Rayman Legends on the Vita is touching

Rayman Origins was such a delightful, underrated game. It makes us happy that Rayman and his silly group of friends return for more cooperative platforming in Rayman Legends. And while we enjoyed playing the game on a console, its the Vita version that got our attention. Legends takes place in what seems to be a diverse set of colorful locations that are a treat to explore. The Vita version, while only supporting two players instead of four, looks fantastic, and the levels we played were short enough to be enjoyed on a portable device. You may have seen the entire level in a previous trailer, but the Mariachi Madness level is a blast to play once you got the timing down. Even if you struggle a little and face plant into an enemy, it's still a cheery, well-designed, musical experience that can easily be played over and over again. Plus, who doesn't want to listen to kazoo rendition of Eye of the Tiger?

The other level we played was called "Once Upon a Time," which showcased the Vita's touch controls, where we would swipe the screen and move things around in the level for our character to continue. Some movements required the Vita's gyroscope, which is always a bit awkward in public, but we do what we can to avoid faceplanting into a row of spikes.

Each console version will have their own exclusive levels, but the majority of the game will be similar across platforms. The Xbox 360 level we played involved a bit of stealth and underwater finesse, as we deftly danced our way around the level to turn off the power and dodge enemies. We'll have more to come as we approach this year's E3. Rayman Legends is set to come up on September 3 on the Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PlayStation Vita.

Check out the following slides for additional images and more information.