Band Land

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Band Land
Band Land
The Dream Forest Blue Mountains
In a scene of clouds and sheet music, Rayman proceeds among music instruments (drums, maracas, cymbals...) and battles against wrong notes. After having escaped from the trumpets, he will find himself face to face with the deafening Mister Sax...
—Manual, Rayman

Band Land (French: Le Ciel ChromatiqueThe Chromatic Sky) is the second world in the original Rayman game. As its name suggests, it is a world which consists mainly of music and musical instruments.

The first level of Band Land is Bongo Hills, a grassy terrain where vast instruments sprout from the ground. It is followed by Allegro Presto, is a cold, blue, vertiginous labyrinth of slippery musical staves. This is where Rayman first encounters Mr Sax, the malevolent giant saxophone who rules Band Land; and also where he receives the helicopter ability from Betilla the Fairy. The next level is Gong Heights, a balmy region of golden clouds and inhabited by meditating monks. The final level is Mr Sax's Hullaballoo, which resembles a combination of the three preceding levels. This is where Rayman finally confronts and defeats Mr Sax.

Sights such as giant drums, recorders and xylophones are characteristic of Band Land. Rayman often finds himself battling trumpets and moths while dodging dangerous wrong notes, spiky balls and cymbals. The 'ground' usually consists of drum material or slippery musical staves, from which the player must be careful not to fall. As Rayman progresses, he ascends higher into the sky: the levels feature increasing amounts of clouds, snow and lightning. Most of the platforms in Band Land are music-related: Rayman can use maracas rockets to fly, bongos to cross chasms, and walking drums to reach inaccessible heights.

Image gallery

In Rayman 4 (cancelled prototype)

In 2005, Phoenix Studio began work on a new 3D Rayman platform game tentatively titled Rayman 4. The developers intended to feature several environments from the original Rayman, including Band Land. Several pieces of artwork were produced. However, the game was ultimately cancelled.

In Rayman Origins

Rayman Origins features adjacent environments based directly on Band Land: the Desert of Dijiridoos and the Grumbling Grottos. These worlds combine Band Land's musical component with an arid desert landscape. It is not clear if these locations are part of Band Land, near Band Land, or simply different places that look strangely similar to Band Land.