Raving Rabbids
Raving Rabbids, known in France as Lapins crétins (Moronic Rabbits) and in Italy simply as Rabbids, is a video game franchise spin-off from the Rayman series. The series focuses on wild rabbit-like creatures known as Rabbids, who like to cause havoc and mischief, speak gibberish and scream whenever they experience adrenaline rushes. The series consists mainly of party video games, though other genres have been explored as well.
| Raving Rabbids | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre(s) | Party |
| Developer(s) | Ubisoft Montpellier Ubisoft Sofia Ubisoft Paris Ubisoft Milan Ubisoft Casablanca Headstrong Games Ubisoft Barcelona |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Creator(s) | Michel Ancel |
| Platform(s) | Wii PlayStation 2 Microsoft Windows Xbox 360 Game Boy Advance Nintendo DS Nintendo 3DS Kinect Wii U iOS Android PlayStation 4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch |
| First release | Rayman Raving Rabbids November 14, 2006 |
| Latest release | Rabbids Coding! 2019 |
Though they were initially introduced as antagonists in the Rayman series of games, the popularity of the characters, aided by various viral videos and media appearances, led Raving Rabbids to become its own separate franchise, dropping the Rayman name as of 2009's Rabbids Go Home.[1][2] The Rabbids have gone on to appear in other expanded media, such as a TV show and a feature film currently in development, as well as making guest appearances in other Ubisoft games. As of April 2014, the series had sold over 14 million units worldwide.[3]
Concept and creation
The earliest Rayman 4 trailers depicted menacing and zombie-like rabbits, simply appearing from underground with a blank stare in various shapes and forms, smaller eyes and furry. At this point, trailers showed the game as an adventure game with fight stages, where Rayman would need to punch and kick himself kung fu style through a horde of zombie-bunnies. As the game concept evolved, from one of a central objective to minigames, a series of viral videos were created by Marketing Manager Adrian Lacey and Animator Charles Beirnaert which became incredibly successful on the new media platform YouTube. The rabbits slowly evolved into various merchandising products such as the Rabbid figures, which were much more conscious and amusing, changing from merely being enemies to fight through into more memorable characters with various traits and quirks. Rayman creator Michel Ancel described the bunnies as "vicious, but at the same time [...] totally stupid".[4] In a video interview, project lead Loïc Gounon confirmed the possibility of splitting the Rayman and Rabbid series apart, mentioning that the Rabbids "managed to hit a bit more adult and a bit more older audience than the previous Raymans".[5]
Characters
Rabbids – Rabbids are wild rabbit-like creatures who like to cause havoc and mischief on Rayman's world (where they came from), the human world, and others and are gibberish speaking and yell "BWAH!" whenever they experience adrenaline rushes. They were originally the antagonists; however, due to increase in popularity, they became the protagonists in Rabbids Go Home.
Rayman – the main protagonist of the first three games. He always foils the Rabbids' evil plans. When the Rabbids became the protagonists of the franchise, Rayman was dropped, but continues to appear in his own games.
Professor Barranco III – the supreme leader of the Rabbids who planned out all of their invasions on Rayman's world, Earth and others. He is seen in the games Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, Rabbids: Travel in Time and Rabbids: Alive and Kicking as the main antagonist (despite having a minor role in RRR 2 and RTiT). He is one of the rare smart Rabbids to exist, but can be easily fooled as well. In RAaK he has a Rabbid scientist as his second in command, who would later go on to become a major character in the TV series.
Serguei – Serguei is the main villain of Rayman Raving Rabbids. He is a large, black rabbid who abducted Rayman and the Globox kids and forced them to take part in the Rabbids Olympics filled with deadly challenges. In the end, Rayman manages to escape and free most of the Globox kids. It is unknown what happens to Serguei at that point, though his absence in further games suggest that he was relieved of his duties due to failure in keeping Rayman.
The Semi-Leaders – the Semi-leaders are fat, lazy and angry Rabbids who serve as the secondary antagonists of Rayman Raving Rabbids 2. They constantly force the Rabbids to bring them food and don't do pretty much anything than sitting or lying around and keeping things in check. They each have different themes in clothing.
