The original Rayman game contains 6 worlds. Rayman travels through six themed regions, each with its own visual identity, enemies, challenges, and end-of-world boss.
The first five worlds contain levels where players rescue captured Electoons and collect items such as Tings. Completing enough objectives gradually opens the route forward and unlocks Rayman's abilities, including running, flying, and hanging from platforms.
The sixth and final world is Candy Château, the lair of the villain Mr Dark. Access to it depends on rescuing all Electoons in the first five worlds, making the final area more than simply the next stop on the map. This structure is why some players remember the game as having five main worlds plus a finale, but the canonical count is six.
Rayman was designed as a colourful 2D platformer by Michel Ancel and was released in 1995. Its six-world structure helped distinguish it from later Rayman games, many of which use different level groupings and progression systems.