HOODLUM HAVOC 2 STORY

2 INSTALLING AND STARTING UP 5 NAVIGATING IN THE MENUS 5 BEGINNING THE GAME

RAYMAN3

7 LOADING / SAVING

7 ASSIGNING KEYS

8 RAYMAN CONTROLS 9 CONTROLLING THE CAMERAS 10 GAME SCREENS 10 FIGHTING THE ENEMIES

12 THE SUPERPOWERS

13 SECONDARY OBJECTS
13 HOW TO SCORE MORE POINTS
14 MENU SCREEN 15 THE CAST 16 JOINING THE RAYMAN COMMUNITY 18 WARRANTY 19 UBI SOFT UK TECHNICAL SUPPORT
The Crossroads of Dreams was a place of heavenly bliss where calm, happiness and the joys of life seemed to reign forever. Some of the inhabitants even began to feel that the hours and days passed a little too slowly. Then, one day, a red Lum transformed himself into a cantankerous little ball of fluff. His name was Andr and he wanted to conquer the world. To this end, Andr turned the other red Lums into black Lums, then they all swarmed off to steal the animals hair and weave costumes for themselves. Thus was born the army of Hoodlums raring to spread their mischief and idiocy throughout the Crossroads. No-one could put a stop to them! So guess who had to interrupt his siesta to go and sort things out? (Ill give you a clue: the answers on the cover of this manual.)
INSTALLING AND STARTING UP

Technical Specifications

Minimum configuration Processor: Pand equivalent AMD Athlon and Duron based CPUs RAM: Windows 98 SE/2000/ME : 64 mb RAM // Windows XP : 128 mb RAM Video Card: Geforce 256 SDR with 32 mb Video RAM
Recommended configuration Processor: Win 98 SE: P3 1000, Win XP: Pand equivalent AMD Athlon and Duron based CPUs RAM: 128 mb RAM Video Card: Geforce 3 with 64 mb Video RAM

Installing

Insert CD1 into your computers CD-Rom drive. The following window appears:
Install: Just click to start the installation process. Itll take a few seconds. Fortunately, youve got some interesting reading material to browse through while youre waiting! Play: Lets face it, this is what youve been itching for, ever since you bought the game. Click, and your wish shall be granted Unless, of course, you were in such a hurry that you forgot to install the game in which case, it wont work! Selecting the language from the menu.
Selecting the version to install
You have to select the version you want to install. This will depend on the free space available on the hard disk: The minimum installation installs all of the data on the 1st disk, which is 650 Mb. To play, CD2 or CD3 must be inserted in your CD-Rom drive.The maximum installation installs the data on all 3 CD-Roms, which is 1.5 Gb. To be able to play, CD1 should be inserted in your CD-Rom drive.

Access path

You must then select the location on the hard disk where you want to install the game. For example, c:\ProgramFoils\moygaymes\RaymunFree. By default, the installation suggests: c:\Program files\Ubi Soft\Rayman3.

Shortcut

You then have to decide on the program group which will contain the shortcut to the game. By default, it is the Ubi Soft Games group.

Uninstalling

(You can skip this bit it shouldnt really concern you!).
There are 2 ways of deleting the game from your hard disk: 1- In Windows, select 2 Uninstall Rayman 3 in the Start\Programs\Ubi Soft Games\Rayman 3 menu. 2- Insert the Rayman 3 CD1, start the game, admire the gorgeous installation menu and select Uninstall.

Starting the game

Once the game is installed, its easy to start it up from the Windows Start menu. The default path is: Start/Programs/ Ubi Soft Games/Rayman 3. If you have carried out the minimum installation, CD2 or 3 should be inserted. If you have carried out the maximum installation, CD1 should be in your drive (the CD-Rom drive, of course - silly!). The first time you start the game, a configuration screen appears. This allows you to adapt all the display data to your computers configuration. Rayman is also an educational game which helps you get the hang of foreign languages. There are 5 different lingos to choose from! You can access this screen by clicking on the Start/Programs/Ubi Soft Games/Rayman 3/Configuration Rayman 3 shortcut on your desktop.

How do I Quit the game?

Press the Esc key and then select Quit in the menu. You will be asked to confirm your choice (just in case youve changed your mind in the previous split-second). You dont even have to worry about saving. Its all automatic. (Isnt technology wonderful stuff?!)

NAVIGATING IN THE MENUS

To navigate in the RAYMAN 3 HOODLUM HAVOC menus, use the directional keys and the right and left CTRL keys on the keyboard. To validate your selection, press the Enter key. To go back, press the Backspace key (the key above Enter with an arrow pointing left).

