Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Naughty rabbits return, more Mini game mischief.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
What's It About?
Like its predecessor, Rayman Raving Rabbids, this collection of Mini games flaunts a sense of humor certain to appeal to the young and mischievous (and the mischievous and young at heart). The primary characters in RAYMAN: RAVING RABBIDS 2 are a bunch of bug-eyed rabbits that look like a third-grader's drawings come to life. One game has players drinking soda on a rooftop before letting out a belch that flattens several city blocks, while another sees you chowing down on a big vat of beans before using the power of farts to fly through a long desert canyon.
Less lewd (but still wonderfully silly) challenges include one in which you balance a series of impossibly tall sandwiches while serving them, and another that requires you to pump your remote and nunchuk up and down to outrun a massive boulder. One even has you disciplining a carload of misbehaving rabbits by smacking each of the bunnies' noses whenever they act up.
Is It Any Good?
These games are vulgar and immature, no question, yet the atmosphere always remains playful and lighthearted. But while the franchise's signature juvenile wit is intact, something about this sequel doesn't feel quite right. Part of the problem is that all of the activities have been designed so that up to four players can play at the same time. Many enjoyable single-player challenges seen in the first game, like using the Wii remote to draw food shapes, have no equivalent in this sequel.
Another problem is presentation: Aside from a fun little opening movie, the player is provided with no context for anything that takes place. The game begins with the player in a mall selecting a vacation, which will determine which Mini games will be played. It makes no sense, and there is no story to provide context. If you haven't played the original, we recommend it over this follow-up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the rude rabbits' antics are funny within the context of the game, but how they wouldn't be in the real world. If your family has played the original, you can talk about the differences between the two games, particularly whether the shift in focus from single player to multiplayer is a good or bad thing.
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo Wii
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : UbiSoft
- Release date : November 15, 2007
- Genre : Party
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 26, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate