History YMMV / Rayman1995

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* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Starting [[AwesomeMusic/{{Rayman}} a series wide tradition]], the game features a truly wonderful CD quality soundtrack composed almost entirely by the late Rémi Gazel:
** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIXqoUb4S24 title screen and map screen theme]] is a very fun song that perfectly sets the tone for the game off the bat.
** The very upbeat and whimsical [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVlYqIpUKno&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=6 theme of Betilla the Fairy]]. It becomes downright relieving to hear it after you've gone through a brutally hard level, since it almost always guarantees you'll get a new power from her.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xiOu71cquE&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=2 "First Steps"]]. the incredibly upbeat theme for Pink Plant Woods. When it comes to songs that tell you "The adventure has begun!", they don't get much better than this. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_njIdn9XPbc&list=PLgHctS2uOvCc-DOKq5R_yycA_vosb6Sal&index=2 The Atari Jaguar version]] is surprisingly funky despite losing the atmosphere of the CD quality version.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZLPRDFAEjk&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=3 "Deep Forest"]], the other theme for Pink Plant Woods, has a eerily calm feeling to it that perfectly captures the feeling of wading through a dense, swampy forest.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqvuZ_1apC0&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=8 "Flight Of The Mosquito"]], a very whimsical and fun song that captures the magical feeling of flying around on a mosquito and punching enemies.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6keDLpnw-8 "The Flood"]], a startlingly dramatic and tense orchestral tune that tends to play in areas heavy with water.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgvxtipiYY4&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=13 "Harmony"]], the main theme of Allegro Presto, is a soaring orchestral tune and one of the most euphoric songs you will ever hear in ''any'' video game. [[https://youtu.be/QGEXedNSgLs The Atari Jaguar version]] is surprisingly good too in spite of being MIDI instead of red book audio. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_NgvPCfMLQ Game Boy Advance arrangement]] (which is also used for that ports title screen) isn't half-bad either despite the huge downgrade in sound quality.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x03LnXSCOzo "Blazing Brass"]], the theme of "Mr. Sax's Hullabaloo", is a very catchy jazz flavored tune.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCZwjQDrcPQ&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=20 "Rocking Up The Mountains"]], the epic theme of "The Hard Rocks" (the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuYKhRBfaC4&list=PLgHctS2uOvCc-DOKq5R_yycA_vosb6Sal&index=14 Atari Jaguar version]] isn't half bad either). The arrangement for when you might Mr. Stone, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhlJBv59u48&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=23 "Ruler Of The Mountains"]], is one of the most rocking tunes in the game.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLQ4hd8D4Lk "Space Mama's Overture"]], a very soaring orchestral tune that starkly contrasts one of the nastiest boss fights in the entire game. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkcfg3c1XaU&list=PLgHctS2uOvCc-DOKq5R_yycA_vosb6Sal&index=18 The Jaguar version]] offers a very boppin take on the song as well.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waZz4IZIuWw "Space Mama's Finale"/"Washing Machine From Space"]], a truly awesome techno arrangement of the Space Mama Overture.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB9nRjn_1Gs&list=PL45BCA0717817B734&index=34 "Cloak Of Darkness"]], the theme of Mr. Dark, is a very exciting tune thats perfect for a final boss confrontation. The [[https://youtu.be/UxaC8xrfOhA Jaguar]] and [[https://youtu.be/H9-Iq_EAZvM GBA]] versions arent too shabby either.
* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** The GBA port has quite a few changes that attempt to alleviate some of the more frustrating aspects of the game and reduce cases of FakeDifficulty:
*** Rayman no longer gets thrown backwards when hit; this alleviates a huge amount of the cheaper causes of death.
*** You now have an extra hit point, allowing for a little more room for error.
*** You no longer lose all your tings when you die.
*** Taking out half a boss's health now counts as a checkpoint on a boss, so you don't have to kill it in one go anymore.
*** You can now actually see trigger zones that make objects appear; they show up as little twinkles.
** The Nintendo [=DSi=] version makes things even easier (other than the increased knockback):
*** The number of Tings (which you can't lose) required for an extra life is reduced from 100 to 50.
*** The number of hit points has been increased to six (default) and ten (extended).
*** Number of continues are increased to ''30''.
*** There are more Photographers.
*** You can skip sections of a completed level by pressing Select. This reduces the amount of backtracking for the missing chests.
