Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle came as a quirky and unusual spinoff throwing Mario characters and Rabbids together in a turn-based strategy game reminiscent of games like XCOM. While the peculiar premise was met with skepticism early on, the game's release saw praise from fans and critics alike, even winning Best Strategy Game at the 2017 Game Awards. So, for many fans, the reveal of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope during last year's E3 came as no surprise to Mario fans eager to jump into the next adventure.
Ubisoft's sequel to the 2017 strategy game will see plenty of departures from Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Sparks of Hope is confirmed to be dropping the grid-based style of the first game in favor of more free-roam strategy combat as well as taking place outside the Mushroom Kingdom. New information from Ubisoft since Sparks of Hope's announcement has also revealed the sequel sports a significantly larger development team than the original. Now, a trailer featured during Nintendo's Partner Showcase shows off more of Sparks of Hope's gameplay, as well as confirming its release date.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope's newest trailer re-introduces its premise with Mario once again teaming up with the Rabbids in an otherworldly battle. The trailer shows off some of Sparks of Hope's major gameplay changes with characters able to freely move around within their range before using their weapon. Players can deal damage to enemies by dashing through them before using their weapon, setting up for bigger damage when attacking. Characters can also team up to increase the active character's movement range.
The trailer features other strategic elements of the game as well, with Mario using Bob-ombs to deal area damage and emphasizing the importance of using cover. The game will also apparently feature Bowser as a playable character after serving as the antagonist in the original game. Sparks of Hope's new trailer finishes by revealing the game's October 20th release date, confirming the previously leaked launch window. Ubisoft's official YouTube will also feature a more in-depth showcase of Sparks of Hope on Wednesday, June 29.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope comes as the most recent entry in a 2022 that looks to be jam-packed with Nintendo's heavy hitters. The first half of the year has already brought major games like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Nintendo Switch Sports, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land among others. Summer will see Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Splatoon 3 releasing in July and September respectively and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to release during the holiday season. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope looks to bring plenty of strategic fun with a unique style from its predecessor.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope will release on October 20th, 2022 for the Nintendo Switch.