BEGINNING THE GAME

Starting the Game
When the title screen appears, follow the instructions on the screen: press the Esc key to access the Main Menu.

Main Menu

Select New Game to begin a new game. If the words Nuovo gioco appear, youve got the wrong language and chosen Italian. Oops! Youll just have to quit the game and change languages on the configuration screen.
Use Continue to access your saved game(s). This option is only active if a game has been previously saved. Kind of logical, isnt it? Select Options if you want to configure the game settings: controller, audio, video. Select Album to access the album of game photos stored on your hard disk.

New Game

Select New. You then go to the screen for creating a new game. Key in your name or any other name which will serve as a game name (if youre short of ideas, use a dictionary!) and validate. Once youve entered your name, select OK and validate.

Loading an Existing Game

From the Main Menu, select Continue and validate. You then go to a screen which groups together all your saved games. Select the game you want to load and validate.

Options

If you know how to read off a PC screen, you dont have to read this section!To access the Options Menu, select Options in the Main Menu (I warned you this wouldnt exactly make edifying reading). For all the Option screens, use the Backspace key to go back and the Enter key to validate.

Control Settings

Under this heading you can modify the settings for any kind of controller thats compatible with Rayman 3: keyboard or joystick. By selecting Definition, you can configure all the keys on your peripherals. By selecting Advanced, you can choose whether or not to invert the horizontal and vertical axes of your directional controls. The left-hand key concerns the keyboard; the right-hand key concerns the pad.

Sound Settings

Here you can set the sound volume for music, sound effects and dialogues.

LOADING / SAVING

Loading
You can load another game at any time, provided you have a saved game on your hard disk. To do this, press the Esc key to display the menu. Then press the right or left CTRL key to access the game menu. Select Load, then validate. A screen with your different saved games appears. Now select your game.

Saving

Thanks to the miracle of technology, saving is automatic during the game. Its done at the end of each level. So you dont have to do a thing to record your progress in the game.

ASSIGNING KEYS

Keyboard and Pad Controls (default)
Keyboard arrows / P ad cross or stick
To move Rayman in any direction

C key / B3 button

To jump, activate the helico (when Rayman is in the air)

Sp ace Bar / B4 button

To shoot and load your fist
Left CTRL key / B6 button

To lock on

W key / B5 button

To activate the roll

V key / B2 button
To display the Life Bar and pull a funny face (after receiving permission during the game)

X key / B1 button

Look mode
+ AND KEYS ON THE NUMBER KEYPAD
To zoom in and zoom out (in Look mode)

ESC KEY

To access the menu during the game

F1 key

To activate the Freeze mode

Enter key

To take a photo

Mouse Controls

Mouse movement

To move the camera

Right mouse button
To jump, activate the helico (when Rayman is in the air), zoom out (in Look mode)

Left mouse button

To shoot, load your fist, zoom in (in Look mode) For those of your whore already moaning because these arent the controls you fancy, youre free to change them by going to the Options menu and selecting Controls. That way, we keep everyone happy Furthermore, if you have a joystick, joypad, controller or any other kind of instrument with buttons and a USB connection, we strongly advise you to configure it in the Options. Your gaming pleasure can only improve!

RAYMAN CONTROLS

To MOVE, use the directional arrows or your pads stick in the direction of your choice. Doesnt it do you good to see him toe the line?! To JUMP, press the C key or the right mouse button. To ACTIVATE THE HELICO, press the C key (or the right mouse button) and keep it pressed down when Rayman is not touching the ground. To ROLL, press the W key. To CLING ON to the edges of walls, jump while moving in the direction of the wall. Rayman will cling to the wall automatically.

To CLIMB along ladders or special walls, move against the wall. Rayman clings on automatically. You can then move along with the directional arrows. To come off, press on the assigned Jump key once again. To CLIMB BETWEEN TWO WALLS, jump while pressing the assigned Jump key (by default, the C key or the right mouse button), then press once again on this key to cling on. Repeat this action until you reach the top. To MOVE FORWARD WHILE HANGING from gratings, jump with the assigned Jump button to hang on and use the directional arrows to move along. To SWIM UNDERWATER, use the directional arrows. To LAUNCH YOUR FIST, press the assigned Shoot button (by default, the Space Bar or the left mouse button). Go to the FIGHTING THE ENEMIES section to see everything you can do with this key.

CONTROLLING THE CAMERAS

Theres no point in running if you dont know where youre heading, as the saying goes. To make sure you know where youre heading, use the mouse to swivel the camera. In some game sequences, the camera is placed automatically to provide an optimal view of the situation. Pressing the left CTRL key places the camera behind Rayman again.

