Rayman Raving Rabbids is a PlayStation 2 game aimed at younger children and features which are challenging but fun. This is the first Rayman game I've played so don't know if there is a backstory but the game starts with Rayman being thrown in a prison cell by a large bear type creature, once he gets into the room he spots that the top window is open but he can't reach. He is given a plunger every time he completes a series of games and slowly he is getting closer to the window and freedom.

Rayman is a well what is he, I'm not sure a kind of rabbit, with big hair and a big nose, he wears large shoes and can be kitted out in different outfits, glasses, wigs etc as the play opens levels as the challenges get more complex. The prison cell acts as the control centre of the game, you can view your progress, your dress, change the music and if you exit through the large sealed doors you are taken to the games arena.

The Arena
Rayman is taken to the arena, as the game progresses the guards and raving rabbids of the title turn from scornful disdain to acclaim and eventually worship. Once in the arena you are allowed to walk around and gates with games behind them are lit, you need to complete 3 out of 4 to be allowed to take the level's end game. If you complete all four tasks then the game opens a new music, clothing or wig to dress your Rayman.

The Games
The games can be split into dance, sport, accuracy or race. Dance levels feature on all levels and the Rayman in found on a disco dance floor and has to press the appropriate left or right back paddle as a Raving rabbids comes around to him, all to the beat and the dancer has to score 750 points. As with all games the levels get more complex and more difficult.
Sports events feature the freakish creatures in Raymans world; we have mixes of trolls and cows, shooting Rayman out of a cannon, skipping over a rope, doing a kind of discus with a cow etc. All are great fun and designed to test the player's ability to use the left circular button and pressing the X button when you've speeded up enough.
Racing events are self-explanatory and Rayman tends to be on a type of pig racing other pigs, again not particularly challenging but fun to play.
Accuracy events tend to be the level ending levels, they all feature first person shooting plungers at increasing rabid and excited rabbits, there are also robots, laser guided missiles and the player has to shoot all the rabbits and reload, quite a challenge for my near 4 year old.
There are other games such as sheep shearing, filling a lot of rabbits diving masks with carrot juice, slapping out of tune rabbits etc. All are fun, but the levels are set at the right level of being a challenge without being impossible or too easy. I'd suggest a child of around 6 would be able to complete most of the levels and my 2 and half year old can finish the first level all by himself as he tells me.
Overall
Overall this is a lovely game to play, the games are a nice mix of quirkiness, challenging but not impossible and the kids love playing the game. The adults can play as well and whilst not particularly difficult on story mode, playing on score mode gives a series of high scores for every level which are genuinely difficult (I think we've managed to beat about 20% of them). We have completed the game and it left me with the desire to go out and buy other Rayman games and that must be the best complement.