When Nintendo first announced a crossover between the Mario universe and Ubisoft’s screaming, chaotic Rabbids, the internet collective basically had a meltdown. It didn't make sense. You’ve got Mario—the gold standard of polished, family-friendly platforming—teaming up with these Minion-esque agents of pure entropy. People expected a disaster. They expected a cheap cash-in. Instead, we got one of the most mechanically dense and genuinely funny strategy experiences on the Nintendo Switch.
Honestly, the Mario Rabbids game series is the best thing to happen to tactical RPGs since XCOM. It’s weird. It’s colorful. It features Luigi dabbing and Rabbid Peach taking selfies in the middle of a battlefield. But beneath the slapstick humor lies a combat system that is punishingly smart and surprisingly deep.
The Strategy Game Nobody Saw Coming
Back in 2017, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle dropped and immediately proved everyone wrong. Developed by Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Paris, this wasn't just a "baby's first strategy game." It forced you to think three moves ahead. If you left Mario out in the open, he’d get blasted by a Ziggy. If you didn't utilize the team jump mechanic, you’d never reach the high ground needed to flank a Smasher.
The game introduced a "linear" tactical style. You move, you perform an action, and you attack. Simple, right? Except the movement itself is an attack. You can slide tackle an enemy, bounce off a teammate's head to reach a pipe, and then land behind cover to take a shot. It feels fluid. It doesn't feel like the static, stiff movements you find in older grid-based games.
Davide Soliani, the creative director, famously cried during the E3 reveal when Shigeru Miyamoto praised the game. That passion is visible in every pixel. You can tell this wasn't a committee-driven corporate mandate; it was a love letter to Nintendo from a team that understood the "fun first" philosophy.
Why Sparks of Hope Changed Everything
Then came the sequel. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope took the foundation and basically threw the grid out the window. In the first Mario Rabbids game, you were locked to squares. In the sequel, you have free movement within a certain radius. This sounds like a small tweak, but it completely changes the pacing. It’s faster. It’s more kinetic.
The addition of Sparks—the fusion of Lumas and Rabbids—added a layer of customization that the first game lacked. You aren't just picking a weapon and a talent tree anymore. You’re equipping elemental powers that can trigger chain reactions. Imagine hitting an enemy with fire, watching them run frantically into a trap you set, which then triggers a "hero sight" reaction shot from Luigi. It’s satisfying in a way few games are.
But here is the thing: some fans actually prefer the first one. The sequel is more ambitious, sure, but it's also a bit more "Ubisoft-y." There are side quests, semi-open worlds, and a lot of gathering. The original Kingdom Battle was a tight, curated experience. You went from one tactical puzzle to the next with very little fluff. Both are great, but they offer very different vibes.
The Difficulty Spike is Real
Don't let the googly eyes fool you. These games can be hard.
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- Some of the mid-game challenges in Kingdom Battle require near-perfect execution.
- The boss fights—especially the Phantom of the Bwahpera—require you to understand specific environmental triggers.
- If you play on the higher difficulty settings in Sparks of Hope, you will lose characters. Frequently.
It’s refreshing. So many modern games hold your hand until you’re bored to tears. Here, if you mess up your positioning, the AI will punish you. It uses cover, it flanks, and it heals. It treats the player with respect.
Exploring the Visuals and Sound
The music is another high point. Grant Kirkhope, the legendary composer behind Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007, handled the score for the first game. It’s whimsical but has this driving, orchestral tension during the combat phases. For the sequel, they brought in Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts) and Gareth Coker (Ori and the Blind Forest). That is a "dream team" of game music.
Visually, it's one of the cleanest looking titles on the Switch. It runs on the Snowdrop engine—the same tech used for The Division. This allows for some really impressive lighting and particle effects that you don't usually see in a Mario game. The environments aren't just static backdrops; they feel lived-in and reactive.
The character animations are where the personality really shines. Rabbid Mario is a bravado-filled brawler with a mandolin. Rabbid Rosalina is a sleepy, bored teenager who just happens to have a heavy machine gun. The writing is actually funny, which is a rare feat for a game that has to appeal to both kids and adults. It leans into the absurdity of the situation without being "cringe."
