Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Review – Spark Wars

2017’s pairing of Nintendo’s Super Mario and Ubisoft’s Rabbids in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle felt like the weirdest team-up since Archie met the Punisher, but beyond the wacky setup, this was a heck of a collaboration. What could have been a paint-by-numbers crossover that easily coasted by on brand recognition did the exact opposite, as the Nintendo and Ubisoft project delivered one of the best tactical games of the year in a delightfully zany package.

Fast-forward to 2022, and Mario is once again hanging out with those wascally Rabbids, but this time in an adventure that doesn’t just improve on the first game; it sets a high benchmark for the tactical-RPG genre while effortlessly putting a huge grin on your face with its incredibly charming design.

Sparks of Hope picks up shortly after Kingdom Battle, and while the strategic foundation has been kept intact, it’s the smart changes to the system that show just how much room for growth there is in this genre. One of the biggest tweaks is a more fluid system for navigating the space between these tactical turn-based battles, as Sparks of Hope ditches traditional grid-based movement and instead gives you the freedom to run around a defined area freely. You can also extend your range with a handy jump assist from your teammates. This opens up new layers in each level, allowing you to focus on positioning your characters behind cover so that they can deliver devastating strikes to enemies.

This versatility is amplified even more by the titular Sparks of the game, tiny companions who enhance each character with new abilities that can be cleverly used to turn the tide of battle. You’re still limited to two actions per turn from your arsenal and cooldowns, but the right combination at the right time with your chosen crew is a showcase of flexibility that feels delightfully rewarding.

For example, you can set Mario and Luigi in overwatch positions where they’ll automatically fire on any enemy who enter their zone of action; get Princess Peach to use a Spark that rains meteoric destruction down on enemies; and watch as the screaming little critters run around the map right into the line of fire. It’s a superb showcase of player freedom, with numerous tactical options that you can use in any battle, made even better by colourful stages and signature moves.

New characters such as a mysteriously edgy Rabbid named…uh…Edge, Rabbid Rosaline, and the mighty Bowser also enter the scene, each one bringing with them different tactics and advantages to a battle. Bowser is an absolute tank and Edge specializes in close-range combat, which all gel well with established characters like all-rounder Mario, Sniper Luigi, and Peach with her ridiculously overpowered boom-brella. How you use and combine those characters is up to you, but the genius here is that there’s no wrong combination of characters or Sparks to combine. They’re all great, they all function well as a team, and finding new combinations is a thrill.

Of course, there is a challenge to be had here, especially with some of the newer and more devious enemy types spread across the varied collection of levels. Some of these foes can easily wipe an entire team from existence, but that opposition never feels brutally unfair like in some tactical games. That adds excitement to each battle, helping to avoid any feeling of stagnation, even after dozens of hours. Discovering how to survive, disrupt, and conquer enemy forces never gets old.

Finding that optimal strategy is where the game shines, and even if you’re an armchair commander with a disastrous record on the battlefield, there’s an encouraging number of accessibility options on offer. You can fine-tune the difficulty to find that sweet spot, and for the younger members of the family who just want to giggle at Luigi sobbing when he misses a shot, you can toggle an invulnerability mode on for easy wins.

When you’re not battling big bad Eterna and her various forces, Sparks of Hope flips the script with an overworld that’s a sheer joy to explore. It’s here where the Super Mario influences shine, as multiple themed planets are home to cheeky puzzles, bizarre characters, sidequests, and dozens of secrets to uncover. You’re free to tackle all of these at your leisure as you go off the beaten path, and you never have to worry about over-leveling up in the process and ruining the flow of the core campaign.

Exploration is also rewarding, earning you coins that can be used to buy power-ups, uncover new Sparks to add to your collection, and gather resources to enhance the little critters for the battles that lie ahead. Some missions might be a bit more rote in comparison to the expertly crafted stages of the campaign, but with an attention to detail and imaginative Rabbid characters to encounter, cycling through them can still be breezy fun.

The biggest takeaway here, though, is that Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is a pure and undiluted joy to play. That stems from the combination of smart tweaks to its existing crossover formula, flexible gameplay, and worlds that feel as if they were crafted by people who genuinely love the source material. It’s the small details that really make Sparks of Hope stand out, with delightful animations, sounds, and subtle touches elevating the experience long after the end credits have rolled.

While most sequels offer refinement and improvements, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope goes the extra mile with ambitious ideas that stick the landing. Play it now on Nintendo Switch.