Look Mode

Keep the X key on the keyboard, or B1 on your pad, pressed down to move into Look mode. The camera places itself automatically at Raymans level. Not only can you swivel the camera with the directional arrows or the left analog stick on your pad, but you can also zoom in and zoom out with the + and keys on the number keypad (or the right and left mouse buttons) respectively. This mode is very useful for observing the situation before setting off to fight, or for finding all the bonuses.
Freeze Mode and Taking a Photo
You can freeze the situation whenever you want by pressing the F1 key. Everything in the game comes to a standstill. When this happens, you can still move the camera using the mouse or your pads stick. You can even take photos and give free rein to your unbounded creativity by pressing the Enter key. Then choose YES to save your photo. A screen allowing you to name your photo appears. Give a name to your work, select OK and validate. Your photo is now saved on your hard disk.

GAME SCREENS

By pressing the V key on the keyboard, or B2 on the pad, you can display loads of information about Rayman.
Score Score obt ained in Combo mode

Superpower Gauge Raymans Life Bar An enemys Life Bar

FIGHTING THE ENEMIES

Locking On
To LOCK ON to an enemy or an object, turn towards the target so that the sights appear and keep the left CTRL key pressed down. When youve locked on to your enemy, you can carry out any actions you want without losing sight of him: MOVE SIDEWAYS (STRAFING), using the directional arrows Jump or use the helico, using the assigned Jump key (by default, the Space Bar or the left mouse button) Roll in any direction by pressing the W key and directing yourself with the directional arrows Launch your fists with the assigned Shoot key

Launching the Fists

Rayman doesnt have big biceps hardly surprising, for an armless hero! but he does have 2 fists which can prove to be very powerful: To launch his FIST IN A STRAIGHT TRAJECTORY, press the assigned Shoot key (by default youre beginning to get the hang of this! the Space Bar or the left mouse button). To launch his FIST IN A RIGHT OR LEFT CURVE, press the left CTRL key, strafe right or left and press the Shoot key (to find out what the default keys are, just look 2 lines above ) To launch a LOADED FIST, keep the Shoot key pressed down (no, Im not saying it again you must know which keys by now!) until a whirlwind of power appears, then release the key to dispatch your fist. This loaded fist can be straight or curved. In short, use the left CTRL key to always face the enemy, then use all your fist types to attack him. The side fists are very useful for striking an enemy hiding behind an obstacle or for wounding those who dodge frontal attacks. Lastly, dont forget to load your fist. This can cause damage beyond your wildest dreams! A Little Trick (so you wont have read this manual for nothing ) Lock on to an enemy and activate the Freeze mode by pressing the F1 key. If you press the V key, youll get some useful information thatll help you get rid of him.

THE SUPERPOWERS

The Hoodlums have created a laser washing powder that can transform their clothing into battle dress. It also acts on Rayman, giving him Superpowers. When a Hoodlum has a $ symbol above him, this means that hes carrying a box of washing powder. Eliminate him to get hold of the box. But beware: the effect of the Superpowers is limited. So keep an eye on the gauge at the bottom of the screen to see how much time youve got left. To pick up the Superpower, all you have to do is move over the box.

Green box: VORTEX

Raymans fists turn into a whirlwind. You can make anything spin (driving it to distraction): a mushroom, a Hoodlum, or any other object or animal.

Red box: HEAVY METAL FIST
This gives each fist a Superpower: you can wipe out an enemy with a single blow and even break down doors.

Blue box: LOCK JAW

This power equips Raymans fists with metal jaws. You can use them to cling on to metal grabs. In combat, they cling on to the enemy. When this happens, press Space Bar or Left Mouse Button to give the enemy electric shocks.

Orange box: SHOCK ROCKET

One of your fists turns into a torpedo. First, press the C Key or the Right Mouse Button to arm it. Then press the Button again to launch it. Next, use the directional arrows or the left analog stick to direct it. This fist is very useful for reaching targets that are very far away.
Yellow box: THROTTLE COPTER
Rayman is now crowned with a fantastic helmet thats about as snazzy as you can get. Activate your helicopter, and off you fly!

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES

The Cages
The Hoodlums have captured all the Teensies and put them in cages to use them for shooting practice. Its up to you to set them free. Listen carefully! You can hear them calling for help when you go near a cage. Each time theyre set free, the Teensies give you a present and a jewel medallion fills up. When the 6 jewel medallions are full, the Life Bar increases.

The Score

All actions score points: Getting rid of enemies. Collecting Pick-Ups. These are splendid jewels that the game developers have scattered around for purely aesthetic reasons. The Hoodlums collect them and put them into Porkibanks pig-shaped money boxes that go all snouty when you beat them. Youll need to load your fist to break them. Whenever you win points, the Combo mode appears. The more you link up actions, the more points the Combo scores. But watch out: the Combo disappears after a few seconds. So dont hang around marvelling at the fabulous graphics that the development team spent months and months working on. If you want a great score, get a move on!! You can use your score to unlock bonus levels or previously unseen videos. So now youll really have to pull your finger out and get a good score, otherwise no bonuses! Ah yes, you dont get anything for nothing these days

HOW TO SCORE MORE POINTS

(Just so you wont have read this manual in vain.) Now that were beginning to get acquainted we can even call each other by our first names, if you like (yup, a few pages of reading-matter, thats what brings people together) heres the exclusive low-down that Murfy wont give you during the game. Whenever you get a Superpower, all the points you pick up are multiplied by 2. Try to find a Superpower before collecting all the Pick-Ups.
The Bo-peeps are chameleons who hide all over the place. You can hear them whistling when youre near them. Use the Look mode and centre the camera on them. Each Bo-peep you uncover scores 250 points.

The Heebie-jeebies are elegant young lady butterflies whore extremely timorous. If you approach them slowly, you can obtain 250 points. But if youre too quick, the terrified Heebie-jeebie flies off to see its shrink! Have a good look round. You may find one of the many secret zones that the developers had fun hiding. Theyre not unrewarding and are full of Pick-Ups!

MENU SCREEN

You can display the menus at any time by pressing the Esc key. By pressing the right and left CTRL, you can display the score page for the different universes youve been through. Use the right and left CTRL keys to display the Game Menu to save, quit or load a game. You can also access the Bonuses page. Depending on your score, you can unlock game videos as well as bonus levels and previously unseen videos.
NUMBER OF CAGES LIBERATED SCORE OBTAINED

THE CAST

Rayman
Rayman no longer needs an introduction. Hes already been top of the bill in the 2 previous episodes. Nowadays, hes a big star, even if he doesnt exactly behave like one. Hes always taking naps and larking around with his pals a fine example for the youth of today!

Globox

Raymans best friend has at last got the role of his life: not only does he mistakenly swallow Andr, the chief of the black Lums, but hes also chased by the Hoodlum army, whore trying to get their boss back. A real character part!
A ridiculous, pretentious greenbottle. Despite his stupidity, this upstart has succeeded in landing the role of coach the only explanation for which is a disgraceful bit of string-pulling!*
* Ubi Soft would like to state that the manual does not accept responsibility for these comments.
A depraved and hysterical baddie, Andr spends most of the game enclosed in Globoxs belly because the latter swallowed him. Andr has such a horribly warped mind that he obliges Globox to drink plum juice, making our poor friend lose all semblance of self-control

The Hoodlums

After some punishing auditions, the developers have brought together the worst army ever, made up of the dumbest enemies. Theyre dressed like potato sacks and are ready to use any old tactics, however ludicrous or dangerous, to stop Rayman and Globox.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY IN THE LUMS QUEST AT

WWW.RAYMANZONE.COM

The Rayman community are waiting to meet you online. Make sure you logon and take part in The Lums Quest : A unique system that rewards your participation in the community. The more you participate, the more goodies and information you can receive about Rayman games. Be a goodie, be a baddie its up to you ! Gain access to the exclusive VIP Zone ! Sign up now and receive 200 Lums to spend immediately ! In addition you will discover : Screenshots, videos and information added daily Hints and tips on all Rayman games Regular competitions with fantastic prizes Forums where you can meet other Rayman fans

