D platforming and its exceptional cast of characters and enemies. Nothing has ever come close in the series to the success of Rayman 3, in my opinion. And while I wait in hope for Ubisoft to bring back Rayman to his core 3D roots, I can't help thinking, Why doesn't Ubisoft just remake Rayman 3. 

Fortunately, this is no longer an issue. For this latest Rayman Together Community Spotlight, I have the pleasure of interviewing Marked As Unreal, a Rayman fan from Poland who is working on the Rayman 3 Fan Remake on YouTube. This ground-breaking development blog focuses upon reimaging Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc using Unreal Engine 5. The development process has been fascinating to watch, and this has become undoubtedly a favorite fan project of mine. The results have been spectacular, and the game looks simply incredible. You can see the results for yourself below from these comparison shots.

(Rayman 3: Unreal Engine Fan Remake)

(Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc)

(Rayman 3: Unreal Engine Fan Remake)

(Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc)

So sit back and relax as this latest community spotlight takes you into more detail about the genius behind the Rayman 3: Fan Remake and a more personal insight into this amazing community project. 

Spotlight:

1. Please introduce yourself.

"Hi! I’m Mark. I’m a gaming enthusiast from Poland who dreams of making his own small indie title one day. To help me achieve that goal, I’m currently trying to learn game development and Unreal Engine by remaking one of my favorite games of all time, Rayman 3. I didn’t have much coding or Unreal Engine experience prior to this project, but I did work as a 3D artist for almost 4 years. The most notable project I’ve worked on as a 3D artist was “The Medium” by the Bloober team. What was really awesome about this project is that its art style is based on Zdzislaw Beksinski’s paintings, who is a painter that I am a big fan of."

2. What do you do for a living?

"For most of the year I work at a campground doing maintenance, but in the summer I work at an ice cream/waffle shop."

3. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time

"I often play games and watch various shows when I’m looking to have a chill time. There are many games which I would consider my favorites, but to name a few (besides Rayman of course), there are the old Halo games, the Dead Space series, Old School RuneScape, Subnautica, the Bioshock series, Portal 2, Undertale, from software games, or the Respawn Entertainments Jedi series. As shows are considered, I lately find myself really enjoying anime. My favorites are Vinland Saga, Attack on Titan, and Jojo’s bizarre adventure. Jujustsu Kaisen is also really sick. Regarding more active ways to spend my free time, I really love bouldering (it’s a type of rock climbing) and snowboarding."

4. What got you into the Unreal Engine project on Rayman 3?

"Learning game development by trying to recreate one of my favorite games just seemed like it could be a ton of fun (and I wasn’t wrong, because it is a blast!). And I decided to go for Unreal Engine because I really wanted to try out the new features everyone was talking about (Nanite and Lumen). The fact that many AAA companies use Unreal Engine to make their games also made it feel like a better choice than Unity."

5. Tell us about your experience on the project with Rayman 3.

"The hardest part was the start, of course. I didn’t really know Unreal Engine, so doing the simplest things was a challenge. Every step required me to go through a tutorial first. Also, I started this project with the most complex part, while still having very little programming knowledge, which was coding in the characters movement and collision. On one hand, this was maybe not the wisest thing to start with, but on the other, I wanted to start with the hardest and most important part, to know if there is even a point in trying to make this game in the first place. Otherwise, I was at risk of doing something easy for half a year just to hit an unpassable wall. But you know, the greater the challenge, the greater the satisfaction once you overcome it. So, satisfying and fun are two main words that I would use to describe my experience working on this.

What’s also an amazing feeling is to have this complete freedom and agency over the project. I can make it look however I like, I can work on whatever I feel like working at the moment, and I can work at a pace that I feel like working at. It’s an amazing luxury that’s only possible because this is a passion project.

I’d also like to mention how cool of an experience it was working on the Teensie highway part of the level. Because of how surreal and random that part is, working on it felt very fresh and different. Not to mention that it was a nice way to see how much I’ve grown since I started this project, because while coding in all the logic for the surfboard Rayman, I could see how much easier this was for me to make in comparison to the regular Rayman that I was making when starting the project. Granted, the surfboard Rayman is much simpler in terms of complexity, but still, I felt like I could see a noticeable difference in my skill level. 

Finally, I can’t leave this question without mentioning what a great laugh I had when putting in all the drunken Teensies around the Heart of the World area. I love those guys, and creating all those little stories (like the two teens fighting on a ledge) was such a fun experience."

6. How has it been for you personally revisiting Rayman 3?

"To be honest, this doesn’t really feel like I’m revisiting the game, because I replay Rayman 3 fairly often, so it kind of feels like this game is never far off."

7. Are you planning to recreate the whole game in Unreal Engine?

"I’m sorry to say that no, I am not. It’s like I said in one of my first videos: this was always meant to be a learning opportunity for me, as well as a way to get a grasp on what project scope seems realistic for one person or a small team. If I had unlimited time, then I would love to recreate the whole game, because I love working on this. But the sad reality is that I'd probably be well in my 40s before the whole game would be remade. I’d like to be younger before I start working on my own games.