* BreatherBoss: Skops the Scorpion could very well be easier to defeat than Moskito. It's a little weird, since after Skops comes the final level where [[BigBad Mr. Dark]] presides.
** May actually overlap with WhatCouldHaveBeen: As a beta screenshot on the [=PS1=] box reveals, he was supposed to be a very early boss fought in the Dream Forest (perhaps even being the first boss in the game) before they moved him up and replaced him with Moskito.
* BreatherLevel: Blue Mountains can feel like this after some of the superhuman feats you have to pull off in [[BandLand Band Land]]. However, then in comes [[ThatOneLevel the snow-capped mountaintops of Mr. Stone's Peaks]]...
* DemonicSpiders:
** The Stone Men in Blue Mountains. They throw lava rocks that split into harmful debris that can be difficult to avoid. You have to punch them several times before they collapse... a moment before they revive themselves like [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Dry Bones]].
** Also, the toothy fish in Eat At Joe's. They're really fast, difficult to hit with your fist, and appear where they can easily knock you off the tiny platforms.
** Where do we ''begin'' with the grasshoppers in BandLand? Not only are they extremely evasive to your attacks, but they are very good at counter attacking as well. For example, if you get close enough to them to try to hit them when they duck from your fist, they will ram you. If you try to attack them while they're airborne, they'll block it and try to kick you. Worst of all, if you turn your back on them for one second, they will instantly rush you and pretty much attack you until either one of you is dead.
* HilariousInHindsight: One of the songs in [[LevelAte Candy Chateau]] is apparently called [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} "The Cake]] [[MemeticMutation is a Lie"]].
* ItsHardSoItSucks: The game could easily be one of the poster childs for this trope; the game had no playtesters and it ''shows''. There is huge DifficultySpike around Band Land and the game only gets harder from there, [[ThatOneLevel especially at Picture City,]] with extremely precise platforming, annoying enemies, and an abundance of instant death traps and TrialAndErrorGameplay. This, combined with limited continues and being forced to 100% the game to access the final level, has understandably made a lot of gamers skip this game in favor of its much fairer sequels.
* GoddamnedBats:
** Anti-toons. They appear in every world, and their small size means you have to be below them to hit them (or duck after throwing your fist while they are coming towards you), and have an annoying habit of coming-and-going on tiny, often slipery platforms just to be sure you fall to your death.
** Hunters. They appear in every world just like Anti-toons, and shoot slow-moving bullets that [[AbnormalAmmo swing hammers at you]]. They are only vulnerable while they're polishing their weapon after shooting it.
** Short Livingstones could qualify as well. They are more aggressive than their tall brethren, and, like the Grasshoppers in Band Land, can duck to avoid your fist and even block it by entering an attack stance and trying to grab you.
* GoodBadBugs: In the second part of Mr. Dark's Dare, you can actually avoid having to deal with Dark Rayman if you're skilled enough to jump over the trigger zone that makes him appear. This is a little easier to do on the GBA port since this is actually visible to the player.
* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: That "YEAH!" when you finish a level. It starts off rather comical, but turns into one of the most gratifying sounds ever when you complete an especially difficult level.
* PolishedPort:
** The UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn port, which had color transparencies, crisper sound and scene transitions unique from the UsefulNotes/PlayStation and Jaguar ports. However, it's missing the password system and a couple minor music tracks, and the [=FMVs=] are more compressed than the [=PS1=] port.
** Also, all three of the PC re-releases notably have new custom-made bonus levels made by the fans and developers, as well as a level editor. The only downsides are that the soundtrack was cut down and the cut scenes had to be removed from ''Rayman Forever'' because there was too much content to fit them in[[note]]Fortunately, these cutbacks are easily remedied through fan-made patches like "Rayman Plus"[[/note]].
** The [=DSi=] port did make some odd changes and has worse audio, but is still considered one of the best versions of the game due to the numerous changes it made to make the game much fairer and easier.
