Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Reviews

• Invasion Earth: A Rabbid Fan's Review!

  
  By AC2EGRJTJYVBA on 2007-11-15
  Our first game for the Wii was Rayman Raving Rabbids. It was the perfect game to introduce the Wii to America. Now the Rabbid's are not only invading your Wii, but also Planet Earth. The result is comic and fun!
  
  Wii've eagerly been waiting for the sequel for the past year and rushed to buy it as soon as it was available. For the most part, we are not disappointed. This game was created ENTIRELY with the Wii in mind. The game is more complex than the original and the story is not as linear. But, there is much more to do and more control over the gameplay to take advantage of the unique nature of the Wii. It is still incredibly funny and enjoyable.
  
  Overall, the graphics look superior to the original game, probably because the game was optimized specifically for the Wii platform. Unlike the first game, the current rendition has been designed with multi-player use at the forefront. Many players will prefer this game as a multi-player game rather than single-player.
  
  Why didn't I give it 5 stars? I really enjoyed the dancing Rabbids in the original game and was looking forward to having them back in the sequel. However, in this version you play musical instruments in a variety of bands instead of dancing. You still move the wii controllers in rhythm with great musical tracks, but you must monitor a control panel display to time your movements. The result: you can't enjoy the Rabbid/Rayman animations on the screen if you want to time your controller motions correctly. Obviously, they did it to create a multi-player experience, but it's a much less immersive game than in the original. Still, it's fun. But, why did they have to change the most successful shtick in the original game? Boo Ubisoft! Fortunately, the rest of the mini-games are just as much fun as in the original with superior graphic quality.
  
  This is a great game and we are enjoying it immensely. It's fun to be able to play both Rayman and/or the Rabbids and overall the quality is an improvement over the original. Let's just have those dancing Rabbid's back for Rayman Raving Rabbids 3!!
  
  

• A huge disappointment

  
  By A124N94JZBXV59 on 2007-12-09
  The original Rayman Raving Rabbids for the Wii was a wonderful game, with mini-games ranging in quality from good to great that were made even better by the sly, twisted sense of humor that ran through the entire effort. It's a 5-star game, and it easily makes the short list of games I'd recommend that anyone should own for the Wii.
  
  Yet despite that lineage, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 not only fails to live up to the original, it even manages to get everything wrong that it borrows from the first. The mini-games themselves are almost all tedious and fun-free; half of them boil down to shaking the Wii remote for a while and stopping momentarily. Does that sound boring? You're right, it is! And they seem to go on forever. Only a few of the mini-games would have made the cut in the original game, like bumper cars or food delivery--and even then they wouldn't have been among the best. But in this game they seem like masterpieces compared to the others.
  
  And Ubisoft somehow even managed to mess up the best part of the original: the shooting games. Instead of the playful, interactive backgrounds filled with jokes for the observant player, they made the baffling decision to set these shooters against filmed live-action backgrounds. As a result the rabbids are just "pasted" over the background without really interacting with it. Sound more fun? You're right, it's not! And the pacing is all wrong; you'll move along through a nondescript city scene doing nothing, even being locked out from shooting at random, and then the camera will stop and a bunch of rabbids will come pouring out. Finally, the shooting is sluggish--presumably due to the graphic power required to display the boring-yet-detailed live backgrounds--and reloading takes forever, which sucks the last bit of enjoyment out of these levels.
  
  The music levels have suffered as well, with poorly-chosen songs that punish you for picking the wrong role (i.e. you end up singing a song that doesn't have enough vocal parts), rhythms that are too repetitive, and a new method of tracking the song that prevents you from watching much of what's going on in the background. Some of the songs are still fairly entertaining, but when you compare them to the original there's just no comparison at all.
  
  Finally: this game is extremely short. I finished it with a friend in just a few sittings--and as you've probably figured out, we had no desire to play almost any of it again. We kept waiting to feel any of the sense of joy and wonder we had with the original, but it never came. I get the sense that the game was just rushed out in time for Christmas, since it has nowhere near the variety of play of the original.
  
  If you played and loved the first RRR, do yourself a favor and avoid this game. Or if you've never played the first RRR, do yourself a favor and get it immediately, and avoid this game. But either way: AVOID THIS GAME. Sadly, it squanders everything that was good about the original.
  
