This 1999 Main Game, a Platform/Adventure title, casts you as Rayman, a limbless hero fighting Robot Pirates who invaded the Glade of Dreams. The core loop involves exploring vibrant 3D environments, mastering unique movement mechanics like punching and gliding, and solving puzzles to find four magic masks needed to awaken the world spirit, Polokus. Its distinctive features include a charming storybook aesthetic and challenging level design based on elemental sanctuaries. The ultimate goal is to defeat Admiral Razorbeard aboard his flying prison ship.
The adventure begins with the hero escaping a pirate prison ship, empowered by a magical lum. To restore balance to the Glade of Dreams, the player must embark on a quest to locate four ancient magic masks. These artifacts are necessary to awaken Polokus, the world spirit, who holds the key to repelling the invaders. The journey takes players through the Hall of Doors, a magical hub connecting diverse and elemental locations.
As a 3D platformer, the gameplay emphasizes exploration, precise movement, and puzzle-solving across expansive levels. The hero utilizes a unique set of abilities, including the ability to punch, helicopter his hair to glide short distances, and eventually acquire new powers as the adventure progresses. Navigating the environments often requires mastering complex jumping sequences and interacting with various characters to progress the narrative.
The game is distinguished by its imaginative enemy designs and the seamless integration of its charming, colorful visual style with challenging level design. The absence of traditional limbs for the protagonist results in a distinctive movement style that players must master to succeed in the varied sanctuaries—which are themed around the elements of water/ice, earth/stone, fire, and air.
Throughout the quest for the masks, the hero reunites with and assists friends, such as the captured Globox and the strongman Clark, who requires assistance to overcome his own ailments caused by consuming rusty pirate debris. These interactions often unlock new pathways or provide necessary tools for advancement.
This title is categorized as a main game within the Platform and Adventure genres. It was originally released on October 21, 1999, for the Nintendo 64 console. There are no officially released downloadable content packs or expansions associated with this version of the game.
After gathering the four masks and awakening Polokus, the immediate threat on land is neutralized. However, the final confrontation shifts to the skies, requiring the hero to infiltrate the Pirates' flying Prison Ship to face Admiral Razorbeard in a climactic battle against his giant mechanical creation, the Grolgoth.

The character with no arms and no legs makes his debut on the Nintendo DS. Rayman must defeat the pirates who have enslaved his world. As Rayman, you'll travel through magical worlds where you can explore waterfalls, sea caves, and pirate hideouts. Master Rayman's special moves to progress through each challenging level. The DS's bottom screen let you monitor your progress, track your lums, and keep an eye on Rayman's health.

Rayman 2 is the Game Boy Color port of Rayman 2: The Great Escape. Instead of being a 3D platformer, the game was adapted to be in 2D.

Ubisoft's personable and popular cartoon hero is back and more ambitious than ever in the PlayStation 2-exclusive re-imagining, Rayman 2: Revolution. Now in full 3D and blending humor, suspense, and blinding speed, Rayman must escape an intergalactic zoo by using the powers of his still-imprisoned friends to open the door to an even greater power to free them. Unique to the PS2 version of the game are a number of brand new stages, a harder difficulty level, and a progressive upgrade system that gives Rayman a number of abilities not found in other iterations.

The Sony PlayStation version removed and changes a bunch of levels, while merging others, and reduced the total amount of Yellow Lums from 1000 to 800. Some levels do however have several new areas and some cutscenes have been changed as well. This is the first version to have full voice acting. Many graphical changes are present, most notably in the Hall of Doors. A new bonus level can be unlocked which lets the player try a stage from the 2D prototype. Instead of Lums being imprisoned in cages, there are now Ludivs, Greenbottles and Minisaurus.

The Sega Dreamcast version of Rayman 2 retains the high quality textures from the PC version, while slightly improving some. A new area has been added in the Woods of Light called Globox Village, where the player can access new minigames by collecting Globox Crystals. This is the first version of Rayman 2 to allow for widescreen and the only version where the aspect ratio can manually be changed. The Hall of Doors has been replaced by the Isle of Doors. Several more Robo-Pirates have been added as well as a new type which shoots bombs. This is also the first version to have the cutscene in the Prison Ship where Rayman frees the prisoners, which was cut from the original versions due to time constraints.

The PC version of Rayman 2: The Great Escape retains the same level structure from the Nintendo 64 version with higher resolution graphics and a higher frame rate.