Whereas in New Super Mario Bros U, playing with the GamePad was a relatively passive experience, both players will have to constantly talk and coordinate to get through the more demanding levels. While these mechanics have been seen in other games, implementing these actions while playing with another player creates a rather unique co-op experience. The GamePad can be used to interact with the environment, with touch moving platforms and motion sensors tilting the world. But on Wii U, the game becomes extraordinary. Through a lengthy, satisfying campaign and new content delivered daily through online challenges, Rayman Legends cements itself as an excellent platformer for any system. The music levels are a blast as well, having you time your jumps and kicks to the beat of remixed classics like Eye of the Tiger. Other times, it becomes a stealth game a la Mark of the Ninja. At times, Legends turns into a full-out shmup. In addition to terrific platforming levels, Legends is unafraid to break genre. The amount of creativity on display is staggering. The fact that Legends can offer a daily challenge shows how versatile the mechanics are: from speed-runs to survival challenges to distance competitions, there's an impressive amount of variety on display.
Timing a midair punch differently by a few milliseconds, for example, could result in a drastically different score. Playing through any of these custom levels, it becomes immediately clear how deep the gameplay systems are. In fact, it goes a step further by adding daily and weekly challenges. Legends offers the same pixel-perfect platforming that Origins delivered.
Levels in Rayman are designed to be played in one continuous flow, with enemies being creative platforms to use-not necessarily threats to be vanquished. Rayman managed to be the Sonic successor fans have long clamored for, with a heavy focus on speed and, more importantly, momentum. Origins surprised gamers with deep platforming gameplay, hidden underneath the eye-catching graphics rendered by the UbiArt Framework. Not only does it feature the same thrilling platforming experience as its predecessor, Legends does much more, offering surprising new gameplay experiences-especially with the Wii U GamePad. However, Ubisoft does something truly special with Legends. By simply offering "more of the same," the game would instantly merit a recommendation. Rayman Legends is a sequel to Rayman Origins, Ubisoft's critically acclaimed 2D platformer.