  And for Ubisoft: if you do put out a RRR3, please, please, please go back to the original game and remember what you did right.
  
  

• The best party game out there

  
  By A3M1XHSNVSIRQN on 2007-11-19
  I can see how people expecting to play this alone are giving it lower ratings but I bought this purely as a 'party game' and there isn't another out there that is better. It edges out Rabbids 1 and blows Mario Party 8 out of the water (MP can learn from this and start changing the minigames up between editions).
  
  Its basically the same style as RR1 (so if you own that then this may be a rental only) but most of the games can play all players at once and there are more motions used on the Wiimote. The 'instrument' thing that you do at the end of every level is MUCH better than the dancing one in the original and more involved. There are few minigames that are boring and most are great with some competition involved. If you play solo and have Wi-Fi than you can compete to get your score compared against everyone on te net.
  
  The graphics are better but, hey, its the Wii.
  
  It could be improved by bringing back some of those sadistic games like throwing cows or seeing how big of a lump you can beat into a rabbid (most of the games are 'cleaner') and making the minigames harder and longer, but this game is still the best party game out right now so I couldn't give it anything lower than 5...but don't get it if you have no one to play with.
  
  

• Very Disappointed

  
  By A2S39UQIME17E on 2007-11-15
  We were anxiously awaiting the follow on release for the original Rabbids, anticipating play similar to the first release. Instead of a story line treat, we were tricked with a bunch of mini games. While the graphics are better, the play is poor, the mini games not nearly as fun. If you like disjoint mini games, you might like this one. If you like a story line, no matter how weak, then this will definitely disappoint.
  
  

• Great Adult Party Game but Kind of a Bummer for Solo Play

  
  By A3USS4O0RQZ37K on 2007-11-26
  I agree with what a lot of the other reviewers are saying about this game. As a solo game you could quickly work through this and it just wasn't as entertaining and indepth as the story mode in the first game. The multiplayer mode however made the game TOTALLY worth it. We had stages that we were able to help a 4 yr old through but mainly the adults were playing and LOVING this game.
  
  Personally, I found the rock band portion of the new game more fun than the dancing one on the other game because the controls are less likely to give you a "hit" when you didn't actually move as the first game did (this wasn't just me other players said the same thing) but I wasn't as sure about the new shooting portion. The new shooting game looks much better than the first but I found the gameplay a bit boring.
  
  Overall though I am really glad I had purchased this before Thanksgiving as we had a ton of fun. Will I ever play it by myself? Probably not.
  
  
• Bittersweet..
  By AISSIRI0N0I57 on 2007-12-12
  To me this game is bittersweet. If you compare it side by side to the original there is a drastic difference most of which have been covered in previous posts. Anyhow....
  
  We purchased this game because, quite simply, the first one was overly addictive. In my great anticipation I popped in the game and expected to be able to blast through some single player semi-story, not so. Though you can play single player the game play is exactly the same as the multiplayer, you pick a "trip" (a series of mini-games that take place in a region of the world) and play through 6 of them and then you're done. You can however unlock new mini-games which are then randomly playable in each trip.
  
  There are about 6 trips and as you play through each one you can unlock new character accessories/outfits so you can personalize the look of your Rabid or Rayman. You can also customize and save your own trips, allowing you to pick and play the mini-games that you enjoy the most.
  
  Luckily they still have the shooter games but they are separate from the trips and very different than those in RR1. Now you have to press the 1 button to reload instead of shaking the wiimote, you don't have any info displayed on the screen other than the points earned and your cross-hairs, and your ammo is displayed on the cross-hair itself as 5 small red dots. The one thing I really enjoyed about the shooter though is that the scenery is all filmed in live action, filmed it would seem by a man with a camera walking through the locations. I about gaged laughing when 2 hotel attendants were jumped by Rabids. They did take care in creating this area of the game as even though it is live action the interaction between the game play and the scenery are great if you shoot a road sign the plunger will stick, if you shoot a tree leaves will fall.
  
  Lastly the thing that made me cry deep down inside is the fact that they didn't add a dancing Rabids game and instead you can play a part in a band and keep with the beat of the instrument you choose, yes its fun but why scrap the dancing Rabids all together?
  
