Rayman Revived: Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Dev Teases Spectacular New Game

Highlights

Davide Soliani, Creative Director of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, has shown a keen enthusiasm for creating a fresh Rayman game, aiming to revive the cherished character's prominence that has been overshadowed for years by the Rabbids.

Soliani's love for Rayman originates from his involvement in the creation of the original Rayman game in 1995. He aspires to gather support from the Rayman fan community to bring the character back.

Although Soliani is eager for Rayman to make appearances as a guest character in Super Smash Bros. or Mario Kart, the final decision rests with Nintendo. Nevertheless, the release of the latest DLC for Sparks of Hope may serve as a catalyst to revive interest in this iconic hero.

Davide Soliani, the creative director of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, has expressed strong interest in developing a fresh game for the Rayman franchise. In August 2023, the third and final DLC for Sparks of Hope titled "Rayman in the Phantom Show" was released. This DLC immerses the main character, Rayman, into a new dimension inspired by different movie genres. For the first time in over a decade, Rayman takes on a leading role in a video game, delighting fans who are happy to see him back in the spotlight, even if it's through a crossover like Mario + Rabbids.

The last entry in the Rayman series was Rayman Legends, released in 2013, which was later re-released as the definitive edition on the Nintendo Switch in 2017. Although Rayman is a well-known character among longtime gamers, he has taken a backseat to the more recognizable Rabbid characters in recent years. Rayman has only appeared in cameo roles since the Rabbids gained prominence, causing his popularity among modern gamers to diminish. Despite this, the director of Mario + Rabbids is determined to revive the beloved limbless hero and bring him back into the spotlight through a new game.

This desire was expressed during an interview between NintendoEverything and Soliani, where the director was asked about the possibility of him working on a new Rayman game. In response, Soliani expressed his eagerness to take on the opportunity. He emphasizes that due to Rayman not being bound by any constraints of realism, the team could unleash their imagination and design the environment and enemies in innovative and imaginative ways. He further highlights that their previous experience working on Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope allowed them to push the boundaries and create unique enemies and visually striking environments.

Soliani holds a deep passion for the beloved Rayman character, as it was the very first game he contributed to at Ubisoft back in 1995. With the release of Sparks of Hope's latest DLC, Soliani seeks to unite the dedicated Rayman fanbase and bring this iconic character back into the spotlight after all these years. Moreover, he has hinted at a hidden message awaiting players who manage to achieve 100% completion in the DLC.

Additionally, Soliani has expressed a strong desire to see Rayman make appearances as a guest character in popular titles such as Super Smash Bros. and the Mario Kart spin-offs. However, he acknowledges that the ultimate decision rests entirely with Nintendo, and not solely with him. Despite receiving a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, as well as being represented as a Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Rayman has yet to become a playable character in this acclaimed crossover series. Hopefully, the new Sparks of Hope DLC will reignite the passion for this limbless hero.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is available now for Nintendo Switch.

Source: NintendoEverything