Lead Teaster (Montreal) Stephan Leary Testers (Montreal) Alain Chenier Bruno St-Laurent Flix Hardy Louis-Philippe Brissette Martin Hamel Martin Shank Max Bricault Nicolas Gagnier Stphane Arbour Pascal Gauthier Patrick Melanson Yann Provencher Antoine Drouin Jo-Ashley Robert Mathieu Larin Miguel Canepa Olivier Proulx Patrice Cote Patrick Charland Pierre Boyer Vincent Nadeau Yanick Beaudet Additionnal Data Managers Thomas Omer-Decugis Fabrice Machecler Vincent Chardonnereau Managing Director Montreuil Studios Nicolas Metro Development Studio Manager Vincent Greco Graphic Studio Manager Sandrine Maigret Game Design Studio Manager David Douillard Cinematic studio manager Sophie Penziki Pre-rendered sequences director Alexandre de Broca Technical director - sfx Charles Beirnaert
Graphists - sfx Corinne Bouvier Xavier le Dantec Jrome Lionard Layout director Mathieu Breda Pre-rendered sequencesanimators Michel Guillemain Thomas J. Anderson Gilles Monteil Vronique Lacombe Eric Branz Wilfried Ayel Sonia Pronovost Franois Cote Guitar-hero Franois Queinnec Audio production manager Sylvain Brunet Creative manager Manu Bachet Sound production organisation Marine Lelievre Music composed, arranged and performed by Plume and Fred Leonard Laurent Parisi Sound effects Talk Over Mixed by Christophe Marais Claire Schwab Gwen Hervochon (Tex Avril Studio - France) Masterised by Martin Dutasta Music editing Pascal Flork
'Madder' Performed by Groove Armada Courtesy of Jive Electro Written by Michael Daniels/K. Lee/ J. White/C. Jenner/ Thomas Findlay Andrew Cocup Zomba Music Publishing LTD. (Adm. By Zomba Enterprises Inc in the US and Canada), Universal Music Publishing LTD. (Adm by UniversalPolygram International Publishing,INC., Warner/Chappell Music Ltd. (PRS) All rights on behalf of Warner/Chappell Music Ltd. administered by WB Music Corp. UBI SOFT INTERNATIONAL President and CEO Yves Guillemot International Production Director Christine Burgess-Quemard International Content Director Serge Hascot International Content Team Game-design Gunther Galipot Play-tests Lionel Raynaud Frdric Duroc Story Editor Alexis Nolent Marketing
Approval Coordinators Nikola Milisavljevic Dave Costello EMEA Marketing team Lidwine Vernet Clothilde du Saint Judit Barta Julien Galtier Local Brand Managers Amanda Butt (UK) Thorsten Kapp (GER) Hlne Carbon (FR) Valeria Lodeserto (ITA) Oriol Rosel (SPA) Marcel Keij (NL) Kristina Mortensen (Scandinavia) Vanessa Leclercq (Benelux) Yannick Theler (SWI) Nick Wong (Australia) Special Thanks to Arnaud Koltelnikoff Alexandra Ancel Michel Ancel Philippe Vimont Han Da Qing The Rayman M Team Mao Yi Wang Bin Arnaud Guyon Arnaud de Pischof Benot Maury-Bout David Houssin Hanane Sbai Niquette Eric Tremblay Sophie Pendaries

Rayman 3 Hoodlum Havoc 2003 Ubi Soft Entertainment. The logo and the character of Rayman are trademarks of Ubi Soft Entertainment. All rights reserved. All trademarks are owned by the respective rights holders. Ubi Soft Entertainment makes no claim to any such trademarks.

WARRANTY

Ubi Soft guarantees to the original buyer of the product that the compact disc (CD) supplied with this product shall not show any fault during a normal-use period of ninety (90) days from the invoiced date of purchase. Please return any defective product to; Ubi Soft Entertainment Ltd., Chantrey Court, Minorca Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8DU together with this manual and your registration card if you have not already sent it to us. Please state your full name and address (including postcode), as well as the date and location of purchase. You may also exchange the product at the place of purchase. If a disc is returned without proof of purchase or after the warranty period has expired, Ubi Soft will choose either to repair or to replace it at customer expense. This warranty is invalid if the disc has been damaged through negligence, accident or misuse, or if it has been modified after acquisition. This software program, manual and packaging are protected by copyright and all rights are reserved by Ubi Soft. Documentation should not be copied, reproduced, translated or transferred, in whole or in part and in whatever form, without prior written agreement of Ubi Soft. This software program, this CD and its documentation are sold as they stand. Outside the guarantee period of 90 days concerning any manufacturing defect of the CD, Ubi Soft will not extend any other guarantee concerning this program, this CD nor its documentation, be it written or verbal, direct or implied, including but without limitation of the above, guarantee and conditions of marketing and use for specific purposes even though the company may have been informed of such use. Similarly, you shall be entirely responsible for any risks relative to utilisation, results and performance of this software program, of this CD and the documentation. Ubi Soft shall in no event be liable to you or a third party for indirect or consecutive damages, nor specific damages relative to ownership, the use or the wrongful use of this product and, within the limits provided by law, damages in case of bodily injury, even if Ubi Soft has been informed of such possible damages or losses. The buyer wholly accepts that, in case of legal claim (contract, prejudice, or other) the liability of Ubi Soft shall not exceed the price value originally paid for the purchase of the product.