I’m not yet sure where exactly I will stop, but I am going to finish the fairy council level and share it, so everyone will have a chance to play it.

I haven’t really ever mentioned, though, what my plans are for the project; once I decide, it’s time for me to move on, so let me reveal them right now. My plan is to share the whole project for anyone to download and create a Discord server that will act as a hub for the project. I will be there to assist and help anyone who would like to make something using my remake (like continue from where I left off, make their own custom levels, or even just use some parts of it to create something else entirely).

8. Has anyone at Ubisoft or within the gaming industry approached you during your time sharing your development blogs on YouTube?

"No, no one has."

9. Are you planning to do any other Rayman games or any other videogames in Unreal Engine in the future after you have finished with Rayman 3?

"After the Rayman 3 remake, I will start making my own title. I already have a pretty clear idea of what that game is going to be; however, I’m not going to share that information yet. There is a lot of work left in this project, even just for the first level, so I’m still keeping my focus on the remake."

10. You are also a fan of the Unity Engine; can you tell us why?

"I just really enjoy working in it. It’s really cool that anyone can just download this software and start creating a game. I really like how the software is structured. I feel like it's really daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, using it just makes sense. Nowadays, I don’t really need to revisit many tutorials on how to do some things because I find the whole user experience pretty neatly organized and logical. What’s also really cool is that a lot of features are pretty cutting edge and yet still free to use (this is a bit of a double-edged sword, however, as new features are often pretty risky to use as they are not yet properly tested for production)."

11. How did you get into the Rayman series?

"My first Rayman game was Rayman 1 on the PS1. I was probably around 4 years old or something like that, so I think that it goes without saying that I didn’t beat it back then (and still haven’t, but I never really went back to try). Then, if I’m remembering correctly, I found Rayman 2 lying in a supermarket on a heap with other games and managed to convince my mom to buy it. I was probably around 6. This one I did manage to beat, but it took a long time. Some parts were really challenging back then. Also, it was really hard for me to figure out that I needed to backtrack in order to help Clark. Then I think I got Rayman 3 around the time it came out, so I was probably like around 8. So old enough to beat this one without too many issues. This is also the one that I liked the most at the time. I vividly remember how the first time I booted Rayman 3, I had this weird bug where the left key didn’t work, and I thought that maybe this was intended. I figured that since Rayman doesn’t have his hands (because Globox runs off with them), he has problems with keeping his balance, and that explains why I can't run left. Let me tell you, trying to catch that barrel without the ability to run left was pretty impossible, haha. Luckily, rebooting the game fixed the issue."

12. What is your favorite Rayman game and character?

"My favorite game is either Rayman 2 or Rayman 3, depending on my mood. Both to me have their respective strengths and weaknesses, but both are absolutely amazing. Rayman 2 is unmatched in its atmosphere and level design. Rayman 3 has really fun combat encounters, and I like the characters (design and writing) much more. And the whole Knaaren desert level is just so awesome! When I was a kid, my favorite character was straight up Rayman, but now it’s definitely the teensies. Though Globox from Rayman 3 is a close second place. Whenever I play Rayman Legends, I usually play as a teensie (but if I don’t feel like playing as a teensie, I always go for Rayomz)"

Thank you so much for being a part of my community spotlight, Marked As Unreal. It was a pleasure to read and see some of the creative processes behind the Rayman 3: Fan Remake. I look forward to seeing everything once it's complete. I wish you all the best with the development and in your future projects. 

Please don't forget to support Marked As Unreal. If you are eager to see more, I have included links to their social accounts below. Have a good weekend, Rayman fans. See you next time. 

MarkedAsUnreal Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marek-holubowski/

Rayman The Boardgame:

Rayman fans, don't forget Rayman: The Boardgame Kickstarter campaign ends on October 8th. There isn't much time until the end of the campaign. If you haven't already, don't forget to pledge and don't miss out on this amazing board game and some amazing bonuses. 

[raymantogether]

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #3 - Clairiphi

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #3 - Clairiphi

Introduction:

Have you ever made your own Rayman comic book series? Growing up, I spent thousands of hours outside of playing the Rayman series creating comics and drawings, making my own adventures for Rayman and his friends. However, I never could create something as captivating and truly unique as the Rayman Nightmarish Series. Rayman Nightmarish stole my heart and is something that I have followed since 2020. Every few weeks to months, I eagerly anticipate the next chapter. There is something so personal about the art style and original characters, which I fell in love with. Every strip is full of personality and charm. I had the pleasure of meeting Clairiphi, AKA Chiara, during my visit to Ubisoft Milan. In person, Chiara is just as amazing as her series. So when I decided to make this Community Spotlight Series, I just had to make a segment on Chiara and her Rayman Nightmarish series.

