It's a testament to how rock solid the Rayman platformers have become that, within minutes of going hands-on with Rayman Legends Retold, I'm dashing, twirling, leaping as I bop enemy heads and crash through cages to free my friends like it's 2013 all over again. Yet, still the most recent Rayman adventure (and available on modern platforms), it feels odd that such a lavish remake has its sights set on recent history. Though it's nice to feel the muscle memory kick in playing Rayman Legends Retold, that's also because my hands-on is, for the most part, playing the same levels I already played a decade ago.
Retold is such a one-to-one remake that it's even built on the original's exact level design data. It's a bold move because Rayman Legends as it exists today is still fantastic. Since playing Retold, I've revisited the original (and predecessor Rayman Origins), and had just as much fun as I did with this newer model. More content has been added on top, but the bulk of Retold is extremely faithful. The biggest and most obvious change: a shift from the original's phenomenal 2D graphics to 3D, though models and environments retain plenty of charm and a painterly feel.