UBI SOFT UK TECHNICAL SUPPORT

On-line Support Options

Ubi Soft offers on-line support options for software products. One of these is our website at: http://support.ubisoft.co.uk If you have a specific problem that is not addressed on our site, you can send your question to us via e-mail at: techsupport@ubisoft.co.uk Please be as specific as you can be about the problem you are experiencing.

Other Support Options

You can also contact Ubi Soft Technical Support by phone and fax. When you call, please be as specific as you can be about the problem you are experiencing. Ubi Soft Technical Support: 7670 Hours: Monday To Friday 8.00am 11.00pm GMT Ubi Soft Hintline: 0200 Mailing Address: Ubi Soft Entertainment Ltd. Chantrey Court, Minorca Road, Weybridge, SURREY. KT13 8DU.

For more Mac game news, reviews and information, please visit Macworld's Game Room.
April 26, 2004 Macworld May 2004 Issue

The Game Room

Feel the Force

By Peter Cohen IN BRIEF

COMPLETE SUMMARY OF EACH PRODUCT BELOW
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Activision Anthology: Remix Edition Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc Sveerz Price as rated: $20 Starbase Defender BETA TESTed: XIII ToySight
Price as rated: $50 Price as rated: $30

Price as rated: $60

Price as rated: $20 Price as rated: $50

Price as rated: $35

In Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Aspyr answers the question that has tugged at many a Mac user's soul: Which side of the force would you choose? Jedi Academy is the sequel to Aspyr's excellent 2002 game, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Like its predecessor, Jedi Academy is a 3-D action game that puts you in the battle between light and dark sides of the Force -- but it has some important differences. For one, Jedi Academy is not focused on Kyle Katarn, the Jedi-turned-mercenary-turned-Jedi who was finally redeemed in Jedi Outcast. Instead, Katarn serves as your mentor after you crash-land on the jungle moon where Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy is located. In Jedi Academy, you are Jaden Korr, a Jedi initiate learning to master the ways of the Force -- and the decisions you make will determine whether you master the light side or the dark side. You're tasked with discovering what happened to Master Luke's journal, which disappeared after an attack on the Academy, and with learning about the mysterious Cult of Ragnos, which threatens stability throughout the galaxy. At the game's start, you choose from a variety of species, genders, and appearances for your character. You also get to design your own lightsaber by selecting a hilt style and a blade color. Unfortunately, these choices have no bearing on the story that follows. Although game play follows a linear progression, it's not a straight narrative; you decide which missions you'll go on. When you complete missions successfully, you'll receive points that you can use to further hone your Jedi skills -- a nice change from the previous game, which assigned new skills to players. You can develop light or dark Force skills; for example, you can learn to do mind tricks ("These are not the droids you are looking for"), or you can learn how to choke your enemies to death ("I find your lack of faith disturbing"). All the skills come in handy throughout the game -- however, you won't amass enough credit to master them all. This eventually sets you up for a climactic final battle that changes depending on which side of the Force you're playing. In another nice touch, Jedi Academy lets you play around with weapons, vehicles, and other stuff from the Star Wars movies. For example, you can ride a tauntaun -- the shaggy, ill-mannered, bipedal critter that Han Solo rode across the snowy wastes of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back -- or operate the controls of an AT-ST -- the armored miniwalker the Imperials used on the forest moon of Endor in Return of the Jedi. These test rides aren't a part of the game's main story line, but it's fun to play with the stuff you fantasized about as a kid. Jedi Academy moves at a faster pace than Jedi Outcast did. In the process, it sacrifices a bit of character and plot development. My heart bled for Kyle Katarn -- he suffered tragedies that seemed almost Shakespearean. By comparison, Jaden's Academy experience seemed more like an episode of The O.C. with lightsabers. Multiplayer gaming is exciting and fun in Jedi Academy -- it's much better than that of Jedi Outcast. There are new multiplayer game modes, such as Siege and Power Duel, as well as the classic modes found in Jedi Outcast (Free for All, Duel, Team Free for All, and Capture the Flag). If you decide not to play online, you can go solo on your own machine by populating your miniserver with computer-controlled Bots. Jedi Academy runs well, but the Quake III Arena technology it's based on is getting long in the tooth. Although character animation and detail are fine, the scenery and environments -- especially open, outdoor areas -- lack impressive detail. John Williams's music loops do a lot to help heighten tension when they need to, and they provide familiar ground for Star Wars nerds like me.

Panther users should download the latest patch for Jedi Academy from Aspyr's Web site.