  If this was not a sequel and a game of it's own I would rated it a star higher but when you don't follow up an original piece of art with something just as great you are not doing the fans any justice.
  
  Would I buy it again? Yes, though I wish that the lack of content would have prompted a slightly lower price.
  
  This game, for me is a 3 out of 5.
  
  
• Disappointing for this fan of the original Wii version
  By A3KVAV7E5ONY05 on 2007-12-01
  I LOVED the first version of Rayman for the Wii, but this one is not nearly as entertaining. The cheekiness of the first just seems to be missing. The graphics look worse to me. The story is non-existant. I am so disappointed, but I will continue to play Rabbids The First until my arms fall off from cow-tossing.
  
  
• 5-star party game, 3-star solo game, 4-star overall
  By A3B2J01BSKEWZ9 on 2007-11-16
  I have changed my initial rating adding a star. We had a party, and it was a great party game for adults. Still as a solo-player the first game was more fun. This game is much prettier than the first. Someone said that the game was less cruel than the first. --slapping baby rabbits and shocking rabbits until they "fall to sleep" is not cruel enough?
  
  Summary prettier than first game, controls more percise, 5 star party game, 3 star solo game, 4 star overall.
  
  
• The Rabbid Invasion was Successful!
  By A3HZHTHOSEHHXT on 2007-12-26
  We loved the first Rayman Raving Rabbids because of the hilarious and imaginative gameplay. The story itself was engaging. The caveat was that it didn't give too many options for free play unless you went through some of the stages in the game, and some of the games did not respond well to the Wiimote. The boss levels where you had to shoot invading rabbids with plungers were the most fun of all.
  
  Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 corrected all that was "wrong" in the first version and added more minigames and a separate special section for the shooting games alone. The controls are better with this newer version: the game is now more sensitive to the minute movements of the Wiimote vs. the first one. As with the first one you have a story mode and free play modes as well as several save files. The story mode lets you go on trips around the world, with each trip having 6 different games/locales (as opposed to 4 in v. 1) and allowing for single or multiplayer modes to play each locale. Four trip destinations come unlocked, while 4 more are unlockable as you go to each destination. Each trip or destination also comes in Easy or Normal mode: kids have fun with the Easy mode because it's easier to score even if you're not so good with the controls. There is hardly no difference in gameplay with the Normal mode except that you have to be more precise in your control movements to score higher.
  
  There are also 5 pre-customized characters at the beginning of Story mode that lets the player(s) choose which Rabbid character to play with. Up to 4 players can play the story mode (compared to just 1 in the previous version). There are more costumes available in the Plaza section of the game, but you have to unlock these as you progress through the game. It's easy to unlock the costumes, though, because I think you get to unlock more than 2 costumes per trip (game) destination. The graphics and characters are seamlessly integrated into realistic-looking locales around the world (I think they're actual pictures of those places) with Rabbids interacting with real people and "terrorizing" them in some scenes. This just means that the Rabbids appear to be a natural part of the locale itself that it's easy to spot and get them while avoiding hurting the humans during the game.
  
  The games themselves are funnier and more hilarious than ever so it doesn't feel like just a remake or better version than version 1, especially as none of the games we have played so far were replays of the original ones. So if you have version 1 and feel that you don't need version 2 because it's just a remake, then let me assure you that the 2 games are so different that you'd want to have the second game, too, just because it's easier to play and allows for multiplayer gaming from the get go. If you loved Rayman Raving Rabbids 1, then you will surely love Rabbids 2 because the fun scale has definitely increased with this second version!
  
  
• Great Solo Play and Better Party Game
  By A3V6Z4RCDGRC44 on 2008-03-16
  If you enjoyed the first Rayman Raving Rabbids game, have cheer! The second game is back with more mini-game fun that's fun for single players as well as groups.
  
  You really don't care about the premise in these games, but here is is. You go to different parts of the globe and are trying to learn to "act like the locals". In usual quite tongue-in-cheek fashion these activities are completely non-PC. For example, while exploring the US you do things like yap incessantly on the phone in a movie theater, or whack your kids for acting up on a road trip.
  
  What makes the game great is that every mini-game uses the Wii in a different manner - and they're all quite fun. You're "spider rabbit" soaring along a city street. Being a Rock Band fanatic, I love the rock band part where you play along on drums, brass, guitar or mic on flower power songs.
  
  As you move along through the world, you unlock new games, new costumes, and much more. My boyfriend loves the plunger shooting games. I like the music games. If you play with young kids, you can easily find many games that are great fun to play together. If you've got a group of adults over, it's just as fun with them.
  
  The graphics are very well done. Yes, this is a Wii and hot a high-def PS3 or 360, but even so, when you look at the detail in the leaves on the trees or the cracks in the city streets, it's really hard to complain. They do an awesome job here with the capabilities of the Wii. The sound is just as good - the right balance between cartooney fun and realistic noises.
  
  On one hand, I'm sure every person can pick out a certain mini-game and say "I really don't like X". However, I bet you I could easily find another 10 people who adore that game.
  
  Another caveat is that some of the games get a bit *too* silly. In one game the characters eat a lot of chili and therefore "fart" themselves along a path. If you're easily offended, you might not enjoy this.
  
  Still, if you've got a good sense of humor, this game has a lot to offer! Highly recommended.
  
  
  
• So Sad
  By AM1XX1KQQY23N on 2008-01-31
  I loved the first Raving Rabbids game, and when the 2nd came out I was chomping at the bit to buy it. Boy was that a waste of chomping.
  
  I didnt like much of anything about this game really. The layout's completely different, the short games are extremely short and easy...there's no score to beat to move on to the next round. So even if you get 0 for your score it still progresses you in the story. Something else that was really disappointing with the short games was that if you found a one you really liked you didn't have the option to replay it right then. Instead you had to keep moving through the story line. That was just pathetic to me.
  
  The dance portion is also completely different from the 1st one and is not nearly as much fun....not to me anyways. The shooting games are moved to the plaza section and have to be unlocked. I did think they were kind of fun at least AND you had the option of replaying them.
  
  All-in-all I was pretty let down with this follow up game and am planning to get rid of this one to go back to playing the first game.
  
  
• A highly enjoyable game.
  By AO6PU9S0Z9XA5 on 2008-01-09
  First off, let me just point out that I didn't buy this product from Amazon, but from a nearby store. I'm putting a review here because it's a good place to do so.
  
  Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 is my second game for the Wii (the first being Wii Sports). I have not played the first Rayman Raving Rabbids, so if you're looking for a comparison between the two games, this isn't your review. However, if you're new to the franchise (or better yet, new to the Wii and looking for games), then hopefully I'll be able to be of help here.
  
  Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 is a collection of 50-something mini-games, all tied around the main character Rayman and the crazy bunnies called Rabbids. Apparently, these Rabbids have invaded Earth via flying yellow submarines, but don't expect any sort of story; there's hardly anything tying together all the individual mini-games to make any sort of sense - but then again, making sense is the last thing this game is trying to do.
  
  Let me explain the layout of the game here. When you load the game, you'll enter the main menu, where you have four options: Trips, Free Play, Trip Customizer, and the Plaza.
  
  * TRIPS: This is where the bulk of gameplay is. All the minigames on Rabbids 2 are divided into one of five regions of the globe: USA, Europe, Asia, South America, and the Tropics (this last one is unlocked only after you play the other four regions first). Each region has around 10 minigames to play. A "trip" is a random collection of 5-6 games out of the collection for that particular region. You have to play these trips so that you can unlock all the individual minigames to play in Free Play.
  
  * FREE PLAY: Here, you can replay the individual minigames you played (and thus, unlocked) in Trips mode.
  
  * TRIP CUSTOMIZER: In this area, you can create your own trip using the available minigames.
  
  * PLAZA: This is mostly for extras you've unlocked during the game. There are four parts to the Plaza:
  
  ** SHOOTING GAMES: These are fun. See, after you complete some trips, you'll unlock a shooting game here. The shooting games are essentially real footage of a certain city (New York, Paris, etc.) which have Rabbids digitally inserted which you have to shoot. I find these to be a lot of fun.
  
