What do Rayman and Russell Crowe have in common? Well, until this game, nothing really. But that is all about to change with the impending release of Rayman Raving Rabbids this fall. Rayman's world has been invaded by countless crazy little white bunny-like creatures called rabbids, who have been planning to take over for centuries. During the following war, our limbless hero is captured and forced into the role of a gladiator for the rabbids' amusement. Now he must conquer every trial his captors can think of in hopes of gaining the power needed to face the rabbid emperor and earn freedom for both himself and his friends.

Raving Rabbids started life as a multi-console platformer before series creator Michel Ancel was properly introduced to the possibilities the Wii and its revolutionary controllers. After that, the platformer was quickly scrapped and the development team focused their energy exclusively on bringing Rayman to life on the Wii (though it was recently announced that RRR will be ported to every other format - PC, consoles and handhelds). Not quite the usual approach, but fantastic news for soon-to-be Wii owners.

This new game is a story-based party affair, with each of the 80 gladiatorial trials taking advantage of the Wii controllers in some way or another. Each trial is integrated into the storyline, with a video introducing it and explaining the controls, which sure beats the flat presentation of rules used in the Mario Party games. The trials are broken up into four types - 50 micro game trials, 10 first-person-shooter trials, 10 dance trials and 10 racing trials. Once you play any of the trials in story mode they become available in replay mode where they can be played over and over at varying difficulty levels.

The mini-games are much like the games found in Mario Party and Wario Ware, as they are rather random and silly, which is a huge plus! Slam shut occupied bathroom stall doors using the Wiimote so the rabbids can't finish their business and attack. Pump carrot juice using the nunchuck and then drown thirsty rabbids by spraying them with the Wiimote, filling up their snorkels. Use the Wiimote to swing a cow on a chain before tossing it as far as you can. This is just a taste of the crazy hi-jinks Ubisoft has planned!

The FPS trials are theme-based levels that range from a trip to the Old West to blast cowboy rabbids to a tropical island shootout with rabbids dropping from spaceships, wearing Splinter Cell inspired headgear. These levels have you moving on invisible rails with the analog stick on the nunchunk, blasting every Rabbid that pops on the screen with your trusty plunger gun, controlled by the Wiimote. While your gun has unlimited ammo, it can only hold 6 plungers at a time, which are reloaded by shaking the nunchuck.

The dancing trials are a bit misleading in name - Rayman does much of the actual dancing himself and the player's job is to keep those rabbids from interrupting him. Rabbids try to attack Rayman from both sides of the stage and as they reach a lighted circle right next to him, you use either the Wiimote or the nunchuck (depending on the side they are coming from) to smash them away by pushing them out. Think of this as a simpler version of Samba De Amigo; all of this is done to famous music tracks from various genres, such as Dick Dale's Miserlou and Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

Finally, the racing trials are divided into two different types, each with their own control scheme and means of transportation. Classic style races have you using the analog stick on the nunchuck to move your vehicle while the Wiimote is used for other actions. One classic race has Rayman riding a rhino around a track, whipping his steed for a small burst of speed using the Wiimote. Another has Rayman without a mount, running around very fast. Innovated races are controlled with the Wiimote exclusively, utilizing simple movements. One race has Rayman skydiving, with the player tasked with leading him through cloud rings.

As you progress through the story mode you will earn items to change Rayman's appearance, along with upgrading his jail cell. Rayman can adopt different looks, which include punk, goth, hip-hop and clown clothes, hair and other accessories. How you upgrade and decorate his jail cell is still unknown.

Multiplayer (up to four players) must be a big part of the package or Ubi Soft wouldn't be touting RRR as "the ultimate party game for home consoles." Unless 'party' stopped meaning a group of people having fun together. Details are currently sketchy at best right now, but it appears that at least some of the FPS trials and dancing trials will be available for multiplayer, although under what circumstances is again unknown.

Graphically, RRR is shaping up wonderfully. Everything is bright and colorful, which works perfectly with the zany and economical art design. The deformed rabbids make for perfect mascots, with their beady eyes and gaping mouths always invoking laughs. Levels are open and detailed, with no draw or cover-up fog to be seen to go along with great little details such as the bricks on a building, sun reflecting off of palm trees and sloppy, muddy roads.

With a firm focus on crafting a fun, unique experience for gamers looking to the Wii for exactly that, Rayman Raving Rabbids should have little difficulty seeing its aims through. The over-the-top humor and sharp graphical style should make this one of the must have Wii launch titles. Although I am a bit worried about how long someone will be able to play this game in one sitting with its high level of physical interaction, with all the fun you'll be having it'll be hard to give into the fatigue - just be sure to keep hydrated!

Previewed by Tony Peters for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).