What Rayman Legends Retold Is and Why It Exists
Rayman Legends Retold is a platformer remake of the 2013 Rayman Legends that rebuilds the classic game with a new engine, reworked storytelling, fresh content, and modern graphics while keeping its acclaimed level design intact. Developed by Ubisoft Montpellier with support from Ubisoft Milan, it is pitched as “more than a remake,” aiming to rebuild the foundations of the Rayman series. The core adventure is now framed as a large, connected world rather than a set of disconnected levels, with new cutscenes, new and returning voice work, and a more ambitious story. On paper, this sounds like a proper relaunch of the brand rather than a simple port, yet the underlying question hangs over the project: is a lavish new coat of paint and a handful of additions enough reason to buy a platformer many players already own and can still play?“The company claims Rayman Legends Retold is ‘more than a remake,’” writes Wccftech, highlighting Ubisoft’s attempt to reposition the game as a foundation for Rayman’s future.
Visual Overhaul and Switch 2 Graphics Ambitions
From a technical standpoint, Rayman Legends Retold is a showcase of modern Switch 2 graphics and current‑gen flourishes. Ubisoft has rebuilt the game in the Snowdrop Engine with an immersive 3D art style layered over the original 2D‑inspired design. Levels now feature richer lighting, more detailed backgrounds, and effects like ray tracing, while still targeting 60 frames per second even with four players on screen. According to Ubisoft’s comments to VGC, “the amount of details on PS5 is approximately the same as on Switch 2,” and the Switch 2 version outputs 1080p in handheld and 4K when docked thanks to DLSS, aiming to sit “on par with the Xbox Series S [version in terms of] quality.” For a platformer remake, this is a serious technical push. The problem is that Rayman Legends already looked excellent; the new visuals shine, but they do not change how the game plays or feels at its core.
New Content, Co-op Upgrades, and Rebuilt Structure
Beyond the visual overhaul, Rayman Legends Retold does make meaningful additions. Ubisoft is adding an entirely new sixth world, The Land of the Living Dead, which brings fresh mechanics and expanded level design on top of the original’s already inventive stages. Storytelling is being rethought with redone cutscenes and added voice work, while the connected overworld aims to give a stronger sense of adventure rather than a menu of levels. Perhaps the most practical upgrade is online four‑player co‑op, which complements existing local couch co‑op and finally brings the chaotic fun of shared runs to online friends. Modes like Kung Foot and an expanded soundtrack round out the package. These upgrades nudge Rayman Legends Retold closer to a definitive edition than a barebones platformer remake, yet they sit atop a game that still plays almost identically to the 2013 original, making their value feel heavily dependent on how much you care about incremental refinements.
Who Is This $40 Ubisoft Remake Really For?
The tension around Rayman Legends Retold is not about quality; every preview agrees the base game remains excellent. The tension comes from its positioning as a USD 39.99 (approx. RM190) Ubisoft remake when the original Rayman Legends is cheap, widely available, and still looks good. For longtime fans, the question is whether a new world, online co‑op, and prettier art justify paying again for a game they may have finished multiple times. For newcomers, the dilemma is even starker: a polished, modern platformer remake at full mid‑tier price, or the older version that often drops to a fraction of that cost. Previewers point out this isn’t like the Dead Space or Resident Evil 2 remakes, where technical constraints and outdated design made remaking obvious. Here, the original already holds up. Unless Ubisoft confirms extras like a bundled enhanced Rayman Origins, Rayman Legends Retold risks feeling like an expensive reminder of a classic rather than a necessary upgrade.
Balancing Nostalgia, New Fans, and Ubisoft’s New Strategy
Context matters for a platformer remake like Rayman Legends Retold. Ubisoft is in the middle of a major internal reset, reorganizing into Creative Houses and cutting staff while trying to stabilize its portfolio. Returning to Rayman, a beloved but underused mascot, fits a strategy of banking on familiar brands with relatively low risk. At the same time, there is a generation of players who see 2013 releases as ancient history and would never touch a Wii U‑era game, no matter how well it aged. Retold seems designed to appeal to them with sharp graphics, modern co‑op, and current‑gen platforms, while hoping die‑hard fans double‑dip for the new content. That leaves Rayman Legends Retold in an odd middle ground: too conservative to feel essential for veterans, yet arguably too derivative to stand out for newcomers already spoiled by platformers like Astro Bot and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. It is a polished product that still has to justify its place on the shelf.
