Fanon/Olympus Maximus

Olympus Maximus is the second world in Rayman Adventures console edition. It is a world inspired by mythology and paganism, mainly those of Ancient Greece. It features four different themes; Palace Ruins, Islands in the Sky, Minotaur's Maze and Fiery Depths. The main enemies are the minotaurs, who appear in all of these environments. The boss of these lands is Red Devil, a demonic creature fought in the fiery depths of hades.

Description

Palace Ruins

Levels with this theme appear to take place on top of Mount Olympus. For this reason, the theme is also called "Greece Olympus". This is a place at high altitude where everything is made of white marble. Despite this, the growth of vegetation seems uninhibited. There is grass to be seen on most of the platforms, and also trees as scenery elements. Some small trees can uproot themselves and move from one place to another, where they replant themselves. Apart from the mountains and the marble structures, there is a very calm sea to be seen. This sea, like the sky, is a very bright blue colour, which parodies the stereotypes of Greek summer weather. At first, there are only some white cumulus clouds in the sky, but in certain places the atmosphere becomes darker and more tempestuous, with many grey clouds that obscure the light.

This environment makes many different references to paganism. The most obvious are the pillars and dilapidated marble structures which resemble the ancient temples that exist in Greece today, for example the Parthenon. There are also statues of some members of Globox's species, as if they were mythological heroes, which gets confirmed in The Adventures Of Rayman. The marble doors that link the different sections of the levels have a symbol above them of an eye in a triangle, a reference to Egyptian mythology. There are constellations in the sky, of a flying pig and a member of Globox's species playing the lyre. These constellations reference astrology. Small minotaurs, who reference the mythical creature, appear in this environment. In the stormy section of the level Stormy Splurging, a white hand comes down from the sky and launches bolts of lightning onto the heroes. This is a reference to Zeus, the king of the Olympians in Greek mythology, who could throw thunderbolts.

According to the description of Princess Olympia, she and her twin sister Sibylla were born here.

Islands in the Sky

The Islands in the Sky theme is very similar to the Palace Ruins theme, although the levels take place in the sky and usually involve the player having to fly through the majority of the level.

Minotaur’s Maze

One of the most important environments of this world is that of the labyrinth. These labyrinths are vast closed structures constructed in grey stone. On the walls, complicated diagrams appear, or sometimes symbols, such as a stylised "H", which resembles a gate of Hell and probably references Hades. These structures and diagrams on the walls probably reference the labyrinths of ancient mythology, most notably that constructed on Crete by Daedalus to imprison the Minotaur (the creature which inspired the main enemies of this world). Sometimes, huge floating stone cubes appear as elements of the scenery. In the level Lum Labyrinth, we learn that dragons live among these floating cubes. These dragons might reference oriental mythology.

The walls are often covered with spikes, and numerous buzzsaws appear on the paths through the labyrinths. Little turrets appear on the walls, which shoot flaming swords which follow the heroes (like the missiles shot by the hunters or the turrets of the Sea of Serendipity). Another detail of this environment, which is quite strange, is the fact that drums sometimes appear, which bounce the heroes when they jump on them.

Marvelous Marble Maze is a particularly complicated puzzle which takes place in this environment.

Fiery Depths

One of the other important places of this world is the Fiery Depths, also known as "Greece Hades", the Greek Underworld, and is ruled by the Red Devil. Contrarily to the well-ordered labyrinths, this is a chaotic abyss. However, there are some similarities between these environments. Even though this section is a metaphor for the Greek Underworld, one sees many details drawn from Christian ideas of "Hell", where the most serious sinners are punished. The pits of lava, out of which come jets and huge flames, seem reminiscent of the "lake of fire" mentioned in the Bible. Also, from time to time, devilbobs are seen, invoking notions of devils or demons. Apart from that, the environment mainly consists of jagged stone cliffs, sometimes with cascades of lava or burning fissures on them. The rock from which the cliffs are made seems to be a purple colour, but it is probably grey like the rock in the labyrinths, tinted by the red light from the fire and lava. There are doors carved into the cliffs to link the different sections of the levels. These doors are in the form of a triangle. This surely references Greek alchemy, because a triangle of this type is the symbol of the element of fire, which is found in many places in this environment. As on Mount Olympus, some statues of members of Globox's species appear, as well as some of teensies. These statues seem to portray soldiers, and are mostly found just outside secret doors.

As in the labyrinths, there are sometimes spikes on the walls, and drums to bounce the heroes. Apart from devilbobs, the main enemies are minotaurs and hordes of dark creatures, of which the heroes can sometimes be rid using fireworks mushrooms. Otherwise these creatures must be avoided at all costs.

There are also temples in some parts of the Underworld. In contrast to the dilapidated temples of "Palace Ruins", these temples are vast and well maintained, by the small minotaurs. The marble floors are polished and ornate pillars of different sizes are to be seen. Most of these places are dark, but there seem to be a few windows. Apart from the pillars, statues of heroes of Globox's species are seen once again. This environment again references the temples built in Ancient Greece, for example the Parthenon.

The level Red Devil Redemption, where you fight the boss of the world, Red Devil, also takes place here.