  ** COSTUME CUSTOMIZER: This is a great feature. If you get a high score on any minigame or shooting game (usually at least 12,000 points), you'll unlock a costume for Rayman or a Rabbid. Those costumes are accessed from here, which you can mix and match to create something zany. And better yet, your character's costume actually carries over to other parts of the game, so he'll still be wearing it while you play one of the minigames.
  
  ** JUKEBOX: This is a not-so-great feature. What you can do here is play one of the Rabbid songs you might play in one of the levels in Trip mode. While you're playing the song, Rayman and some Rabbids will dance around, but that's it. I had hoped that you could pick a certain song and it would carry over to other parts of the game, but once you leave the jukebox the song stops. So it's okay (it's so funny to hear the Rabbid version of "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones), but ultimately somewhat useless.
  
  ** CREDITS: Pretty self-explanatory.
  
  Now for the minigames. Of course, each minigame is at least somewhat unique, so it'd be impossible to properly review them all. There are a few sets of games which tend to follow a specific formula (such as the music ones or anything that involves twisting the Wii remote), but in general they're all fairly different. There were some real gems, like the Burp, a few games where you cause havoc when someone isn't looking, and a hilarious game where a bunch of Rabbid kids are jumping up and down in the back seat of a car and you have to slap the ones that are misbehaving. Of course, with so many minigames there's bound to be a few duds, but in general most are pretty fun and, if you like the Rabbids, very funny.
  
  Any self-respecting gamer will be able to breeze through all the minigames in a short period of time - you don't even need to win to get through them, just finish them. For a single player, the replayability factor of this game rests solely on it's wealth of unlockable items. But even that won't last for very long. What really keeps this game entertaining for a long period of time is how fun it is to play with other people. Let's be frank: this is a party game. After a few times of playing by yourself, it's going to get just plain boring. But with other people you'll still be playing this game for a very long time.
  
  In summary, if you're a hard-core serious gamer looking for a great challenge or engaging storyline, this game is not for you. But if you're just in this to have some fun, then by all means pick up Rayman Raving Rabbids 2.
  
  
• Enjoyable. Generates laughter like Rayman 1.
  By A2XAKGRUHIE2ZA on 2008-01-28
  Retiree here (retired CPA, Professor). New to gaming. Started with my Wii purchase, Dec 31, 2007). I play these games solo. Wife won't play them (other than Wii Sports-she's addicted to that one). I'm really enjoying Rayman 1, so I purchased this one. I find this game more relaxing than Rayman 1, because it's easier to progress. If I was a hard core gamer, I'd be dissapointed. I enjoy playing in the different countries.
  
  I am 60+, have difficulty progressing in Rayman 1, and am often frustrated. Currently bogged down in the hedgehog race. I would recommend both games for seniors. They help maintain hand/eye coordination, sense of timing, and both make you burst out laughing-if you enjoy the slapstick silly stuff. I do. My wife doesn't. I think younger children will find Rayman 2, easier to play. I'm not a hunter, but there's something about shooting rabbits with plungers, that makes your troubles go away. Own: Rayman 1 and 2. 4x4 World Circuit-another Ubisoft game. Excite Truck. Endless Ocean. Links Crossbow. Wii Play. Only Wii Play has dissapointed.
  
  
• What a let down
  By A398QHJXCW70GU on 2008-01-02
  This game is a total let down. After the first game which had at least some kind of point to it, this game just seems to be a gathering of mini games where you cannot lose. What is the point of that???
  
  Boring as heck. I loved the first one. If you did, don't bother with this one. It is terrible.
  
  
• A review for adults buying gifts
  By A18SS7AQRBSU87 on 2008-02-21
  Note: I have yet to play this game (though I intend to) and am presenting this review as a parent advising other potential buyer parents/adults. My 8.5 y.o. son LOVES this game. On the first night he played it he played for hours and laughed harder than I have ever heard him laugh while playing a game or watching most TV shows. He's a tough customer and generally loves all things Pokemon. This game seems to have similar elements to Pokemon and Animal Crossing: WW in that you collect clothing, etc. and get to customize your character. It also has some Mario Party aspects with the minigames. So, if your child (or you) like any of those games, you're bound to like this one. Also, the music minigames had great classic songs and were fun to watch.
  
