An incredible strategy RPG and one of the best Mario crossovers of all time.
I’ve reviewed dozens of RPGs at Nintendo World Report, but after finishing them and posting my thoughts, I rarely go back and try to achieve 100% completion. Having completed 78% of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope with roll credits, I knew even before I reached the end of the game that I would be back to check on the unfinished business. Improving Kingdom Battle in almost every way, Sparks of Hope is a must-play strategy game and his one of the best Mario crossovers on the Nintendo platform.
In the overarching plot, Mario, Luigi, Peach, and their Rabid counterparts find the Spark and use its power to defeat the dark universe known as Cursa. was infected with Darkmess. Darkmess is a gooey black goo that wreaks havoc on every planet. Eliminating the Darkmess and retrieving his purified Darkmess crystals allows the hero to power up his spaceship and travel to the next world, ultimately leading to an epic battle with Cursa himself. In Spark, his hunters also try to stop the player from progressing, and a showdown with them makes for a memorable and challenging end battle.
The sum of its parts helps Sparks of Hope form a compelling whole. The balance between story-studded exploration and combat is satisfying enough. Those looking for a slightly meatier narrative may find it lacking, but there’s no denying that the main gameplay loop is short and works in great bursts. It’s less than half full, so those who want to take the time to see everything can overcome even more battles and puzzles.
The environmental puzzles aren’t too difficult and offer a refreshing break from the dozens of battles you’ll be participating in. Some are hidden behind locked doors, while others require progressing through the main quest. Planet Coins that can be used to purchase skins and special items. Most of the puzzles involve pushing familiar blocks, but this aspect of the game is different as it requires using the scanning and pulse-generating powers of his Beep-O, a robotic companion returning from Kingdom Battle. layer is added.
Combat takes place in turn-based combat, usually against small groups of enemies, while story battles typically expand both the size of the map and the number of enemies. A few encounters require you to survive a set number of rounds or travel to a specific point that is a dangerous distance from where you started. and you must use their unique abilities in concert to succeed. Learning each party member’s strengths and weaknesses, and the sparks that best complement your kit, will go a long way to victory. .
A total of 30 sparks can be collected, so there are many possible combinations. Upgrades increase the effectiveness of each, providing greater protection, utility, and damage output. There are sparks covering the elements Fire, Splash, Electricity, Gust, and Bleed, and equipping these will provide instant defense against attacks of the same element. Some sparks can be activated to give waves of elemental damage around the character. Some sparks even revive fallen party members or summon specific enemies to fight. . Their inclusion adds a nice depth that improves on the original game formula.
On each of the first three planets, a new character joins the team, starting with the grumpy Rabbid version of the RPG protagonist Edge and ending with the Bazooka-toting Bowser. Rabbid Rosalina rounds out the group, and her Stasis special ability is her one of the most useful in the game. You can customize each character’s skill tree to allow for more dash attacks, bigger moves, and more powerful specials. While it would benefit from not having a bloated cast, it would have been welcome to see a little more interaction between them.
At the start of each battle, you have the opportunity to heal your team, change your composition, and scout the map. You can also change the difficulty at almost any point in the game, like changing enemy threat levels or turning on squad invulnerability. Sparks of Hope may be a better entry point into the strategy genre, but don’t let that sentiment fool you into thinking it’s taking a quick walk. One of my main concerns when previewing the game was that the first two worlds of his felt a little too easy. Fortunately, this challenge scales up nicely from the third world. Not only that, collecting more Sparks unlocks contests against extremely tough opponents.
When it comes to the appearance and performance of Sparks of Hope, the vibrant colors and changing palettes that appear as you activate and cleanse each planet are fun and eye-catching. Objects pop in slightly but noticeable as the camera pans around the world and some large battle maps. I have. All in all, there’s no denying that the second Mario + Rabbids title is one of the prettiest on Switch, especially when playing on the dock.
What I really like about Sparks of Hope is the way it always rewards you for almost everything. Experience points earned in successful battles open up new skill tree possibilities. Shake trees and bushes to generate coins and items to use in battle. Breakable walls hide treasure chests and memory containers. A world map for each planet shows points of interest and fast travel points, but walking around and discovering secrets and side quests naturally is one of the most fun aspects of the game.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope takes the great canvas that was Kingdom Battle and paints a masterpiece on top of it. The combat is as fun as it is strategic, and it’s fun to roam around each world. Exquisitely paired with the whimsical music he composed. Even if the ending is a little lackluster, the story serves its purpose well, but the gameplay leaves no room for offense. It sets a new standard for Mario-themed spin-offs, and we hope the series doesn’t end here.