Games
| Year | Title | Developer(s) | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Rayman Raving Rabbids (handheld version) | Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft Sofia | Windows, Xbox 360, PS2, Wii, GBA, DS |
| 2007 | Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 | Ubisoft Paris | Windows, Wii, DS |
| 2008 | Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party | Wii, DS | |
| 2009 | Rabbids Go Home | Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft Sofia | Windows, Wii, DS |
| 2010 | Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time | Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft Casablanca | Wii, 3DS |
| Rabbids Go Phone | Ubisoft | iOS | |
| 2011 | Raving Rabbids: Alive & Kicking | Ubisoft Milan, Ubisoft Paris | Xbox 360 |
| Raving Rabbids: Party Collection (Feat. Rayman) | (Compilation of Rabbids, Rabbids 2 and TV Party) | Wii | |
| 2012 | Rabbids Land | Ubisoft Paris | Wii U |
| Rabbids Rumble | Headstrong Games | 3DS | |
| 2013 | Rabbids Big Bang | Ubisoft Milan, Ubisoft Paris | iOS, Android, Windows Phone |
| 2014 | Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show | Ubisoft Barcelona | Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4 |
| 2016 | Rabbids Heroes[6] | Ubisoft | iOS, Android |
| 2017 | Rabbids Crazy Rush[7] | ||
| Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle | Ubisoft Milan, Ubisoft Paris | Nintendo Switch | |
| Virtual Rabbids: The Big Plan | Ubisoft | Android | |
| 2018 | Mario + Rabbids: Donkey Kong Adventure (DLC) | Nintendo Switch | |
| 2019 | Rabbids Coding![8] | Ubisoft | Microsoft Windows |
| TBA | Rabbids: Adventure Party | Ubisoft Chengdu | Nintendo Switch |
In other media
Other video games
The Rabbids have made several appearances in games outside of their own series or the Rayman franchise. In Red Steel, the Rabbids appear as enemies in one of the game's later stages. The Wii version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up includes three different types of Rabbids as playable characters, along with a stage based on Rabbids Go Home. Toys of the Rabbids appear as hidden easter eggs in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction and Watch Dogs. In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, a cheat can be used to turn the game's enemies into Rabbids. The song "Here Comes the Hotstepper" in Just Dance 2 includes a Rabbid who attempts to dance with the choreographer. Similarly, the alternate version of the song "Naughty Girl" in the Nintendo Switch version of Just Dance 2018 via Just Dance Unlimited subscription service includes Rabbid Peach from Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle as the main choreographer. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate features three Rabbids from Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle as unlockable spirits[9] and a Rabbid Mii Fighter hat was available as downloadable content on January 28, 2020.[10] On April Fools' Day 2019, For Honor featured a limited time event in which Rabbids replaced all of the game's characters.[11]
TV series
In October 2010, Ubisoft and Aardman announced a partnership to produce a TV series pilot and several shorts based on the franchise.[12] One year later, it was announced that 78 7-minute CG animated episodes would be made solely by Ubisoft Motion Pictures, and broadcast as 26 half-hour episodes by Nickelodeon on August 3, 2013.[13] In early 2012, Ubisoft Motion Pictures called on the French animation studio TeamTO to create most of the CGI parts of the series.[14][15][16] On E3 2013, it was announced that it would be an interactive Xbox One show entitled Rabbids Invasion. The show aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from August 3, 2013 through June 23, 2017.[17] On July 1, 2019, a fourth season was released on Netflix.
Film
A live-action/animated movie based on the franchise was in the works by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment.[18] However, in 2019, Lionsgate and Ubisoft signed a deal to produce the Rabbids movie with Todd Strauss-Schulson in talks to direct the movie with Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman as producers. It is now being developed by Lionsgate, Ubisoft Motion Pictures, Mandeville Films, and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, with Matt Senreich, Tom Sheppard, and Zeb Wells set to write the film, while revised by Todd Rosenberg.[19]
Comic book series
A comic book series based on the franchise has been released in France, Belgium and Switzerland. All comic strips are drawn by the French cartoonist Romaine Pujol and written by Thithaume. There are ten volumes thus far.
Merchandising
Aside from video games and the comic book series mentioned above, the Rabbids also have other merchandising such as T-shirts, figurines, plush toys, school equipment, fan club magazines, and for a limited time, a Happy Meal toy. A Raving Rabbids themed version of the card game Jungle Speed was also released in France.
