Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition Review: Digital Eclipse's Preservation Effort Lands on Nintendo Switch
To mark three decades since the release of the beloved platformer, Ubisoft and Digital Eclipse have brought Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition to Nintendo Switch, offering fans a comprehensive package that celebrates the legacy of the original game.
As a tribute to Michel Ancel's iconic creation, this collection delivers five playable versions of the classic Rayman, newly added documentary content, and a suite of quality-of-life features—all wrapped in a modern preservation effort aimed at both nostalgic fans and newcomers.
Priced at $19.99 on the Nintendo eShop, the edition aims to honor Rayman's enduring impact while providing a deeper look behind its development. The heart of Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition lies in its curation: players can experience the DOS, PlayStation, Atari Jaguar, Game Boy Advance, and SNES prototype versions of the game, each offering a unique historical perspective.
Select versions now include expanded accessibility with features such as level select, ability unlocks, infinite continues, maximum health, and infinite lives.
Notably, the PlayStation and DOS versions allow the greatest degree of customization, giving players unprecedented control over the gameplay experience. One of the edition's standout elements is nearly an hour of documentary footage, with exclusive interviews featuring key developers and team members from both the original Rayman project and the new anniversary release.
Digital Eclipse, known for their meticulous archival work in releases like The Making of Karateka and the TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection, brings its signature attention to video game history, enriching the package with interviews, historical documents, and design materials, including the Rayman Game Design Bible. However, for all its archival ambition, Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition does not escape criticism.
The most prominent issue is the replacement soundtrack.
While celebrated composer Christophe Héral, who previously scored Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends, contributed new musical arrangements, some tracks feel discordant within the context of the original game.
Players may notice technical inconsistencies, such as tracks overlapping on the Jaguar port and missing music in certain PlayStation stages.
These audio bugs, alongside sporadic input lag and other quirks, reveal that not all versions included in the collection offer equal polish.
This is an unusual deviation from Digital Eclipse’s generally high standards for port quality and accessibility. The SNES prototype's official debut on modern hardware is a particular highlight, giving enthusiasts rare access to an early phase of Rayman's development.
While the package excludes versions like the SEGA Saturn or mobile releases, the breadth of included content and documentary material cements it firmly as a celebration of Rayman’s heritage. In terms of presentation, Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition looks crisp on both the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode, though the absence of 4K support on the latter is felt—especially for documentary viewing on larger TV screens.
Still, the user experience remains smooth, with no complaints regarding visual fidelity across supported platforms. For players mainly interested in learning about the franchise's development, exploring the SNES prototype, or reviewing production documents and interviews, the edition offers significant archival value.
However, as it stands, some technical shortcomings and the uneven handling of the soundtrack make it difficult to recommend the package at full price for those seeking a definitive gameplay experience.
With post-launch patches addressing audio bugs and further refining the collection, Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition could easily become a must-own for both series veterans and video game historians.
Until then, it stands as a meaningful—if imperfect—tribute to one of gaming's most enduring platformers. Version Tested: Nintendo Switch Review Copy Provided by Ubisoft
As a tribute to Michel Ancel's iconic creation, this collection delivers five playable versions of the classic Rayman, newly added documentary content, and a suite of quality-of-life features—all wrapped in a modern preservation effort aimed at both nostalgic fans and newcomers.
Priced at $19.99 on the Nintendo eShop, the edition aims to honor Rayman's enduring impact while providing a deeper look behind its development. The heart of Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition lies in its curation: players can experience the DOS, PlayStation, Atari Jaguar, Game Boy Advance, and SNES prototype versions of the game, each offering a unique historical perspective.
Select versions now include expanded accessibility with features such as level select, ability unlocks, infinite continues, maximum health, and infinite lives.
Notably, the PlayStation and DOS versions allow the greatest degree of customization, giving players unprecedented control over the gameplay experience. One of the edition's standout elements is nearly an hour of documentary footage, with exclusive interviews featuring key developers and team members from both the original Rayman project and the new anniversary release.
Digital Eclipse, known for their meticulous archival work in releases like The Making of Karateka and the TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection, brings its signature attention to video game history, enriching the package with interviews, historical documents, and design materials, including the Rayman Game Design Bible. However, for all its archival ambition, Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition does not escape criticism.
The most prominent issue is the replacement soundtrack.
While celebrated composer Christophe Héral, who previously scored Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends, contributed new musical arrangements, some tracks feel discordant within the context of the original game.
Players may notice technical inconsistencies, such as tracks overlapping on the Jaguar port and missing music in certain PlayStation stages.
These audio bugs, alongside sporadic input lag and other quirks, reveal that not all versions included in the collection offer equal polish.
This is an unusual deviation from Digital Eclipse’s generally high standards for port quality and accessibility. The SNES prototype's official debut on modern hardware is a particular highlight, giving enthusiasts rare access to an early phase of Rayman's development.
While the package excludes versions like the SEGA Saturn or mobile releases, the breadth of included content and documentary material cements it firmly as a celebration of Rayman’s heritage. In terms of presentation, Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition looks crisp on both the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode, though the absence of 4K support on the latter is felt—especially for documentary viewing on larger TV screens.
Still, the user experience remains smooth, with no complaints regarding visual fidelity across supported platforms. For players mainly interested in learning about the franchise's development, exploring the SNES prototype, or reviewing production documents and interviews, the edition offers significant archival value.
However, as it stands, some technical shortcomings and the uneven handling of the soundtrack make it difficult to recommend the package at full price for those seeking a definitive gameplay experience.
With post-launch patches addressing audio bugs and further refining the collection, Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition could easily become a must-own for both series veterans and video game historians.
Until then, it stands as a meaningful—if imperfect—tribute to one of gaming's most enduring platformers. Version Tested: Nintendo Switch Review Copy Provided by Ubisoft