  
• Disappointing Compared To 1st Game -- Unless You Want Party Game
  By A1X1TY8AT7E03H on 2008-03-09
  I just loved the first Rayman Raving Rabbids game and was so excited to get the second one. But everything I liked about the first one (clear goals that you had to win to move on, challenging games like "Bunnies Don't Close Doors" mixed with easy fun games, the hilarity of the rabbids and the sound effects, the dancing) were all missing from the second game--which is very heavily multiplayer-oriented to the detriment of the game, I believe. I think the games in this version are too easy and somewhat repetitive. It didn't seem so much like a challenge. Also, the dancing portion was turned into a "band jam" and it just wasn't as gratifying. Although the first game was much more "one player" oriented, my husband and I took turns trying to complete the various tasks and it worked really well that way as you truly felt a sense of accomplishment after getting through some of the games. Plus it was absurdly satisfying to get Rayman's cell all decorated as the game progressed. I was hoping for "more of the same" with this game and thought it was dumbed down.
  
  
• Good, but I miss a few things from Rayman 1
  By A1B5U8XX52YYOO on 2008-08-26
  I LOVED the first Wii Rayman game. That was probably the most fun I've had on my Wii to date and I was so happy when I finished it. Being a little Rayman'ed out, I waited several months before getting Rayman 2.
  It's defintely easier to play, but I miss a few things.
  
  Pros:
  
  1) Much faster gameply, you don't have to finish all the games to advance to the next level like in Rayman 1.
  
  2) WAAAY better multiplayer. This is multi-player game now. I would not even bother with single player mode.
  
  3) The shooting games are blast with the real life video in there.
  And multi-player is the way to go.
  
  4) The dancing game is not a music game. This works well for some and not so well for others. My wife was REally good at the old dance game.
  On this one, she can barely score at all. On the other hand, being able to play several instruments I pretty much score 80% or better.
  
  
  CONS
  
  1) There is little to no challenge here. The games are much easier and in my opinion are not as fun as the first Rayman. I progress through the games without any feeling of achievement in finishing a level.
  
  2) As noted. Single player stinks. I miss playing without a partner.
  
  3) Some of the games are REALLY bad. Some are good, and there are some classics here, but most of these are so-so. I like the cell phone one the most so far. Shoot games are amazing, though.
  
  
  
• Good Game
  By A2DXLHL8NBN5ES on 2008-09-06
  I bought this for my family. It is a funny game for the family. Some of the games are a little questionable for my 2 young kids ( burping, farting games). We have fun playing it but I'm not sure I would buy it again.
  
  
• VERY good game but...
  By AJ6XV966UXGTV on 2007-12-26
  This is a very good game for a lot of people, but if you are the type of person who likes a game that occupies your time for a while, this is NOT the game for you. There are only 7 trips of 6 minigames each, and then, boom, you're done. If you have many people over a lot, then get this game. The minigames are excellent, the graphics very good, and if you're a person that likes to unlock everything, this game will take you a pretty long, but manageable, time. Also, if you're a person that gets entertained easily, this is a good game, with lots of neat, little, thing to do for a bit of time. If they make a RRR3, they should put in a story mode where you're Raymond and you can still do trips, but the shooting mode has more depth.
  
  
• Better Than the First!
  By A329722HYTWHWI on 2007-12-29
  While RRR2 has fewer mini-games, they are funnier and better designed than the first. It also features a hilarious opening sequence of the rabbid's "super secret" headquarters (a shopping mall). This game is much more fun if you have other people to play it with. You can play solo, which is still fun, but not quite as exciting. Unlike the first game, you can play new mini games with a group (instead of unlocking them in single player, then switching over to score mode). The live action camera work in the shooting games is stunning, and the rest of the game seems to have better graphics. This is my favorite Wii game (more enjoyable than Mario, Zelda, Metroid, or Sonic), and is great for parties. This game has gotten worse reviews than the first, but don't listen to anyone else! Buy this game!
  
  The only flaw:
  Rayman still doesn't run in wide-screen mode.
  
