Software:Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

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Short description: 2003 video game
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Developer(s)Ubi Pictures
Ubi Soft Shanghai (GC)
Ludi Factory (GBA)
Gameloft (NGE)
Publisher(s)Ubi Soft
Gameloft (NGE)
Feral Interactive (OS X)[1]
Producer(s)Ahmed Boukhelifa
Designer(s)Michael Janod
Writer(s)David Neiss
Composer(s)Plume
Fred Leonard
Laurent Parisi
SeriesRayman
Platform(s)
Release
Genre(s)Platform, action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer[lower-alpha 1]

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is a 2003 platform game developed and published by Ubi Soft, and the third major installment in the Rayman series. It follows Rayman in his quest to stop an evil Black Lum named André from taking over the world with his army of hoodlum soldiers, which includes finding a cure for his best friend Globox after he accidentally swallows André. It was released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows, and on OS X by Feral Interactive in 2004. It was also released for the Game Boy Advance, N-Gage and mobile phones as a 2D platformer.

Gameplay

Rayman's controls are similar to that of Software:Rayman 2: The Great Escape, albeit utilising long-ranged punches (and kicks at some opportunities), instead of throwing Energy Spheres. Rayman can restore health by picking up Red Lums. Instead of permanent upgrades to his abilities, Rayman can find special "Laser Detergent" cans (used by the Hoodlums to turn their clothes into combat fatigues) containing one of five temporary power-ups. The Vortex allows Rayman to fire mini-tornadoes instead of punching, the Heavy Metal Fist increases Rayman's strength and allows him to break down certain doors, the Lockjaw gives Rayman extendable claw weapons that can be used to latch onto and electrocute enemies or swing across gaps, the Shock Rocket allows Rayman to fire a remote controlled missile, and the Throttle Copter provides Rayman with a special helmet that allows him to fly vertically for a limited time. After a certain point in the game, Rayman gains the ability to pull a face similar to the original game, which allows him to turn Black Lums left behind from defeating Hoodlums into Red Lums.

Unlike most entries, Rayman 3 features an arcade-style scoring system that tallies points from the player's actions. Whenever points are scored, this system switches to a "Combo mode" that adds additional points acquired from the player's actions to a separate counter, though if the player's scoring stops after a short time, the Combo mode ends as well; any points earned while the Combo mode was active are added to the score when it ends (i.e. if the player scores 50 points while the Combo mode is active, another 50 will be added to the Combo mode counter and then added to the total score once the mode ends). If Rayman takes damage, one point is deducted from the score. Points earned over the course of the game can unlock hidden content and, in some levels, allow access to hidden areas in later sections, therefore it is imperative to get as high a score as possible.[10] If points are scored while using a power-up acquired from a Laser Detergent, all point values are doubled, but this also applied to the penalty upon taking damage. Until the release of Rayman Raving Rabbids, players could enter their final overall game scores in a worldwide score ranking on the RaymanZone website.

Plot

André, supposed to have grown out of pure evil, appears and transforms Red Lums into Black Lums to join him. The group eventually gains enough hair from various animals throughout the forest to dress themselves as scarecrow-like Hoodlums. In the middle of the process, Murfy, one of the residents and workers of the Fairy Council, discovers them. André later finds him hiding nearby, and he and his Black Lums pursue him. Murfy is chased to a small clearing, where Rayman and his friend Globox are sound asleep. Just after Murfy reaches them, Globox is awakened by the commotion. Now aware of the situation, Globox helps Murfy to get Rayman, who is still asleep, to safety. In the process, Globox accidentally removes Rayman's hands, forcing Murfy to pick Rayman up by his hair and fly him away from the clearing himself. In an attempt to save himself, Globox runs to safety, taking Rayman's hands along with him.

As time passes, more Hoodlums invade the forest. After Rayman wakes up, he and Murfy reach the entrance to the Council and discover Globox hiding in a barrel. Just as Rayman gets his hands back from Globox, André and a few of his minions appear, following Globox as he flees into the Council. As Rayman and Murfy pursue them, they learn of André's evil plan: to taint the world's heart so he can create an army of Hoodlums. Eventually, André catches up with Globox, who accidentally swallows the evil creature. Afterward, Rayman attempts to seek out a doctor who can rid André of Globox's insides, and Murfy departs from the team, warning Rayman the Black Lum may force Globox to drink plum juice despite the latter's allergy to it. Rayman meets up with three doctors: Otto Psi (a play on the word autopsy), Romeo Patti (homeopathy), and Art Rytus (arthritis). After all three doctors make independent attempts at purging André by using various parts of Globox's body as musical instruments, they get rid of him after collaborating in Art Rytus' clinic room. Refusing to admit defeat, André teams up with Reflux, a member of the Knaaren race that Rayman had defeated to get to Art Rytus.

