Rayman Legends Retold Review: 3D Remake Worth Your Time?

Ubisoft announced Rayman Legends Retold on June 2, 2026, during Sony’s State of Play, and it landed harder than anyone expected. This is a full 3D remake of the beloved 2013 platformer, built from the ground up inside Ubisoft’s Snowdrop engine, the same engine that powers Star Wars Outlaws and The Division 2. Rayman Legends Retold launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on October 1, 2026. Several outlets got early hands-on time at Ubisoft Montpellier in France ahead of the reveal. The verdict so far: visually stunning, mechanically faithful, and genuinely worth the wait, with a few caveats worth knowing before October.

From 2D to 2.5D: What Actually Changed

The original Rayman Legends, released in 2013, was built on Ubisoft’s UbiArt Framework, a 2D vector art engine that still holds up today. Retold does not simply slap 3D assets over the original layout.

Retold is a vivid reimagining, not just putting 3D assets over a 2D landscape, but recreating, re-scoring, and tweaking old levels to bring them up to snuff. Don’t let “3D” scare you; it still looks and plays like the original 2D platformer, but with newly updated 3D visuals courtesy of Ubisoft’s Snowdrop engine. This makes Retold a 2.5D platformer.

The parallax scrolling is an especially pleasant addition, adding environmental depth to the platforming gauntlets throughout Retold. The result is a game that feels familiar in its bones but genuinely fresh on screen. Fans of the original will recognize the level structures immediately; newcomers will simply see a polished, confident platformer.

The New Dragon Levels: Star Fox Meets Rayman

The biggest structural addition to Rayman Legends Retold is something nobody saw coming.

The new dragon-riding levels connect the end of one world with the beginning of the next. They play like fantasy-flavored Star Fox missions, where you control the dragon like a starship, shooting fireballs at enemies and obstacles in your way.

A Sixth World and a New Villain

Retold will have an entirely fresh sixth world dubbed The Land of the Livid Dead, with a new platforming power to explore. The remake also includes an enhanced and fully fleshed-out story, plus a mysterious new villain, details Ubisoft is keeping close to its chest until closer to the October 1 launch.

Visuals: Gorgeous but Not Without Trade-offs

Every preview outlet agreed on one thing: Retold looks exceptional. The 3D visuals look impressively detailed without losing the charm and all the colors that made the original Legends a vibrant masterpiece of 2D platforming.

That said, the trade-off is real. The original Rayman Legends scored a 90 in PC Gamer’s review, making it an all-timer. Its hand-crafted 2D art style had a warmth that is difficult to replicate in 3D. Several reviewers noted that while Retold comes close, purists may still prefer the look of the 2013 original.

Rayman Legends Retold felt incredibly faithful to the original game. You still run through levels, punching and leaping your way past incredibly fun enemy encounters. The core controls and movement are untouched, and in a platformer, that is what matters most.

Co-op, Platforms, and What’s Missing

You can play the entire game with up to four players via couch co-op. While that is commendable given how few couch co-op games exist these days, it is disappointing that there is no online co-op. For a game releasing in 2026, the absence of online multiplayer is a notable gap that may frustrate players without others in the same room.

Platform coverage is strong: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC are all confirmed for the October 1 release. No last-gen versions have been announced.

Verdict: Is It Worth Your Time?

Based on two to three hours of hands-on previews from multiple outlets, yes. From the moment players started playing, it was clear this was not simply the original game with a fresh coat of paint. As a remake, it feels like a natural progression from that 2D origin into a fully crafted 3D world.

Rayman Legends Retold faithfully remakes the game’s stellar side-scrolling stages in 3D and adds in new Star Fox-style shooter levels that have Rayman on the back of a fire-spewing dragon. If you played the original in 2013, Retold gives you a genuine reason to return. If you never did, October 1 is a compelling entry point. Follow the latest Rayman Legends Retold updates at ign.com and ubisoft.com ahead of the release.

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