  
• Great Graphics, Boring Gameplay
  By A1T0XK9EZNBKNU on 2008-01-03
  If you like the challenge of the First Rayman Raving Rabids for wii, Don't Buy This Game. I'm almost certain after playing a few levels on "Normal" (Which is the hardest setting) That there is no way to lose when playing this game. It's great for younger kids, but if you're a day over maybe 8 or 9 years old, Its a bit boring. But it was made well, they built on the graphics of the 1st rabids title and added some "Live" video and backgrounds, which looks good. I just wish it played more like the first one.
  
  
• Not as good...
  By A3TR96WORVQ3ON on 2008-01-04
  I have read several of the reviews and I think that it has been said right, the first one was better than this one, but there is still plenty of fun and activities to love in this new release. Both fames together are a great look at the sort of games that really only seem possible with the Wii style interface.
  
  Would I recommend this to someone else, sure, as long as they already have the first one. If they do not have the first one, I think that I would recommend that one over this one.
  
  
• The long and short of it....
  By A2VLQY59EF1ETR on 2008-01-09
  Pros:
  -It's Rayman, so it's got a very comical base to it.
  -Real video that allows you to experience different countries.
  -Most of the mini-games are super creative and different.
  -Same concepts as the first Rayman with the shooting game, playing/singing music and games against the rabbids.
  
  Overall the game is fun, but it also has some faults.
  
  Cons:
  -I was expecting a progressive game like the first Rayman, but instead R2 is based on mini-games, which we get enough of with Wii.
  -The shooting aspect of the shooting game isn't as fun as the first Rayman (I do love the real life backgrounds though). Reloading with the nunchuck was easier and shots seemed more precise with the first edition.
  -After you finish a game about 5 screens pop up telling you your score, then that you've beaten the high score, then you have the enter your name, then you see your overall high score, then you won something, etc. I find it annoying to click through them all....not to mention the button is far too close to the internet option and I always manage to hit that by mistake.
  
  The game is fun, it's just missing the same spark that the first game had.
  
  
• Glad I didn't buy it!
  By A3A8P8NLKESKUK on 2008-02-01
  I thought this game was lame. There was no story at all. In trip mode, all you do is play a series of 6 or 8 games. That is it. At least with games like mario party 8 they have the board game element and the ability to purchase things from cards you collect form winning board games, you feel like you are actually trying to achieve something. With this game you hit a rabbit in the head with a carrot, shoot a few with a plunger...and that is it. Not very entertaining at all.
  
  
• love the music games; hate beating up rabbids
  By ASFW4ZMNZJKDA on 2007-12-24
  Most of the games in this are best suited to kids... but some of them I wouldn't want my kid to play. I really dislike the game where you have to hit the kids in the back seat, for example. Also, as others have said, once you get the knack of most of the games, you're not really compelled to play them again.
  
  We really love the music games, and I wish there was lots more of that. That's the one thing I can play again and again. Satisfaction is by far our favorite. (Teenager in Love is lame and they should have done better.)
  
  
• made for kids.
  By A2KABQYAJ8JAAG on 2007-12-29
  the game was all right. the first rayman game was significantly better and more challenging. also, it doesn't really have a story line so it's not as fun. what is really cool is that you can pick to be one of the rabbids instead of rayman. oh well, hopefully if they make a 3rd game i hope they can combine the neat things from the second game and the great challenges from the first.
  
  
• Suffers the same as most sequels...
  By A1B1JM4Q7TC6GB on 2007-12-31
  I loved Raving Rabbids 1 and this game is fun, but it isn't the same. The tasks you need to complete are WAY to easy. The first game at least offered a challenge...so far, we are just blowing through this game very quickly. It does as a better element of multi-player than the first so I can see it as a great party game. The rabbids themselves are still as adorable and funny as ever so it helps to save the overall playability of the game.
  
  
• Come for the Rabbids stay for the Baseball
  By A1J94JIWC7CQES on 2008-01-03
  The first thing to know about this game is that it is not a total package (thus the 4 stars). Unless you bought several controllers because you have several players in your house or over to your house often, leave this one on the shelf--it's not at all ripe for single player.
  
  Where the game truly shines is multi-player (for which it should get 5 stars), where you can enjoy with others the completely off-the wall humor in the game. As a case in point: Rabbid baseball. Sure, it's amusing. Watching a poor little Rabbid hustle it's pudgy legs off rounding the bases only to become the business end of a home run derby is fall off the couch funny, but you can only appreciate it fully when you compare trajectories with a few friends.
  
