The first Mario + Rabbids game was better than it had any right to be, but it wasn't perfect. While its XCOM-inspired turn-based tactics gameplay worked surprisingly well with its roster of beloved Super Mario characters, and the two series' charm managed to blend in a fairly seamless, non-jarring way, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle had a few key issues. One of the biggest of these was the game's overworld, an element that the upcoming sequel Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope looks to be improving upon.
In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, between battles, players would guide the titular plumber and his plucky crew through an overworld down a linear path. Occasionally, players would need to solve a simple environmental puzzle to progress. This is about as complex as Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle's overworld got. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope seems to be changing things up quite a bit, adding a variety of new mechanics and options to keep players exploring the game's new overworld.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope's New and Improved Overworld
At the recent Ubisoft Forward Showcase, a new six-minute Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope presentation was shown off. On top of giving fans a better look at the game's bombastic plot, the new additions to the playable roster, and an extensive look at combat gameplay, this presentation also revealed Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope's new approach to its overworld.
Unlike its predecessor, Sparks of Hope will allow players to explore each of the game's biomes freely, as opposed to restricting them to a linear path blocked by puzzles and battles. Instead, players will be able to walk around each environment, interacting with various items and objects to find hidden stars and coins. While the first Mario + Rabbids used a camera perspective that followed the team's robotic companion Beep-O as it led the crew, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope puts the camera directly behind the team in most open areas, giving a more accurate sense of scale.
As players explore the game's overworld, they'll also be able to encounter patrolling enemies. Though it hasn't been confirmed, it seems likely that interacting with these patrolling enemies will start some form of battle encounter. In the overworld, players will also be able to find a plethora of friendly NPCs, some of which will give the player side missions to complete. In the trailer, one side mission showed Mario collecting fish from a river and throwing it into a fountain. Another saw Luigi solving an environmental puzzle, opening a door with re-channeled water. It seems as though these side missions will add a lot of varied content to Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, which was a big criticism of the first game.
Each environment shown off in the recent Sparks of Hope trailer looked pretty different from one another. A beach at sunset, a snowy mountain range, and some ancient underground ruins are all highlighted, each of which seemingly adds its own set of unique enemies, quest-giving NPCs, and collectibles. There seems to be plenty of variety when it comes to Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope's overworld, and it seems to be pushing the Nintendo Switch to its graphical limits with some truly impressive lighting and environmental details being shown off so far.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope will release on October 20, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.