unnies and their plungers are a grave threat to national security. This, a lesson I learned from Michel Ancel’s latest success, is but one of many important things to be gleaned through Raving Rabbids. It also becomes clear while playing that bunnies enjoy dancing to old Cyndi Lauper songs, a well-thrown cow can surpass the one hundred foot marker, and warthogs make for terrible racing steeds. This is one of the funniest games ever made, and a fantastic way to teach yourself the controls of the Wii while simultaneously charming friends into understanding why you just spent a few hundred dollars on this new game system.

Rayman has traditionally come to our doorsteps as a platforming hero. With his Wii premiere, he drops that title to become a master of the minigame. Raving Rabbids is little more than a string of those short but hilarious little assignments – whack a crazed bunny over the head with a mallet, spray carrot juice into the face masks of attacking scuba-diving bunnies, or deliver explosive packages to unsuspecting bunnies before they blow up in your face. While Ancel’s seeming obsession with our long-eared lagomorphic friends has forced me to question his sanity, I certainly can’t fault his originality. The short events you participate in never cease to surprise and delight, and utilize a huge range of movements and actions that the Wii remote makes possible. Most are also great fun to play, and those that aren’t pass quickly. Unlockable costumes and songs drive you forward, but not so much as the desire to see the ever-changing attitude of the Rabbids towards Rayman. Beginning with homicidal tendencies directed at the little guy, you’ll watch the slow transition as their demeanor shifts with his successes. It’s a story told without words, through animations and sounds, and it works great.

A scored mode for each minigame unlocks as you complete the story, allowing for yet more unlockables. In addition, a multiplayer component allows for some healthy competition if you’ve sprung for that pricey second remote and nunchuck. Rayman comes to the Wii offering that rare combination of engaging gameplay and laugh out loud humor. It’s a great launch title that’s a little limited by its scope, but will still have you coming back months later, if only to take out just a few more evil bunnies. You’ve really got to keep your eye on those guys.