When the Mario and Rabbid universes collided in the fall of 2017, no one quite knew what to expect from this combination. The strategy content was very familiar to past games of the genre with the appeal being that players could take on the game with a collection of characters from the Mario universe, with some Rabbids even cosplaying as their favorite characters.
The first game’s combat was a lot of fun, but exploring the world and completing side objectives was flat and mostly flowed in one direction. This made for cute levels, but it got repetitive very quickly, with each world just a remixed version of the one before it. The characters, usually a major selling point of the game, felt a little flat as well, even with Rabbids portraying some of the classic characters.
When asked in a recent Nintendo Everything interview about multiplayer, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope associate producer Quentin Correggi said the goal for this game was to make something “much more ambitious” than the original. To do that, the developers decided on a new single-player adventure set in the world that had been so elegantly created in the first game.
Because the universe of Mario + Rabbids already exists at the start of Sparks of Hope, there’s a lot less pressure on the game to explain the basics of how everything works and how these worlds collided. Instead, it picks up after the last game left off, giving players a new adventure in a game that looks and feels much more like a major Nintendo release.
Many new worlds, filled with things to do
Almost immediately after the game starts, players will get to explore the new way that Sparks of Hope deals with exploration. In this game, the worlds are semi-open, usually becoming fully available whenever you deal with the Darkness Tentacles affecting the island.
After playing the first game, this new mechanic provides a real sense of freedom to explore, never pressuring you to immediately take on the main objective. On many levels, it’s easy to get side-tracked by a Spark or Planet Coin quest instead of following the main story. Even if you do get the main objective of each world out of the way first, you can come back to the side quests any time.
There is so much to do in each of the worlds that it can feel imposing if you try to tackle it all at once. But there’s no pressure on how or when you complete them, allowing you to freely move between worlds once you’ve unlocked them for the first time. Each world is completely unique from the one before it, giving players new hazards and enemies to fight with every new locale.
The first few worlds seem to focus on a specific season and its themes beyond that. A summer world has a beach theme, a winter world has plenty of mountain climbers, and fall has a lamenting author by the name of T.S. Woodrow. Throughout each level, players will become familiar with its Wardens, or the Rabbids in charge of keeping each planet safe.
Each of these characters is unique, even if some of them have a more memorable presence than others. For example, the sea captain Warden of the second level pales in comparison to the first level’s Augie. Still, players who progress through each level will be delighted by the different characters from the Mario + Rabbid universe that show up.
Characters that are full of personality and punch
One of the best parts about Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is how unique each of the playable characters feels, both in how they act and their individual abilities in battle. It’s easy to pick a standard loadout of characters and stick with it, but the introduction of new heroes with new abilities makes each new battle unlike the one before it.
In the first Mario + Rabbids game, none of the characters felt unique, except for maybe the Rabbids who were cosplaying as Mario characters. In Sparks of Hope, every major character is at least somewhat voiced, occasionally popping off with funny catchphrases or full lines of dialogue. Through these moments, you get a real understanding of the characters’ attitudes and motivations.
Some characters truly shine above others, but each one gets a chance to shine. There’s also a very suggested relationship between two of the female Rabbids that would be impossible not to talk about. The tension between Midnite and Edge was palpable in the short cinematic they shared.
All of the other characters have their own opportunities to shine, with some battles only being fightable with specific fighters. The entire group travels through the levels together, meaning that any character can be subbed in a battle or can give their own point of view during a dialogue sequence.
Fighting Rabbids is more of the same
The combat of the first Mario + Rabbids game was a lot of fun without being overly complicated. There was a simple cover system that either provided a complete or half defense against enemy shots and each player had a unique ability. The combat was arguably the best part of the first Mario + Rabbids, so it makes sense that it wouldn’t change much in the sequel.
If anything, the levels are a little more complicated and much more extravagant than the ones in the first game. Those levels were connected to the main path players had to take, limiting the size and complexity they could hold. With each level in Sparks of Hope taking place in a different shadow realm, Nintendo had the freedom to make them look however it wanted them to.
Some of the characters, like Mario, have similar abilities to the first game, while others have been changed. With the addition of many new Rabbid and Mario characters, there’s also the introduction of new weapon types and abilities that weren’t present before. This allows for new combinations that can alternate from dominating the battlefield to leaving you short of what you need to win.
Because of this, the game often challenges you by proposing challenges that require adaptation. One level might see you needing multiple close-range characters, while another will require a more balanced offense and defense mix. In this way, Sparks of Hope evolves on the strategy of the first game by constantly changing what’s required.
Overall, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope feels like a massive improvement over the first game, evolving in nearly every way. The characters and worlds stand out the most, but the combat is still a lot of fun for those who enjoyed the first game. There’s almost enough charm to keep players going through the hours and hours of side missions and extra content.
Published: Oct 17, 2022 11:00 am