Rayman Jungle Run review: An excellent, but frustrating runner

Rayman Jungle Run is an excellent single-touch control running game that keeps you on your toes as you try to collect all the coins (Lums) and attempt to complete perfect levels. Powered by the same UbiArt Framework engine that brought you Rayman Origins, Rayman Jungle Run features excellent graphics and a simplified control system for a great all-around game.

8.4

Rayman Jungle Run

The Good

<b>Rayman Jungle Run</b> is an incredibly easy game to learn, but it's very difficult to master. The game succeeds at challenging you to complete perfect levels.

The Bad

Some Lums are so well hidden that you'll think you're completing perfect levels when you're not. This game has a very high frustration factor, so be ready to restart levels a lot.

The Bottom Line

Rayman Jungle Run has incredibly easy controls, but extremely challenging gameplay. If you're OK with restarting levels multiple times to go for the perfect run, you should buy this well-made game.

The controls couldn't be any easier. Simply touch to jump and touch-and-hold to fly for a short period of time. But even with such easy controls, Rayman Jungle Run is incredibly challenging. Rayman runs automatically once you start a level, and it's your timing that is put to the test while you try to both collect Lums and stay alive by jumping and flying out of the way of obstacles.

Beautiful, but challenging worlds await (pictures)

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But there's something more to the game that has a way of sucking you in -- you simply need to get the perfect level every time. If you are able to make all the right jumps with perfect timing and gather all the coins in a level, you are awarded a red ruby. For each red ruby awarded you add a tooth to a cute undead monster's (Mister Death) mouth. Sure, it sounds strange, but once you've added enough teeth in each world, you unlock the final level. What this means is you'll restart levels countless times to try to pull off the flawless run, but there's a definite feeling of satisfaction once you perfect a level.

My only issues with this otherwise excellent game are the frustration factor and the sometimes very hard-to-find Lums. The game, by its nature, requires that you restart multiple times to get the perfect run, so this is the type of game that will frustrate you -- I had to switch the game off sometimes just to cool down. The game also sometimes hides the Lums a little too well. I tried one level multiple times, but couldn't understand why I still missed a few Lums every time. So as not to ruin the surprise, I'll just say some hidden passages are very well-kept secrets.

Rayman Jungle Run comes with 50 levels to master, special powers to unlock, and an active development team that continues to push out new updates with new levels to play. If you're looking for another great title from the Rayman universe, Rayman Jungle Run has just the right mix of great visuals and addictive gameplay to keep you coming back for more.