1. Please introduce yourself.

"My name is Chiara; I go by Clairiphi on the web, and I'm a storyteller from Sardinia (Italy) who dabbles into drawing to accompany her stories. I hope one day, not too far from now, to become a professional comic writer if the comic industry in Europe gives me the chance. For now, I sadly remain an enthusiastic hobbyist."

2. What are you currently working on in the Rayman Community? 

"I’ve been publishing my fan comic Rayman Nightmarish for a few years with the frequent help of my partner Francesco (@thepinna on Instagram and Cara), who is a professional illustrator and studied as a comic artist as well. Without his teaching, I would be nowhere near where I am with my skill level. He taught me how to storyboard, how to efficiently use a drawing tablet, and helped me train my writing skills. He also offers his direct artistic input from time to time, when work hours permit him (for example, while I did the storyboards and pencil sketches for chapter 11, he did inks and colors)."

3. What is your inspiration behind Rayman Nightmarish?

"One December evening I was particularly bored and haven’t been writing since the beginning of high school, but that evening I was coming from a long period of frustration regarding the school path I chose, and coincidentally, I was also back on my Rayman obsession because I was playing Legends and Origins. I had this fairy character (Waaty) and a horrific, almost lovecraftian villain (The Lighteater) in mind for a while, and all of a sudden I said, “You know what? Let’s stop daydreaming and write an actual story!” I took a huge empty notebook from my desk drawer, and a bunch of years later, here we are!"

4. For any newcomers, what is the story of Rayman Nightmarish about?

"With Rayman Nightmarish, I aimed to narrate a classic Rayman adventure, with the humor, the combats, the voyage across fantastical places... And zombies! Yeah, I love horror, and of course there was going to be a twist. But no worries! This is still a story for all ages, like Rayman always was after all.  An ancient evil called The Lighteater is rising from the depths of the sea and is going to bring a dark plague that will soon turn The Glade of Dreams into The Glade of Nightmares. Of course it is Rayman's job to save the day once again, with the help of Globox and a few unexpected friends, like Waaty, the livid dead fairy with strange clairvoyant abilities...and many others along the way! Will he be able to do it this time? Very likely knowing his records, but this could actually be more challenging than he thought."

5. Is there anything new or unreleased you can share?

"I’ve actually been working on a new original fantasy series for a while. The story is already all planned, I'm in love with the characters and every process I came across during the planning of the plot. I hope with all my heart that I'll be able to bring it to life, not as a webcomic but as a fool-blown series for comic stores’ shelves."

6. What made you fall in love with the Rayman series?

"When I was a little girl, I didn’t have much social skills, and my first ever playmate, before my brother was born, was my dear cousin, who one day came to me with a copy of Rayman 3; his parents got him somewhere during a trip. That game changed my brain chemistry because as soon as I saw the fairy council level, I was hypnotized, and I wasn’t even the one playing! The music, the scenery, the jokes—I don’t know, but every time we played it, I came home wishing I was still in that world. Then a few years later, my cousin got a PS3 and gave me and my brother his PS2, Rayman Raving Rabbids, and Rayman 3. I was so happy! My first ever “comic” was a very cringy Rayman fanfiction I wrote in middle school, kind of an ancestor of Rayman Nightmarish in a way, haha! I thank my cousin every day for showing me that game that evening, and if he were still here today, I bet he would think Rayman Nightmarish looks pretty sick (especially in comparison to his middle school predecessor)."

7. What is your favorite Rayman game?

"I think it’s pretty clear by now that it’s Rayman 3 since it comes with so many dear memories, but I really liked playing both Origins and Legends in co-op with my brother when they came out. They were really fun to play with others! While I’ve always considered Rayman 3 like an intimate journey to take alone in a fantasy world, as silly as it sounds. Haha!"

8. Who is your favorite Rayman character?

"I’m going to be very unoriginal and say it’s Rayman because it’s true."

9. Tell us about your time at Ubisoft Milan.

"It was better than Disneyland! I felt like a kid again being able to hang out with a team of professionals behind a whole videogame. Not only was I happy, I felt seen, like, “Woah! These guys know I exist and even asked me to come here, hello???” Pretty surreal experience!"

10. Other than playing Rayman, what are your favorite things to do?

"I’m going to be completely honest; I haven’t been playing a Rayman game since the dawn of time. Haha! Back when I was a little girl, I wasn't much of a gamer and only played Rayman games because I didn’t care for the others. Now I love my switch, and I found many more games I love to spend time with. Rayman still has a special place in my heart, because it’s thanks to it that I found out I was actually meant for writing stories. Two of my other favorite things to do (besides writing and drawing, which are obvious) are reading books and watching movies, and in both cases, my favorite genre is horror. I also like to play fantasy TTRPG games like D&D or Pathfinder from time to time; they are very stimulating for the imagination."

11. Tell us something interesting or funny about yourself that we might not already know. 

"I’ve actually graduated (both bachelor’s and master’s degree) from a music conservatory in classical piano and never taken a single class in any art school. Sometimes I feel stupid about my past choices, and sometimes I’m glad because learning to play an instrument on a professional level has helped me build discipline and time management skills that helped me greatly in the writing process."