  There is a tremendous amount of potty humor--so beware, but our 9 and 6 year old have regular laughing fits (and ok, so do we). You do get to unlock various outfits for the Rabbids and it's great fun to dress them up (my personal favorite is the crash test dummy) as well as mix and match (crash test dummy with a huge blonde afro). There is not a story per se, but this fits with the sparse nature of the solo game.
  
  There is an ability to create your own sequence of mini games (aka a "trip"--which clearly has more than one meaning in this game). This is nice because as others have pointed out, all of the mini-games are not exactly winners. The music games are great fun to play and perhaps a bit more fun to watch (bunnies dancing/singing to James Brown just makes me smile). The game also has broad age appeal. Many of the visuals and animations pay homage to movies, and the music spans the decades, making for a definite "Sesame Street" experience that will have your kids laughing at one thing and you laughing at another.
  
  The game is quite accessible with two difficulty levels "easy" and "normal." On the easy level our 6 year old can do pretty much everything but the music/rhythm games which he typically sits out on. It's friendly to both new players and repeat offenders, you can let the cutscenes roll for someone who just joined the party or quickly skip past. The idea of the Rabbids showing you how to play the game each time is absolutely brilliant and pretty much flattens the learning curve for new folks. There are just a couple of games where the nuances are not all that clear and you'll find yourself saying "what do you want from me!!!???" but this is by far the exception.
  
  The games are sensitive enough to detect what it is that you're trying to do, and not much feels "contrived" in terms of the motion controls. There are some that do a better job (such as the wii remote as cell phone in which you hear indecipherable babble coming out of the speaker when it's activated) than others (I don't know if we'll ever get away from the ubiquitous pumping of the nunchuck and remote to simulate running/swimming/etc . . . ).
  
  There is dancing in the game, but it's completely passive. You watch the Rabbids and Rayman dance to one of the music tracks that you've unlocked. The upside is you decide how they're dressed and you get to watch them do some nicely choreographed moves. The downside is you don't get to join the fun. I'm hoping Ubisoft comes out with a Rabbids mod for DDR.
  
  If you intend to play with 4 you will need the full meal deal on controllers as some of the games require both a wii remote and a nunchuck although you could tailor your game choice around this limitation pretty easily if you need to make do without (note: you wouldn't be able to do the music rhythm games). With very few exceptions, the games are for four simultaneous players--which means people will not be sitting on their hands for long.
  
  Warning: Our kids have gotten pretty excited playing this game, and generally hop around quite a bit. With the Wii in it's "vertical" position, it's caused the system to crash, we since turned it horizontal and have had no problems.
  
  
  
• Fun, But Needs More Levels
  By on 2008-01-03
  Before I start I have to say, this game is fun. It is just too short.
  Think of Warioware: smooth moves without all the levels. Some of the controls are also confusing for some of the games. The plunger games are a lot of fun for younger kids. the game has few trips(levels),and all of the trips have six mini games compared to wariowares 20. I beat the game within six hours of purchasing it.
  
  All around this game is fun but needs more levels.
  
  
  
• Much better than the first one!
  By A3D507V3QLDJNA on 2008-01-09
  I have no idea why anyone would think the first one is better. Maybe it has to do with the order you play the games in, but we got the second one first. The best thing about it is that you can play as a group, which is just hilarious. In the first one, you play by yourself, the games are uninspired, and it just isn't much fun.
  
  Someone said "gee, a game is moving the controller up and down, no fun". Well, the first one has that too, and it is more fun when you are competing.
  
  I'll grant you that the games aren't rocket science, and perhaps not ALL that much different--although they are definitely not all variations on the same theme, as in some games--but it is the group play that really makes the game.
  
  I wanted to add a few more comments:
  1) The game won't let you move your save file to another console. Probably not a big deal, but it's the first Wii game that I've encountered this on.
  2) The game is a bit on the shorter side, so you might want to rent it, or look for it on sale if you want to have it for parties. I rented it first, then bought it at half off at Best Buy. I know that this amounts to heresy on this site, but...
  
  

• Super Mario Galaxy
• Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
• Rayman Raving Rabbids
• Wii Nunchuk Controller