One of the more notable games shown off for Switch at E3 2021 didn't come from Nintendo's own Direct presentation; rather, it camefrom Ubisoft's Forward showcase. The Paris-based studio revealed a brand new sequel to the sleeper hit for Switch, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which resides in the majestic universe of Wii's Super Mario Galaxy.
Propelled by the success of this tactical XCOM-esque romp, Ubisoft looks to draw from the rewarding elements of the game, while building on its sturdy foundations and adding even more detail. Much remains unknown about this enticing 2022 release; however, there are plenty of interesting details that can fans can pick up from the brief-yet-rich gameplay reveal trailer, along with the game's own promotional website.
10 New Allies Joining The Fray
A key figure in the Super Mario Galaxy games, Rosalina returns in this Rabbids sequel — in some form, anyway. Though it's unknown whether the real overseer of the cosmos will appear in Sparks of Hope, a new Rabbid character will represent her by sporting the Rosalina garb. Fans can spot this character midway through the gameplay reveal trailer as she joins up with the heroes.
There's also a sword-wielding punk rock Rabbid sporting a purple jacket as well as spiky black and green hair, who can be seen slicing and dicing Rabbid Shy Guys. A couple of other new heroes are teased as well, including a Rabbid dressed in merchant attire and a snowy ape-like Rabbid holding a trident. These figures are seemingly tasked with in-game purchases and navigation.
9 Menacing New Villains
This sequel takes on a decidedly darker tone than its predecessor, as illustrated in the brief cutscenes shown. It makes sense, then, that the game introduces a slew of new, menacing villains to oppose Mario and company.
The central villain this time around is Cursa, a towering purple-cloaked force who seeks to consume the coveted Sparks. Cursa seemingly can draw in their power by way of its monstrous floating hands and Octopus-esque tentacles that whip about. Backing up this ominous force is another antagonist, an unnamed beast who resembles a red tiger. These should presumably serve as some particularly epic boss battles throughout the game.
8 A Plethora Of New Environments
This time around, Mario and the Rabbids explore a huge variety of truly distinct, rich environments. Each of these looks to take place on separate planets, and will come with their own distinct characteristics and hazards. This perhaps makes sense, seeing as the game takes place within the colorful, diverse universe of Super Mario Galaxy.
In the three-minute gameplay trailer alone, a number of intriguing environments are teased. These range from a sprawling desert island to a mountainous snowy region to a Zelda-esque palace.
7 Significance Of The Sparks
One of the key new elements of this new Rabbids game will be the Sparks, an odd fusion of Rabbids and the star-like Lumas from the Super Mario Galaxy titles. Specifics regarding these floating manifestations are still largely unknown. However, it is quite clear they will be integral in the narrative, as the journey revolves around rescuing and collecting these beings.
It also seems that these distinct creatures aid players in battle by way of their various elemental powers, represented by fire and what appears to be water or ice. There are also yellow and cyan Sparks, both of whose powers are currently unknown.
6 Separate Arenas For Battles & Overworld
While Sparks of Hope looks to adhere to the appealing formula of its predecessor, a number of areas will be altered and fleshed out as well. One of the more prominent examples is the combat, which will have a swifter, more free-flowing style this time. The initiation for battles will itself be tweaked, to resemble traditional JRPGs such as Pokemon.
Rather than have a seamless environment for exploration and fighting, touching a foe will instead trigger the shift to an entirely segmented battle arena. This should serve to grant more freedom in terms of the game design, allowing for larger and more detailed areas.
5 Rabbid Mind Control?
Specifics regarding Spark Of Hope's narrative are sparse at best, outside of its dark themes and the fact that the Sparks will be key figures. Another known element, though, is the Evil Mass. This dark, gooey, hazy substance seems to plague many of the locales throughout the game.
While it's mainly speculation at this point, one can deduce that this dark substance corrupts those that come into contact with it. This is seemingly conveyed by the game's enemies, most of whom have the commonality of glowing red eyes. This could indicate they are possessed or influenced by the dark forces that surround them.
4 Beep-0 Is Back, But Altered
The robotic ally coasts his way onto the scene in this sequel, and he'll seemingly still play a major role in guiding and aiding the heroes throughout this intergalactic journey. The gameplay trailer shows the robot hovering over the characters, who are now running about independently. But Beep-0 will apparently even aid the heroes in certain moves during battle.
For example, one brief scene shows Rabbid Peach using the bot to fly across a gap. This shift indicates that Beep-0 will take on more of a secondary role rather than serving as a sort of action-triggering cursor.
3 Unique New Weapons, & Dual-Wielding Mario!
The slew of cool weapons helped define Rabbids + Mario and was the crux of much of the game's fun. It seems that Ubisoft is upping the ante this time with an array of even more distinct, high-powered guns. Mario can be seen dual-wielding some sort of laser pistols, which can apparently strike two foes at once. Meanwhile, Luigi sports a large bow, and Peach wields a parasol equipped with a cannon.
Rabbid Luigi can also be seen in the trailer tossing a green frisbee-like projectile that plows through multiple targets, while Rabbid Peach launches skyward rockets at enemies across a gap. This arsenal of juiced-up weaponry should certainly make for some fun skirmishes.
2 More Emphasis On Exploration And Action
While the first Rabbids game featured more linear gameplay and grid-based movement, this sequel looks to provide a more open-world approach and more free-roaming exploration. Environments will be more dynamic and expansive this time around, offering multiple pathways, puzzles, and other areas to explore within the overworld.
This more fluid, expansive quality will seemingly extend to the battles themselves as well. Ubisoft ensures that the deep, tactical gameplay and turn-based fights will still be present; however, the rather restrictive grid-based movement will give way to more freedom of movement and real-time events. These traits should serve to create a feeling of greater action and quicker pacing.
1 Enemies From Mario Games
While Ubisoft mostly included its own enemy creations last time, Sparks of Hope looks to bring back at least a few of the iconic enemies from Mario games. Fans can look forward to some of their favorite foes reappearing.
One scene in the gameplay trailer shows a slew of Goombas scattered about the battlefield, while one cutscene gives a glimpse of some ominous Bob-Ombs that appear possessed. Mario fans should be in for a treat!