12. Do you have any hidden talents?

"I don’t know much about "talent,” but I do love to sing in my car, and I can memorize the entire script of a movie if I like it a lot. Haha! I remember when I was in elementary school, I used to recite Madagascar to myself when it was past bedtime, but I didn’t want to sleep."

13. What is one thing you can’t live without?

"Besides my air conditioner, I think I would go insane if something happened to any of my writing devices. I keep all my notes scattered between my computer, my iPad, and many physical journals. While clouds are essential, sometimes I just need an actual piece of paper and a pencil to figure out a scene or a plot point."

Want to discover more about the Rayman Nightmarish series? This is my link tree where new readers can find the best social media platforms to either catch up with the story or stay tuned for any exciting news:

[raymantogether]

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #2 - Rabbid Edge!

Foreword:

If you haven't already played Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle or Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, the game was published by Ubisoft exclusively for Nintendo Switch and is an action-adventure turn-based strategy game developed by Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Paris. Prior to the Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle reveal at E3 2017, the game surfaced online and was met with criticism and skepticism from the wider gaming community. The artwork leaked online depicted Mario and friends alongside their Rabbid counterparts with large blasters. The prospect of Mario with the Rabbids was a nightmare for a lot of people. Following the success of Rayman Raving Rabbids, the Rabbids had slowly declined in popularity. The Rabbids were annoying and boring and had lost their humor. Nintendo, who have strongly held their licenses for Mario, has rarely ever collaborated with other videogame companies. Furthermore, Nintendo has always encouraged a family-friendly and positive environment. The prospect of Mario with weapons was alien to a lot of people. Ubisoft finally revealed Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle at E3 2017; the game went on to become a huge success. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was released on August 29th, 2017 and went on to sell over 10 million copies in over six years. A sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope, was revealed at E3 2021 and released on October 20th, 2022. Despite the game initially not exceeding Ubisoft sales expectations, the game went on to sell over three million as of January 2024. This was another remarkable success for the teams at Ubisoft Milan and Paris. Both games were well received and were critically acclaimed. 

If you haven't already, I implore you to pick up both games. The Mario + Rabbids series is personally one of the most refreshing titles from Ubisoft in a generation. The game oozes personality and charm thanks to its charismatic and energetic character design and animations. The soundtracks for both games are composed by the amazing Grant Kirkhope, who is responsible for some of the most creative music in the industry. Needn't I say more? The world design is intricate, creative, and a real pleasure to explore. I thoroughly enjoyed the heartfelt, exciting, and fun story, which gripped me from beginning to end in both stories. The development teams did a remarkable job of capturing both the look and personality from the worlds of both the Rabbids and Mario and bringing it to life. The game is gorgeous thanks to the Snowdrop Engine, which has been executed brilliantly on the Nintendo Switch. Ubisoft has somehow managed to compliment Mario with the Rabbids extraordinarily well. This is something I never imagined possible. Both games are very similar to those of the XCOM and Fire Emblem series. I love strategy games, and I have sunk hours into both titles. I found the gameplay rewarding, clever, and at times a real challenge for tacticians. There are plenty of creative options with gameplay thanks to various choices of weapons, skills, and characters. The gameplay possibilities are endless. My favorite game in the series is definitely Mario Rabbids Sparks of Hope, as it offers so much more opportunities for world-building and exploration. The game allows for more creative gameplay choices through movement and freedom of choice, including the addition of the Sparks. However, the most important reason Sparks of Hope is my favorite game in the series is because Ubisoft Milan brought back Rayman. 

At Ubisoft Forward in 2022 Ubisoft Milan Creative Director Davide Soliani revealed to the World their plan to bring back Rayman as part of the season pass for Mario Rabbids Sparks Of Hope. The third story expansion called Rayman In The Phantom Show released on August 30th 2023. The DLC stars Rayman alongside Rabbid Mario and Rabbid Peach as they are invited to the mysterious Space Opera Network by the fan favourite villain the Phantom. The Phantom who has renounced his villainy for fame needs help from Rayman and the Rabbids to help restore the poor ratings and viewings to his TV Space Station.  Rayman, Rabbid Peach And Rabbid Mario adventure across Western, Pirate and Medieval sets as part of the Phantoms ambitious plan for revenge. The team at Ubisoft did an extraordinary job of bring back Rayman to life. Rayman has never looked and felt so alive. You get a real sense that Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Paris love Rayman from this short but jam packed adventure. Rayman In The Phantom Show pays tribute to the Rayman series through acknowledgement of his almost 30 Year history. In every stage you can find card board references from various Rayman Games. The combat fatigues  from Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc make a spectacular return with Rayman offering plenty of gameplay variety on the battlefield. Both the vortex and rocket costumes look better then ever and are brilliant both in design and how you can use them. The weapons are crafted with plenty of attention to detail with references in design to Ly The Fairy, Teensies, Rayman Raving Rabbids and more. I particularly am fond of the plum turrets. If Nintendo ever work collaborate with Ubisoft again I would love to see Rayman in Super Smash Bros with the Plum Turrets. The soundtrack for the DLC Is composed by Grant Kirkhope and Christopher Heral. The genius Christopher Heral responsible for both soundtracks for Rayman Origins and Legends returns for Rayman In The Phantom Show. If you listen closely you can hear brilliant renditions from various games. David Gasman also reprises his role in Rayman In The Phantom Show. If you have played the earlier Rayman games you will be familiar of his work. I thoroughly enjoyed this DLC and it has left me with wanting so much more. I would love to see Ubisoft Milan work on Rayman again in the future. If you're new to the series or a Rayman fan and have liked everything you have read so far I strongly encourage you to pick up Mario Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Sparks Of Hope including the season pass. 