The DLC Legacy
We can't talk about the Mario Rabbids game experience without mentioning the Donkey Kong Adventure DLC. It’s arguably one of the best expansions Nintendo has ever hosted. It changed the mechanics by introducing DK’s ability to pick up and throw almost anything—including enemies and pieces of the map.
Then came the Rayman DLC in Sparks of Hope. This was a huge deal for fans of 90s platformers. Rayman had been dormant for years, and seeing him interact with the Rabbids again (the characters that originally spun off from his franchise) felt like a full-circle moment. It added a verticality to the combat that made the base game feel a bit flat by comparison.
Technical Performance and Switch Limitations
Is it perfect? No. The Switch is showing its age. In Sparks of Hope, you’ll occasionally see frame rate dips when things get too chaotic. The loading times between the overworld and combat can sometimes feel a bit long, especially compared to the snappy performance of first-party titles like Super Mario Odyssey.
There are also some weird bugs. I’ve had characters get stuck in geometry or UI elements fail to pop up. It’s nothing game-breaking, but it’s a reminder that this is a massive, complex RPG running on hardware from 2017.
The "Ubisoft-ification" of the map in the second game also means you'll be doing a lot of "go here, collect five of these" style tasks. If you hate busywork, it might grate on you. But the core combat loop is so strong that most people find it easy to overlook.
Common Misconceptions
People think this is a kids' game. It isn't. Well, it's for kids, but it's not just for kids. It’s a legitimate entry in the turn-based strategy genre. If you like Fire Emblem or XCOM, you will find plenty to love here.
Another misconception is that you need to play them in order. While Sparks of Hope is a sequel, the story is pretty standalone. You can jump straight into the second one if you want the more modern movement system. However, I’d still recommend starting with the first one just because it’s often on sale for dirt cheap—sometimes as low as $15 for the Gold Edition.
Actionable Tips for New Players
If you're just starting out, don't play it like a standard Mario game. You have to change your brain.
Prioritize Movement
Your movement phase is your most powerful tool. Always look for ways to "Dash" through enemies before ending your turn in cover. Dashing deals free damage and doesn't use up your attack action. In Sparks of Hope, you can even dash through multiple enemies in a single run.
Don't Ignore the Skill Tree
You can reset your skill points at any time for free. This is huge. If you're struggling with a boss that uses a lot of status effects, spec your characters into cleansing or resistance. If you need more mobility, put everything into Team Jump range. Experiment. There is no penalty for being wrong.
Mix Your Team
It’s tempting to just use Mario, Luigi, and Peach. But the Rabbid versions of these characters often have better utility. Rabbid Peach is the best healer in the first game, period. Rabbid Luigi is a status-effect king. Don't be afraid to bench the Mario brothers to see what the Rabbids can do.
Watch the Cover
Cover in these games is binary: it's either half-cover (50% hit chance) or full cover (0% hit chance). But cover can be destroyed. If you're hiding behind a wooden crate, don't expect it to last more than one turn. Look for stone or indestructible pillars whenever possible.
The Mario Rabbids game series remains one of the most creative risks Nintendo has ever allowed a third-party developer to take with their IP. It’s a testament to the idea that even the most bizarre concepts can result in a masterpiece if the gameplay is tight and the charm is dialed up to eleven.
Whether you’re a strategy veteran or someone who just wants to see a Rabbid dressed as Peach throw a temper tantrum, these games are essential Switch library fillers. They prove that Mario doesn't always need to jump to be great; sometimes, he just needs a laser gun and a very loud, long-eared teammate.
Next Steps for Players
- Check the Nintendo eShop for the Kingdom Battle Gold Edition—it frequently goes on sale for under $20 and includes the massive Donkey Kong expansion.
- If you choose Sparks of Hope, make sure to download the latest patches immediately, as they significantly improved the frame rate and cursor responsiveness in the overworld.
- Focus on unlocking the "Hero Sight" or "Steely Stare" abilities early in the skill tree; these "overwatch" style moves are the most effective way to deal damage during the enemy's turn.