* PortingDisaster: While the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance port did make several beneficial chances to alleviate the games [[NintendoHard infuriating difficulty]] (i.e. giving Rayman an extra hit point, removing the first section of Bongo Hills, no Tings are lost upon dying, more extra lives, fewer enemies, etc.) and leaves the bulk of the content intact, it suffers from a '''serious''' [[ScreenCrunch decrease of screen resolution]] (around one half of the original) that makes some parts of the already tough game [[FakeDifficulty even harder than before]]. The music and sound quality takes a huge nosedive due to the handhelds limits, and many music tracks and the [=FMVs=] are omitted.
* ScrappyMechanic:
** Being forced to save all the electoons in order to complete the game. Most find it adds unnecessary length to the game, especially because there are levels where you can’t save all the electoons without a certain power-ups resulting backtracking.
** The Photographers in the [=DSi=] version take a literal picture of you using the system's inner camera. The problem is that the [=DSi=] has a loud shutter sound, and there's no way to turn it off. Playing this version in public results in not going for any checkpoints unless you don't mind the stares of those around you.
* SurpriseDifficulty: The game stops pulling punches once you leave The Dream Forest. The rest of the game continues to use cutesy enemies, soothing music, and colorful environments as if to mock you.
* ThatOneBoss:
** Mister Stone. Some of his attacks are very frustrating to avoid, and you have very narrow windows to attack him - or rather, the pendulum in his arena, which is the only way to damage him. Further, as the fight progresses, it gets harder to hit the pendulum hard enough to damage him. It doesn't help that you have to fight him at the end of a [[ThatOneLevel brutally long and hard level]]. The only saving grace is that you're given a health powerup at the start of the battle, but given the nature of his attacks, it probably won't last you very long.
** Both encounters with Space Mama in Picture City count, but the rematch at Space Mama's Crater ''really'' takes the cake as the hardest boss in the game. First, she's at the end of an already hard and grueling MarathonLevel with some particularly nasty PlatformHell at the end, so even if you save, you have to go through it ''every time'' you reload the file. The battle itself is quite long, and her attacks, particularly the pressure cookers she summons, are very difficult to avoid. Oh, and you don't get a health powerup for this fight like you did with Mr. Stone by the way. Thus, if you die (which you probably will if you're not careful), [[ContinuingIsPainful you'll have to defeat her with only 3 health.]] This battle is so frustrating that it makes Skops the Scorpion and even ''Mister Dark himself'' look easy by comparison.
* ThatOneLevel:
** The game itself is NintendoHard but Allegro Presto, Mr Stone's Peaks and Eat at Joe's are among the hardest levels. Bongo Hills also qualifies because it's [[MarathonLevel so damn long, the longest level in the game in fact]], dragged out, difficult and [[GuideDangIt has hard to find cages]].
** Stage wise, Band Land and Picture City are often seen as points of frustration, since they both consist of [[MarathonLevel time-consuming]] and very tricky levels.

* PortingDisaster: While the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance port did make several beneficial chances to alleviate the games [[NintendoHard infuriating difficulty]] (i.e. giving Rayman an extra hit point, removing the first section of Bongo Hills, no Tings are lost upon dying, more extra lives, fewer enemies, etc.) and leaves the bulk of the content intact, it suffers from a '''serious''' [[CameraScrew decrease of screen resolution]] (around one half of the original) that makes some parts of the already tough game [[FakeDifficulty even harder than before]]. The music and sound quality takes a huge nosedive due to the handhelds limits, and many music tracks and the [=FMVs=] are omitted.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Starting a series wide tradition, the game features a truly wonderful CD quality soundtrack composed by three different people (most notably the late Rémi Gazel).

** The UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn port, which had color transparencies, crisper sound and scene transitions unique from the UsefulNotes/PlayStation and Jaguar ports. However, it's missing the password system and one negligible track of music, and the [=FMVs=] are more compressed than the [=PS1=] port.

* PortingDisaster: While the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance port did make some beneficial chances to alleviate the games [[NintendoHard infuriating difficulty]] (i.e. giving Rayman an extra hit point, removing the first section of Bongo Hills, no Tings are lost upon dying, more extra lives, fewer enemies, etc.) and leaves the bulk of the content intact, it suffers from a '''serious''' [[CameraScrew decrease of screen resolution]] (around one half of the original) that makes some parts of the already tough game [[FakeDifficulty even harder than before]]. The music and sound quality takes a huge nosedive due to the handhelds limits, and many music tracks and the [=FMVs=] are omitted.