Interview:

To celebrate both Rayman's 29th anniversary this weekend and the anniversary of Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope DLC Rayman In The Phantom Show, I am delighted to feature Anna as part of this special community spotlight.

You may know Anna as RabbidEdge from both the Rayman and the Mario Rabbids community. Anna is an extremely passionate, kind, and caring individual with a yearning to help create a positive environment in the community. Anna is renowned for her creative cosplays of Rabbid Edge, Rayman, and more. Anna enjoys creating artwork and has a passion for telling stories. I am delighted to feature and show you more about Anna in this brilliant and really insightful spotlight.

Anna has been extremely open and honest about some very serious and sensitive subjects in this spotlight about her personal health and wellbeing. I encourage you all to be polite and respectful. 

Please introduce yourself:

"Hi everyone, My name's Anna. I am 37 years old (but I've never lost my inner child) and living with my husband, our four kids, three cats, and nine chickens in a village in Austria. I am working as a pharmacist, enjoying helping people every day. Last year I started two new hobbies: cosplaying and drawing digitally. Since that, I am also sharing my creations on social media like Instagram, X, or Tumblr."

Tell us something funny or interesting about yourself?

"I have always been a very creative, extroverted, and energetic person. Even as a child, I loved to draw, invent stories or songs, and to tape-record them together with friends or to play little theater sketches for our families. Many times we dressed up as our favorite anime- or video game characters, singers, or just some elves or Vikings. I wouldn´t call it cosplay, and most costumes were just a mix of old fancy dresses and things we found in the wardrobe of our grandparents, but we always had a lot of fun, and my heart is warming with joy when I think about these times... However, things change, life happens, and so having babies, a house, and animals had kept me quite busy (but happy!) for almost 9 years. I had lost my former self somewhere between household, work, and trying the best to be a good mom. Then came Edge.."

How do you like to spend your free time?

"Free time—what's that? Haha! I don't know this, for I always have a lot on my plate! But I think, you mean the time when I am not at work or busy with mom-duties. I am spending most of these hours crafting and sewing new cosplays or improving old ones, shooting them in various sceneries, editing the photos and videos I took for my social media, doodling and drawing Rabbids-stuff, posting my finished work and stories on Instagram, X and co, replying to dms and comments or supporting other artists.

Furthermore, I am a very active person, feeling the need to exercise every day or to at least go for a walk or ride my bike. Music is also a very important part of my life! I enjoy listening to it while I am doing a workout or working on a drawing.

Music inspires me! When I look at my art or cosplay- pictures, I immediately remember the song that brought me into the mood for its creation, that I listened to during the process, or that I used in my Instagram stories for its posting. I am also singing in a choir, by the way.

There is much more I would love to do, like playing video games or reading. The only problem is that my days only have 24 hours. I used to say that I am living two lives with the time of just one."

What made you fall in love with the Mario Rabbid Series?

"To be honest, it was my oldest daughter! She has never been interested in TV shows for kids like Paw Patrol, etc. Instead, she likes to watch game streams on YouTube, and there she discovered Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. She enjoyed watching these streams so much that she wanted to play the game herself, so she got it as a gift on St. Nicholas Day in 2022. However, it was quite challenging for her, and so my husband started to play it with our kids and me watching him. I can remember that I always did my workout on a fitness mat on the floor while he was playing, and it was quite entertaining to watch him! I was surprised by the cute designs of the characters and levels and by its unique gameplay, which is totally different from other games I had played before—and really addictive! So we often ended up playing till late at night, saying “Just one more battle!” again and again. Even if I hadn't played the game myself at the beginning, I already loved it! Oh, and then came Edge...and made my love for this game and Mario+Rabbids in general go through the roof! I couldn´t think about anything else than Edge and Rabbids the whole day long! I started to play myself, always having Edge as the leader of my team, searched for fan art and fan fiction, and slowly stumbled into the fandom. Oh, and I still play Sparks of Hope when I find time for it! I consider this game a real masterpiece! Ubisoft poured so much love into every detail! I love everything about it, from the backstory to the funny voice-lines or to the amazing soundtrack! And I enjoy the “found-family" dynamics of the hero team so much, OMG!!! With this game, Ubisoft managed to make me fall in love with Rabbids, not only with Edge but with Rabbids in general."