Reflux steals the scepter of the Leptys – a god worshiped by his people – from the child king of the Knaaren and uses it to increase his power, which in turn will allow Andre to reproduce infinitely. With Globox's help, Rayman climbs to the top of the Tower of the Leptys and faces Reflux and André as the former transforms into a giant winged monster. After a prolonged battle, Rayman and Globox destroy Reflux, and Rayman turns André back into a Red Lum by making him laugh by pulling a face (a power he had acquired prior from being imbued with the Leptys' power), which results in all the Black Lums turning back into Red Lums. Shortly thereafter, Rayman and Globox return to the clearing that they were in before. Before they resume their nap, Globox admits that he misses André and would like him back, but Rayman says it is not a good idea and does not know how to get him back. Globox says that a Red Lum has to be scared to be a Black Lum, to which Rayman replies that he would hate to imagine what could scare a Lum. A flashback to before the beginning of the game reveals that Rayman unwittingly created André when his hands went off on their own and scared a Red Lum with frightening shadow puppets.

Development

The game had a marketing budget of $4 million.[11]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(GBA) 82%[12]
(N-G) 81%[13]
(PS2) 80%[14]
(PC) 78%[15]
(NGC) 78%[16]
(XBOX) 77%[17]
Metacritic(GBA) 83/100[18]
(NGC) 77/100[19]
(PS2) 76/100[20]
(XBOX) 75/100[21]
(PC) 74/100[22]
(PS3) 72/100[23]
(X360) 69/100[24]

By the end of March 2003, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc had sold more than 1 million copies.[25]

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc received generally positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Game Boy Advance version 82% and 83/100,[12][18] the PlayStation 2 version 80% and 76/100,[14][20] the PC version 78% and 74/100,[15][22] the GameCube version 78% and 77/100,[16][19] the Xbox version 77% and 75/100,[17][21] the Xbox 360 version 69/100,[24] and the PlayStation 3 version 72/100.[23]

Notes

  1. ↑ Only the GameCube version has multiplayer.

References

  1. ↑ "Rayman 3 – Ultimate Powers! Ultimate Enemies! Ultimate Havoc!". Feral Interactive. http://www.feralinteractive.com/en/news/106/. 
  2. ↑ Varanini, Giancarlo (2003-03-04). "Rayman 3 ships". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rayman-3-ships/1100-2912040/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "UK Release Dates - 2003 Releases". http://eurogamer.net/release-dates.php. 
  4. ↑ "Rayman 3 Ships". 2003-03-18. https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/03/18/rayman-3-ships. 
  5. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff. "New Releases on GameSpot - Week of 03/23/2003". http://www.gamespot.com/newthisweek/title/20030323.html. 
  6. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (2003-05-28). "Rayman 3" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/05/28/rayman-3-4. 
  7. ↑ "Today Gameloft launches Rayman 3 on your cell phone!" (Press release). Gameloft. 2003-04-03. Archived from the original on 2007-09-02. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  8. ↑ "Rayman 3". http://ngage.gamezone.com/gamesell/p19946.htm. 
  9. ↑ IGNmac (2004-02-06). "Rayman 3" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/02/06/rayman-3-10. 
  10. ↑ Ubi Soft (February 2003). Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc. Multiplatform. Level/area: The Fairy Council. "Murfy: Oh. Uh, by the way, I forgot to mention that every action wins you points... Whenever you score points, the indicator appears and you switch to "Combo mode". This is where things get really cool; in Combo mode, your actions are worth even more points! But you gotta act fast; if your scoring stops, Combo mode stops. One last thing: points can buy you access to hidden levels, so try to score BIG!" 
  11. ↑ Hein, Kenneth (March 10, 2003). "Ubisoft moves to make Rayman No. 1. (Positioning)". Archived from the original on November 4, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20241104121425/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA98830765&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-GPS&asid=dce040b9. Retrieved October 21, 2024. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Rayman 3 for Game Boy Advance". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/gba/563594-rayman-3/index.html. 
  13. ↑ "Rayman 3 for N-Gage". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ngage/918792-rayman-3/index.html. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for PlayStation 2". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/557316-rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/index.html. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for PC". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/557319-rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/index.html. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for GameCube". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/gamecube/557317-rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/index.html. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for Xbox". CBS Interactive. http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/557315-rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/index.html. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Rayman 3 for Game Boy Advance Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/rayman-3/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for GameCube Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for PlayStation 2 Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for Xbox Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc for PC Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Rayman 3 HD for PlayStation 3 Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Rayman 3 HD for Xbox 360 Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/rayman-3-hoodlum-havoc/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360. 
  25. ↑ "Record 4th Quarter Sales of €179 Million – Up 98% (Up 109% at a Constant Rate) With 23% Annual Growth (Up 30% at a Constant Rate), Ubi Soft Once Again Outperforms the Market" (Press release). Ubisoft. 6 May 2003. Archived from the original on 21 September 2017.
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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