Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party

Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party
European Wii cover art
Developer(s)Ubisoft Paris
Publisher(s)Ubisoft
Composer(s)Mark Griskey
SeriesRayman
Raving Rabbids
Platform(s)Wii, Nintendo DS
Release
  • AU: November 13, 2008
  • EU: November 14, 2008
  • NA: November 18, 2008
Genre(s)Party
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party (French: Rayman Prod' présente: The Lapins Crétins Show, also known as Rayman Raving Rabbids 3) is a party video game developed and published by Ubisoft in 2008 and is the third and final installment in the original Rayman Raving Rabbids' trilogy.[1][2][3]

The Rabbids take control of Rayman's TV station and monopolize their transmissions during a whole week. Each day of this week contains a different set of minigames, and some of them make use of the Wii Balance Board. All the minigames follow the TV theme, being based on films, fitness programs, gardening programs and all sorts of shows. The "ads" are present in the form of microgames which appear randomly during gameplay, lasting only a few seconds. Clearing a microgame awards a bonus to the winning player. The game allows up to 8 players in turn based mode. The game was met with mixed reception, and was the last Rabbids game to feature Rayman until Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope as a downloadable content. It is followed by Rabbids Go Home.

Gameplay

Unlike its predecessors, the game supports the Wii Balance Board. Several mini-games support use of the Balance Board, including dance and racing games - notably, the 'first video game you can play with your butt.'

The minigames consist of a channel system, each channel giving hold to specific minigames, in the same setting. For example, the X-TRM Sports, consist of racing on the belly of a yak down a hill, doing jumps, or a parody of MTV's Jackass that involves the player diving off an unfinished skyscraper, drawing shapes to fit through boards with holes in them. Other minigames involve a Plunger FPS similar to the other games. But this time, the player shoots plungers at a specific clothed Rabbid that does not belong in a movie, and in the ending, the ability to shoot is disabled for the whole ending for that minigame. Also, there are various games tied to dancing, wrestling, even a Rock Band experience. The player can run over other rabbids with a giant tractor, try to flip burgers, or possibly destroy a city as a fire-breathing Rabbid on a take of Godzilla. In the DS version of the game, the game replaced some games with new games. Also, there's a change to the minigame "Prison Fake". This time, the player has to find an item somewhere in the prison using the touch screen.

Plot

Rayman runs away from a group of Rabbids while lightning strikes. As Rayman reaches his house, another strike causes the Rabbids to be teleported into the TV antenna, down the wire, and get trapped in the TV. Rayman turns on the TV and suddenly, the Rabbids are merged with the TV, transform into cartoon versions of themselves, and start to appear on their own channels in their own service: Trash TV, Groove On, Shake It, The Raving Channel, Cult Movies, X-trm Sports, Macho TV, and No Brainer Channel.

During the week, Rayman tries to get rid of the Rabbids, who are constantly annoying him and putting his patience to the test. First, on Monday, he tries simply pulling the plug, but this doesn't stop them from messing around with the TV. Hitting the TV with his fist and then an ice pack Tuesday night causes the screen to slowly crack throughout the game. On Wednesday, after taping the TV doesn't get rid of the Rabbids' noise control after having two consecutive sleepless nights, he throws it out of the house, only to have it given back to him by moles who also got annoyed the next day. On Friday, Rayman throws it on the toilet, where the Rabbids make use of their time by breaking the fourth wall and using a hook outside the TV to repeatedly flush the toilet. When he sees this the following day, he decides to drown them in the sink, but the whole house shakes when the Rabbids scream.

Finally, the following night, he changes the channel to watch a rugby game on Sunday night, but it kept getting interrupted by the Rabbids. Even though he tries to keep changing the channel, it doesn't work, and Rayman, easily influenced by their mayhem and pushed to his breaking point, breaks the TV with his shoe and frees them, undoing the effects of the TV and the Rabbids, and returning them to their original forms. He flees from his house as the Rabbids chase him again, while one Rabbid stays inside and takes up residence of the now abandoned house.

Reception

Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party received mixed reviews. It was nominated for multiple Wii-specific awards by IGN for its 2008 video game awards, including Best Use of Sound,[4] Best Family Game,[5] and Best Use of the Wii Balance Board.[6] During the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated TV Party for "Family Game of the Year".[7]


As of January 2009, the game had sold 1.5 million copies.[17]

References

  1. ^ Andrew Burnes (April 29, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids 3". Voodoo Extreme. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
  2. ^ Matt Casamassina (April 28, 2008). "The Rabbids Get in Shape". IGN. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  3. ^ Matt Casamassina (May 28, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Announced". IGN. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
  4. ^ "IGN Wii: Best Use of Sound 2008". IGN. December 18, 2008. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
  5. ^ "IGN Wii: Best Family Game 2008". IGN. December 18, 2008. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
  6. ^ "IGN Wii: Best Use of the Balance Board 2008". IGN. December 18, 2008. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
  7. ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Casamassina, Matt (November 18, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Review". IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  10. ^ Thornton, Aaron (December 1, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Review". IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  11. ^ Dickens, Anthony (November 20, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Review (Wii)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  12. ^ McInnis, Shaun (November 21, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  13. ^ Staff, GamesRadar (November 18, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party review". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  14. ^ Howson, Greg (January 14, 2009). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  15. ^ "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party - WII - Review". GameZone. May 4, 2012. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  16. ^ Orry, Tom (November 28, 2008). "Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Review". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  17. ^ Orry, James (January 23, 2009). "Far Cry 2 generated sales of 2.9 million". VideoGamer.com. IBIBI HB. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2015.