What is your favorite Mario Rabbids game, and who is your favorite character?

"That's quite a simple question to answer. Of course, to be honest, I haven't played Mario+Rabbids: Kingdom Battle yet. Shame on me! I already have the game at home, but all the time I thought about starting it, I ended up playing Sparks of Hope instead. Of course I wanted to see my beloved Edge.

Furthermore, Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope will always have a special meaning for me, as it distracted me from health problems that were bothering me a lot at this time. At the beginning of December 2022, I had to wait for a medical appointment in order to check if I would suffer from cancer. I tried to not let the possibility of receiving a bad diagnosis overwhelm me—something easier said than done. So watching and playing Sparks of Hope with my family made me forget this sorrow for a moment. It cheered me up in a difficult time of my life. As I one evening found myself thinking about what I would want to do before death, if I would have just some months left to live, I realized that I wouldn't want to go on a big journey or party hard or so. Instead, I would want to spend the last moments with my family, doing what we already did every evening—sitting and playing together. This thought made me feel calm and peaceful, blessed and grateful. So Sparks of Hope became for me what its name promises: a spark of hope. With that, it will always be my favorite Mario+Rabbids game!

However, I am sure that Kingdom Battle is a great game as well! I have only heard good things about it, and I am familiar with its characters and plot. I finally need to get into it myself...

Oh, and my favorite character is- surprise, surprise—Edge! But to be honest, I like them all! No matter if it's Rabbid Peach, Bwario, Kanya, or Rayman. I couldn't pick a single character of the series that I totally couldn't stand."

What made you fall in love so much with Rabbid Edge, and what is your inspiration behind your artwork and comic series?

"I have to laugh at this question; of course I could fill a whole book with this answer! Haha! I will try to be brief. I can remember the first time I saw Edge. It was in December 2022 as I watched my husband play Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope—the well-known cutscene of her first appearance. God, just thinking about it makes me shiver in excitement! This epic scene instantly made me fall in love with her! It was as if Ubisoft had poured all the characteristics that make my heart flutter into this little rabbit! To explain this further: I am a sucker for mysterious characters, which hide a kind heart behind their badass attitude. I love mighty swords, spiky hair, sharp teeth, gothic clothes, the colors green and purple, and deep, striking voices. On top of all, give that character a dark backstory, and I am hooked! The combination of these attributes made me fall for Edge. I couldn't help it! Neither have I chosen to feel this way nor have I ever thought that it would be possible to develop true love for a fictional character! However, I thought the best thing would be to welcome these beautiful feelings and to make full use of this newfound energy. So I started to work on the art of Edge and different scenes of the game, including a comic about her tragic past and the battle against Cursa.

I also wanted to dress up as Edge for the carnival  but found out that there isn't any costume of her or Rabbids in general. This was when I decided to sew one myself. With that, my cosplay journey began. I thought that if no one has ever made a cosplay of Edge before, I had to be the one to bring her to life, even if I had no idea what I was doing. Looking at the first photos I took of her makes me smile. Some look really funny and weird, but I can remember how strong, confident, and sexy I felt in these moments. And hey, every journey has to start with a first step! Since then, I have learned a lot. I have improved my skills, bought more tools and materials, worked over my cosplay again and again, altered and exchanged parts, and developed this alter ego of Rabbid Edge for me and my social media. Still, I am quite a newbie, and there is always room for improvement!

I am so grateful that I got to know Edge; of course she made me find myself again and, at the same time, discover another me. She made me feel like more than just a mom again. She made me feel attractive and love my body again. She made me get creative and go wild and crazy. She made me play again; she made me dream again and go far beyond my imagination! And she made me get to know so many new amazing people! I owe her so much. I owe Ubisoft so much! I feel so grateful and full of love that I would want to hug everyone of my followers and of the great people that worked on Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope!

The main inspiration for my work comes from the game itself, for it provides a quite mature and exciting backstory and interesting characters but leaves room for further assumptions and interpretation. But of course official concept art, headcanons, and drawings of other fans inspire me a lot too! And sometimes a new idea comes to my mind while I am on a walk or listening to music."

If you could live in any world from the Mario Rabbids Series, where would you live?

"I would choose Melodic Gardens! I love its biome with the tropical forest, exotic flowers, and the flooded ruins. Everything looks so beautiful and mystical. Furthermore, I like the cute and peaceful Rabbids, that live here and the symphonies that fill the air of this planet. And I would love to meet Allegra! She is so cute and majestic."

Who would be at your dream Mario Rabbids Party?

"Wow, it's really hard to select three out of all the great characters, but I think I would take Edge, Rayman, and Rabbid Peach. Edge, course she's Edge, hey! Rayman, course he is my childhood hero, who—together with Super Mario—made me start to play video games, and Rabbid Peach, course she is sassy and crazy, and course I always need a healer in my party!"

What made you fall in love with the Rayman series?