Back to the Future

It's gratifying to see companies such as MacPlay feed the nostalgia of old gaming fogies like me. In its retro game collection, Activision Anthology: Remix Edition, MacPlay gathers more than six dozen games originally developed for the now ancient Atari 2600. Using the power of modern emulation -- as well as some truly superfluous bells and whistles -- Activision Anthology lets you relive the glory days of swinging Pitfall Harry across an alligator-infested pond. The only thing that's missing is the stiff one-button joystick. The collection provides a good cross-section of the Activision games that were once available for the Atari 2600. Though some of these games are probably better left in the past -- Skeleton and Dragster, for instance -- many others, such as Freeway (Activision's answer to Frogger) and the Pitfall and River Raid series, are certifiable classics. What's more, you even get to play some games that never made it onto store shelves. Activision Anthology revels in retro flavor. Its interface takes you back to the early 1980s, to a bedroom complete with a walnutveneer TV and a boom box. While you play, you'll listen to pop music hits from the era -- eight songs from notable talents such as Flock of Seagulls and Billy Ocean. Thank goodness I could turn it off; the second or third time "Eye in the Sky" by the Alan Parsons Project fired up, I started to get a bit testy. I'll stick with my own iTunes library, thanks. The games all run well. But the developer, perhaps worried that the old-school graphics wouldn't hold the interest of modern audiences, has expanded the game play with new OpenGL modes, which unlock as you play. These modes -- which project the games on spinning cubes, warp images, add motion blur, and so on -- don't augment the game play in any way and mainly succeeded in angering me. Activision Anthology's system requirements are surprisingly steep: a 400MHz G4 or better machine with a 16MB 3-D video card. That's much higher than Stella, a public-domain Atari 2600 emulator I've played. I expect that part of the difference lies in the OpenGL modes that made me grind my teeth. The Bottom Line It's fun to go back and play the games that gave you your first thumb calluses. But the developer's attempts to jazz up these classics with some modern flair fall flat.

Everybody Loves Rayman

Platform games are one of the most popular forms of console gaming. These action adventures let you navigate a character through a 3-D world, jumping across hazards, beating up bad guys, collecting goodies or power ups, and more. It's rare that they come to computers, though, and rarer still that one shows up on the Mac. But thanks to Feral Interactive, Mac gamers can now test their mettle on a hugely popular platform franchise -- Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc. Rayman, for the uninitiated, is a wide-eyed, big-nosed cartoon character whose begloved hands and giant besneakered feet don't actually touch his body. Rayman lives in a strange, otherworldly place called the Crossroads of Dreams, which is occupied by creatures both fantastic and silly. The game's storyline goes something like this: Andr, a Lum with megalomaniacal delusions, has raised an army of Hoodlums -- Lums dressed in what appear to be potato-sacks and wide-brimmed hats -- to take over the world. There's only one problem: Rayman's friend Globox -- a big, blue, googly-eyed critter -- has accidentally swallowed Andr, and now the Hoodlum army is after him. It's up to Rayman to rescue Globox and to somehow stop the attack. To that end, you'll navigate more than 50 levels, including bonus levels that unlock when you complete certain tasks. The environments Rayman and friends find themselves in are a feast for the eyes: swamps, deserts, mountains, forest glades, and huge mechanized monstrosities. The extravagant graphics have an almost dreamlike luminescent quality befitting a place called the Crossroads of Dreams. Like many console converts, Rayman is easier to play with a game pad, although you can make do with the keyboard and mouse if you have to. The game offers plenty of flexibility in customizing video and audio settings, so you can optimize it for your hardware needs. I did run into a bit of trouble with Rayman. Audio cues, such as comments from Rayman's buzzing buddy Murfy, occasionally came through in staccato bursts. Feral hadn't posted any fixes or updates at press time. You can download a demo of the game from Feral's Web site. The Bottom Line Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is a rare find -- a 3-D platform game that runs on the Mac. In addition to offering fabulous production values, the game is a lot of fun to play. It'll make a nice addition to your collection if you haven't already played it on another system.