Licensing
The Rabbids franchise has also been licensed for the out-of-home entertainment market such as the recent collaboration with arcade game manufacturer LAI Games to produce Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride, an attendant-free VR attraction.[20][21]
Reception
The Rabbids from the Raving Rabbids series became massively popular both through the teaser trailers and the game itself. IGN has stated that the Rabbids have "more personality and charisma than 10 of the most popular video game mascots combined",[22] and that the bunnies have literally "upstaged Rayman himself".[1] GameSpot has noted, "The Rabbids themselves are almost exclusively responsible for [selling the game's humor], as they are, without a doubt, hysterical. They're adorably designed, with their dumb stares, high-pitched shrieks, and a penchant for taking comedic bumps."[2]
The success of the Rabbid characters led the developers to create more games in the franchise, and eventually even remove Rayman from them entirely. This was first hinted at in the launch trailer of the first game, where Rayman, despite being the title character, only appears for a fraction of a second, only to be squashed flat by a couch taken over by Rabbids. In Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, Rayman disguises himself as a Rabbid, causing the game to put more emphasis on them than on Rayman himself. Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party was considered further evidence, as Rayman, who is no longer playable, only appears in the game's cutscenes although he does make a couple cameos and references in the gameplay of some minigames, and is more scared and annoyed by the Rabbids despite his bravery against the Rabbids in Rayman Raving Rabbids. This was then proven to be true with the announcement of Rabbids Go Home, which does not feature Rayman at all and doesn't explain what happened to him in the previous Rabbids game.
The Rayman series' genre shift and decline in critical acclaim has been linked to Rabbids by fans and critics. Before Rabbids Go Home's release, when asked about why Rayman was omitted, director Jacques Exertier confirmed that Rayman would return for more action-adventure video games.[23] A Rayman-only game was released on March 1, 2011, but was merely a Nintendo 3DS re-release of Rayman 2: The Great Escape, titled Rayman 3D. However, Rayman Origins, a new Rayman game, was released in 2011 followed by a sequel, Rayman Legends released in September 2013. Both games were released to critical acclaim.
The music style for the franchise was created by composer Mark Griskey. Mark worked with Audio Director Yoan Fanise to define the comedic style of the early games and the style was continued with the further versions of the franchise. [24]
References
- Matt Casamassina (2006-10-13). "Rayman Raving Rabbids: Impressions and Video". Retrieved 2007-11-12.
The bunnies in the game are so well-designed, animated, and voiced, that they have actually upstaged Rayman himself to become the spotlight of Ubisoft's marketing efforts for the title.
- Alex Navarro (2006-11-19). "Rayman Raving Rabbids Review on GameSpot". Retrieved 2007-11-12.
It might have Rayman in the title, but the real stars of the show are the adorably bizarre raving rabbids.
- "Facts & Figures". Ubisoft. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- Matt Casamassina. "Rayman Raving Rabbids Interview". Retrieved 2007-11-12.
The Rabbits are hundreds and they are vicious, but at the same time they are totally stupid.
- "Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 interview". 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2007-11-13.
- Frank, Allegra (25 May 2016). "The Raving Rabbids return with a collectible card game on mobile". Polygon. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- Rabbids (2017-02-23), Rabbids Crazy Rush, retrieved 2017-03-10
- Robinson, Andy (September 30, 2019). "Ubisoft announces free Rabbids game designed to teach coding". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fccgHnBQ0YM
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdrTcSlqjqk
- https://www.polygon.com/2019/4/1/18290666/for-honor-rabbids-rainbow-six-siege-april-fools-day
- Ubisoft & Aardman to Create Pilot for Animated Television Show Based on Raving Rabbids, IGN
- Keslassy, Elsa (October 6, 2011). "Nick licenses 'Raving Rabbids'". Variety. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- "Des news de l'anim numéro 48 été 2012". SPFA. Summer 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
- "Drôme: Le studio TeamTO recrute". France3 Rhône-Alpes. June 6, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
- "De retour d'Annecy 2012". Catsuka. June 10, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
- "Rabbids Invasion: Debut Date Announced and Trailer Revealed". IGN. 2013-07-12. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
- https://www.polygon.com/2014/2/10/5398054/ubisoft-teams-with-sony-pictures-for-rabbids-movie
- https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/5RDXurrIc8q7gyZuU3vY3i/ubisoft-and-lionsgate-to-develop-rabbids-film
- "LAI Virtual Rabbids – December 2017 | RePlay Magazine". www.replaymag.com. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
- "Ubisoft's Rabbids Are Back In VR With Virtual Rabbids – The Big Ride". VRFocus. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
- Matt Casamassina (2006-11-16). "Rayman Raving Rabbids Review". Retrieved 2007-11-12.
Although we could honestly take or leave Rayman himself, Ubisoft has with the bunnies created characters with more personality and charisma than 10 of the most popular videogame mascots combined.
- Matt Casamassina (May 5, 2009). "Why You'll Love Rabbids Go Home: Two and a half years in development, a brand new engine, no mini-games and it's a full-blown comedy adventure". IGN. News Corporation.
- http://www.griskey.com