"You have to know that I grew up loving Rayman! He was my childhood hero! For my ten-year-old me, Rayman was cool, Rayman was fun, and Rayman was Ubisoft.

As I was a little kid, my family had no computer or game console. My brother and I knew video games just from our cousins or neighbors. I can remember how we often bought gaming magazines and looked at them, wishing that we were able to play these games ourselves. And when there was something of Rayman in it, we went, Ah, look, Rayman, so cool!!! He somehow fascinated us. At the age of 9, we got a Game Boy for Christmas; at the age of 12, a Dreamcast. This was a dream come true for us! There was a demo disc coming with it that also had a demo of Rayman 2 on it. We immediately played and loved it! I don't know how many times we played this demo! It must have been a few hundred times or so! One day we received the full version of the game, and from this time on, Rayman accompanied us nearly every day. We played it again and again! I can remember that I even had a crush on Rayman! I loved his cool attitude, his crazy hair, and his voice. I drew him a lot, wrote songs about him, and even dressed up as him—just for fun. Later we also played the Rayman Game Boy Color Game and Rayman 3, as an adult also Rayman M, Rayman Raving Rabbids, Rayman Origins, and Rayman Legends. 

But Rayman also has a deeper meaning for my brother and me. Our childhood wasn't easy. We have experienced things that no kid, no one should ever witness. Rayman, and playing games in general, helped us to escape from reality, when there was only fear and violence waiting for us. I can remember that we had so much fun and laughed a lot despite the difficult circumstances we were raised under. Rayman and Ubisoft distracted us, were there for us, when there was no light in real life...Last year I thanked the people of Ubisoft Milan for this. I thanked them for having always been there for me for nearly all my life.

Today I am a happy and positive person. I have reached everything I ever wanted. I have learned to make the best of every situation, no matter how bad it may seem. I have learned that everything happens for a reason, even if we cannot understand it in a certain moment. This is why I am not sad or angry about the things that happened to me as a child. I am grateful; of course, all these things made me become the person I am today.

However, when I think about my tragic past, I realize that I may have more in common with Edge than I'd like. I feel connected with her. I understand her. I feel her."

What is your favorite cosplay you have designed?

"This is a difficult question. Of course, every cosplay I have made so far has aspects I like but also something I dislike, and there are various ways to rate them. I would say that the cosplays I enjoy to wear the most—or I “am feeling” the most—are definitely Edge and Kanya. When I dress up as them, I am really becoming the character! I look into the mirror and think,Yeah, baby!” But considering my craftsmanship skills, I think Barbara from Rayman Legends is my best cosplay so far. As a cosplay newbie, I am still learning and improving. Therefore, I am also working over my older cosplays again and again. I have changed Edge's wig so many times, I have stopped counting. And soon I want to do the fourth sword for her. Edge will always be my number one!

I am also happy that I managed to do a Rayman (and Ramon) cosplay! It´s for sure not perfect, and I have to work over the photos with Photoshop to remove my limbs, but dressing up as him makes my inner child scream with joy!

Furthermore, the “play" factor in “cosplay” is very important for me! I don´t just buy cosplays, put them on, take a photo, and toss them away again. I love to bring my characters to life, to think about how they would act and talk, and to cosplay them in alternative outfits and different situations, like the wedding of Edge and Midnite or my Christmas- or Easter-shooting."

What cosplays are you planning on in the future?

"I am currently working on a new project: I am creating my own protogen and therefore sewing a fursuit. It's not really cosplay; of course it won't be a certain character. I'd rather call it a fursona or OC. But I am excited to work on it; of course it is something totally different from what I have done so far, and I think it will look really cool in the end!

Despite that, I want to make a cosplay of Hiiragi Utena from the anime “Gushing over Magical Girls." I have already bought the fabric for it.

Furthermore, the idea of making a Cursa-cosplay (Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope) won't go out of my mind! I would love to create a sensual version of her true form, wearing a long cloak and her white mask, but maybe also showing some skin... Yeah, I think I will have to get this one started next...

And of course I will always work on further Edge content! I will improve parts of her cosplay, and I will think of new outfits and shootings. I already have a special scenery in mind; I want to shoot in autumn."

Tell us about your time at Ubisoft Milan.

"Last year in September I was granted to meet my beloved Edge—or better—the amazing artists and creators of Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope at Ubisoft Milan. It was a dream come true for me! After enjoying their games and admiring their work for so long, I was finally able to hug them and thank them for everything they have gifted us players so far. I still can't believe how lucky I was! My visit there was a blast in every way! I was able to take a look at the “holy halls," to shake hands with all these kind people I had known only from social media or the credits of their games, and to get to know more about Edge's creation and her backstory. Furthermore, we had lunch together, took a lot of cool and funny photos, and talked about the hard work in the gaming industry, my cosplay work, but also private things. And as if this hadn´t been enough, I received many gifts, like the art book or Spark-plushies for my kids and special drawings that were made for me during my visit.