Simon Says

On the surface, Sveerz, a new release from Skunk Studios, looks like a lot of other action-puzzle games -- as colored objects descend, you must group and remove them before the growing pile reaches the top of the screen. But here, fortunately, is where the similarities end. Sveerz adds a challenging twist to the action-puzzle formula by incorporating music into the game play. In Sveerz, music is more than just repetitive background filler -- it's part of the action. To make the colored blobs (the "Sveerz" of the title) disappear, you must match sequences of flashing colors and sounds. (It's reminiscent of Hasbro's classic electronic game Simon, which challenged you to mimic flashing red, yellow, green, and blue lights.) Add to that a timer and two-player support, and you have an extraordinarily addictive and fun game that's also great at parties.

extraordinarily addictive and fun game that's also great at parties. The game offers four modes: a fast-paced arcade mode that uses short sequences of colors and a tight time limit; a memory mode that tests your skills at remembering long sequences; a puzzle mode that challenges you to strategically connect combinations of Sveerz and clear the board; and the most challenging mode of all -- Rhythm mode. In Rhythm mode, you not only have to remove the Sveerz in the correct sequence, but also must replicate the rhythm with which the sequence is sung to you. It's like playing the popular Dance Dance Revolution arcade game using your mouse instead of a dance pad. When you're finished, Sveerz records your name and remembers your high score. It also offers the option of going online to compare your best scores with those of other Sveerz players worldwide. I did run into a few minor problems. The game insisted on installing itself in my Applications folder, forcing me to manually drag it into my Games directory instead. And despite choosing Smooth Singers as my Voices option, I always ended up with the Sveerz Tones when I started a new Arcade game. However, I was able to change this option once the game started, so it was a minor annoyance. The Bottom Line Sveerz is a unique addition to the puzzle-game genre. It's definitely worth the time it'll take to download it and try it out -- especially if you're looking for a fun party game.

Memory Lane

Bigger Planet may not be the most prolific game developer on the planet, but it has a knack for making really nifty games. Now the developer has self-published a new shareware title called Starbase Defender, which harks back to the good old days of coin-op gaming. While Starbase Defender borrows a bit from arcade classics such as Missile Command, Rip-Off, and others, it's certainly not stuck in the past. With 3-D graphics, interesting effects, and an electroclash soundtrack, this game has a modern flair while winking back to that classic era for inspiration. In Starbase Defender, you're charged with protecting six glowing Cores, which are essential to the survival of your station. Alien ships are, of course, hell-bent on stealing them. And if the aliens grab all six, the game is over. To fend off the invading hordes, you have an arsenal of three swiveling cannons, as well as shields that can withstand direct hits from missiles and other projectiles. When the fighting gets particularly tough, you can activate your Nova weapon to temporarily slow down your opponents and to give yourself a bit of a breather. But you won't rest for long. With 18 different bad guys and 70 waves of attack culminating in an epic confrontation with the alien fleet's admiral, Starbase Defender will keep you on your toes. The pace of the game ramps up quickly after the first few levels. In fact, some gamers may have trouble keeping pace. Starbase Defender is an odd contradiction. Although it sports extremely simple game-play mechanics -- basically you're just pointing and clicking on points in the sky -- it requires some deft skill. You have to time your shots just right by tracking where each ship is going. And you must simultaneously make sure your defenses don't get pummeled by incoming bombs and protect inbound ships. It's quite a juggling act, and it's not for the faint of heart. The Bottom Line Starbase Defender is a fun mix of old and new. While it may not hold your attention for hours, it's a great pickme-up with lots of challenge.

FIRST LOOK: XIII

Feral Interactive really hit the ground running in 2004 with several new game releases, and even more are promised in the next few months. One of the most interesting games waiting at the starting gate is XIII, a first-person shooter with a conspiracy-laden plot worthy of an episode of Alias or 24. XIII's roots actually lie in a decade-old French comic-book series of the same name. In the game, you're the purported assassin responsible for the death of the president of the United States. Though you definitely have the assassin's face, you can't remember a thing -- not even your identity. All you're sure of is that the roman numeral XIII is tattooed on your chest, and that you're really good at killing things. Can you uncover the plot before you're silenced forever? The game's story line is entertaining, and it's suspenseful enough to compensate for the fact that there's not a lot new here in the way of action. Borrowing liberally from the comic book's look-and-feel, XIII trades hyper-realistic 3-D graphics for the cel-shaded design of a graphic novel. The results are both unique and refreshing. The game also features voice talents of celebrity actors such as David Duchovny from The X-Files, Batman's Adam West, and hip-hop star Eve. XIII supports multiplayer gaming online or over a LAN. Feral has even managed to include some multiplayer content that was previously available only in the game's console releases -- a little extra taste that our PC counterparts didn't get.

Recently Reviewed

In February 2004's Game Room, I previewed a beta version of ToySight. This offbeat game collection works with the iSight (or any FireWire camcorder) and lets you use gestures to control what's happening on screen. ToySight is now out, and it's definitely worth a look -- it's also a great way to make your Mac the focus of your next family game night or party.