All of the mechanics present in
Rayman Origins are consistent and make perfect sense. Take combat, for example. When you land a hit on an enemy (by punching or jumping on it), the enemy will balloon up and start floating away. The initial hit earns you a Lum (or two, depending on if you recently snagged a Lum King), but if you hit it again, you'll earn even more. Of course, you can use ballooned enemies as stepping stones to higher places if you have the proper timing.
As Rayman makes his way through the Glade of Dreams, he earns several amazing powers from his friends the Nymphs. Before the end, you'll be able to glide (by using his hair as a prop), swim, shrink in size, run up concave walls, and much more. And you'd better master all of them by the time you get to the end of the game, or there will be no hope for you.
Between each world is a massive watercooler moment. And by that, I mean a lengthy side-scrolling shooter sequence that has Rayman riding on the back of a giant mosquito. These are generally easier than the platforming sequences, but they're great fun all the same. Each culminates in an engaging boss battle that will test your fingers and (probably) make you laugh at the same time. This manner of world-to-world travel kind of reminds me of Xexyz, one of my all-time favorite NES games.
Most of Rayman Origins has made the transition to Vita remarkably smoothly, but it features one key addition and one key subtraction. The subtraction will be obvious to people who've played the console release: there's no local cooperative play. This was only the slighest of smarts on the console version because the game in general was so good. Here it isn't missed too much. The addition is Relics. As you explore the levels, you might hear a certain noise. When you hear it, tap around the screen and you'll likely uncover a Relic. These unlock artwork and provide extra pull for completionists to return to the game. But really, it's fun enough to the point that it's unnecessary.
Rayman Origins is one of this generation's very best games, and the fact that it has gone portable so successfully is a testament to its greatness. If you own a Vita and haven't played this game yet, you owe it to yourself. If you already own it on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or Wii, there probably isn't enough incentive to warrant a second purchase. Still, Rayman Origins is one of the greatest platformers ever made, and having the option to play it on the go is a huge bonus.
