Pap the
Disney Gamer's Highlights: Gamer
Tuesday Fun Find in Rayman 3:
Hoodlum Havoc
Last time we did
a Fun Find we discussed how
Disney references and parodies
can pop up in any asset of pop
culture, detailing the
references to EPCOT found in the
game Diddy Kong Racing. We
continue our look at some of
these surprising references in
the world of games this week by
looking at a game that is ten
years old this year: Rayman 3:
Hoodlum Havoc.
While the name
Rayman may not carry the same
weight or legacy as Mario or
Sonic the Hedgehog, it is a name
that has seen many ups and downs
in terms of quality, defining
many elements of the platforming
genre. Rayman really started to
get noticed in 2000 with Rayman
2, a 3D-platformer known for its
beautiful graphics, creative
story and rock solid mechanics.
The success of that game
inspired its publisher and
developer Ubisoft to release a
third entry to the series:
Hoodlum Havoc. The game featured
a far edgier sense of humor that
differed from the second game's
whimsical fairy tale approach.

In addition to
the broader humor, there were
also power ups Rayman could on
in order to help him traverse
through the various levels. This
is where today's Gamer Tuesday
Fun Find lies. Sometimes it
doesn't take much to make fun or
reference Disney. At times, all
it takes is just three circles,
or two circles on top of
someone's head, and there you
go, Mickey Mouse. With Rayman 3
being all about the humor, a
Disney reference was almost a
guarantee. How can we find said
reference? Look no further than
the power ups Rayman can don.
When Rayman
obtains a new helmet or power
up, a short cut scene will play
that shows how Rayman adjusts
himself to that new power. This
helmet in particular has one
glitch. Sometimes it will get
stuck while it transforms, and
when it does, well, this
happens...

Yep, Rayman
transforms into Mickey Mouse for
a split second. All it takes is
a tap on the helmet and Rayman
is back to his normal self. It
is a very quick joke, but thanks
to the iconic Mickey Mouse
imagery, it can leave a lasting
impression. Not even Ubisoft
could help themselves.