I have to admit that before my visit I had been very excited! But everyone was so nice, polite, and cute! I felt like meeting and talking to long-known friends. The fear was gone, and laughter and joy filled the air. They welcomed me so heartily, and I immediately felt comfortable among these amazing people. I am so grateful that for this unique moment I was granted to be part of their "family." I will keep the memories of my visit as an eternal treasure in my heart."

Thank you so much, Anna, for being a part of the Rayman Together community spotlight. It was amazing to read about yourself and discover more about you. If you are interested in finding out more about Anna, I have included links to her social media account below. Please follow and support her.

[raymantogether]

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #1 - Rayman Collectibles & Merchandise

This exciting new series hopes to introduce you to Rayman Fans across the World on a more personal level and make you the reader feel more connected to the community. I look forward in the months ahead to showing you the many faces of the Rayman community and some of the exciting projects and accounts they are working behind. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Rayman Together Community Spotlight in the future please feel free to reach out through Twitter. 

Rayman was published by French video game publisher Ubisoft in 1995. Since Rayman debuted on PlayStation and Sega Saturn, the series flourished after receiving outstanding reviews from critics and multiple publications. Rayman went onto spanning decades of videogame releases. Rayman was a Ubisoft Mascot until later years, when its various franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy, and the Rabbids stole the spotlight.

After almost a decade, Rayman has slowly begun to creep back into the spotlight thanks to his return in Rayman in the Phantom Show. Ubisoft has begun to drip feed the loyal and patient Rayman community with various releases with collaborations from its multiple partners, such as Flyos, YouTooz, and Netflix. Rayman has made a major appearance in the Ubisoft Netflix series Captain Laser Hawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, Flyos is publishing the eagerly anticipated Rayman: The Board Game, and Youtooz has created Rayman figures and pin sets. YouTooz are even working on more figures, including an upcoming plush toy, collaborating with someone within the Rayman community. 

Although it may seem Ubisoft never supported the franchise outside of digital releases until now, a lot of you may be unaware that during the "Golden Era" of Rayman, Ubisoft released often rather obscure and bizarre merchandise that was exclusive in Europe or often released without public knowledge. 

I recently discovered the TikTok page RaymanCollectibles&Merch, which is managed by the extremely passionate Rayman fan Natasha Quinn from the United Kingdom. Natasha has collected various collectibles and merchandise throughout Rayman's history. I am delighted today to take an opportunity to showcase the Rayman Collectibles & Merchandise account as part of the very first Rayman Together Community Spotlight.

Please Introduce Yourself: "Hi I'm Natasha Quinn I live in Hertfordshire Stevenage in the United Kingdom."

Tell us something fun or interesting about yourself? "I have been collecting Rayman merch since 2016 but sadly lost most of it due to moving so restarting again in April 2023 where i have acquired a lot more then my childhood collection."

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? "I have two small dogs called dexter and Bailey which compete in fun dog shows. I also love to spend time drawing and making crafts in my spare time."

4. What are three things that make you smile? "The three things that make me smile are anything animal-related, cute videos, etc. I'm a huge animal lover. 2 Rayman (of course) 3 playing retro games from my childhood, reliving the memories mostly the PS1, PS2, and Game Boy handhold"

5. How did you get into the Rayman series? "I first got into Rayman when my dad got me an atomic purple GBC, which he called the game Rayman to go aside. I fell in love with the adventure and the colorful levels as well as the character Rayman himself, which I thought the fist throwing was a cool design! I remember getting excited about completing a level I would show my dad."

6. What is your favorite Rayman game and who is your favorite Rayman character? "Choosing a favorite Rayman game is hard, but I would have to say for memories and nostalgia alone, it would be the GBC version, although I realize it isn't a popular opinion, but closely following would be Rayman 2 & 3, as they are great games too! My favorite Rayman character is Rayman himself or Ly the fairy."

7. What is your favorite piece of Rayman merchandise you own, and why? "I think my favorite piece I own the last plush. I was lucky and won it in an auction, and weirdly enough, the smaller version went up for sale the same week, so I was lucky to own the pair!"

8. What is the rarest piece of Rayman merchandise you own? "The rarest piece I own is the Rayman Grimace mushroom figure given to staff members working on the Rayman 3 game, and only 100 were made. It's a beautiful statue, and I had to get it shipped from another country. I feel very lucky to have one."

9. Is there something in your Rayman collection that you don’t own? "I would love to own the 25th anniversary coin. I have been searching each day, and I still have hope."

Thank you, Natasha, for participating in the very first Rayman Together community spotlight. It has been a pleasure getting to know you. I am a huge fan of your account. I look forward in the future to seeing what else you can collect. Hopefully, in the future, Ubisoft will help you get a Rayman 25th Anniversary Medallion. Who knows, maybe next year there will be a 30th Anniversary Medallion. If you enjoyed this spotlight and would like to follow and support Rayman Collectibles & merchandise, I have included links to her social media platform below. 

Thank you for reading everyone and I look forward to seeing you in future Rayman Together Community Spotlights.