Scheduled for October 20, 2022 exclusively on Nintendo Switch, Mario + The Rabbids Sparks of Hope launches the player into space in a 100% solo adventure. Mario and all his crew go in search of Cursa, a spectral enemy who covets the energy of the galaxy and more particularly that emitted by the Sparks, adorable creatures resulting from a fusion between the Lumas and the Rabbids. Thereby, the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom and their appointed Rabbits will travel the galaxy with the goal of making anyone who gets in their way… not grated, eat the fire flowers by the root.
A Tactical as soft as a rabbit…
We have often repeated that the license Mario + The Rabbids was designed for the youngest, or at least those less accustomed to Tactical. With its protagonists from both the cute worlds of Mario and wacky Ubisoft, the software is necessarily more pleasant than a grayish XCOM or a reddish Gears Tactics. For this new part, the French publisher wanted to rreduce the entry barrier one last time for those who do not know the codes of the genre. When a fight is triggered, the three characters that make up the player’s team are teleported to an arena. Within it, no grid is flat on the ground unlike most Disgaea-like. The user is free to move the members of his squad as he sees fit inside an area which varies according to the statistics of the protagonists, statistics which can be improved thanks to the gain of levels.
This system offers a fluidity as well as a dynamism designed for newcomers who could have felt too compartmentalized in a classic Tactical because of an omnipresent grid. However, there is one rule to remember: only two action points are available per game turn and when a hero fires, it is no longer possible to move it. Better to think about putting your hero behind a cover zone before going on the attack! With heroes able to leap, use teleport pipes, automatically flatten themselves against the background, dash, and step over different elements, Ubisoft has reviewed and corrected the foundations of its game in order to better stick to the very essence of the characters from the Mario license.
… which does not carrot enthusiasts of the genre
The big question you may be asking yourself is whether fans of the genre will find their happiness too. Rayman’s parents attempt a big artistic gap which turns out, according to our few hours spent with Sparks of Hope, to pay off. Everything is thought out so that the beginner can quickly indulge in tactical games in joy and good humor thanks to a progressive difficulty, numerous tutorials, and an easily understandable visual grammar since coming from Nintendo licenses (the mushroom heals, the POW generates area damage, the Bob-ombs explode, etc.). Although easy to understand, the movement system has some subtleties: while hero powers, weapons, Sparks and inventory items use an action point, a jump does not. in a team or a dash: they have their own counter. Additionally, each fight can be started in a specific difficulty mode. If you are a fan of Tactical, it is better to try the “Demanding” mode directly in order to find a tougher challenge with more powerful enemies, less chance to heal, and a disabled skilltree autofill.
Under its “Adibou du Tactical” aspect, Sparks of Hope reveals a great depth of play once the first hour has elapsed. We find skill trees offering unique abilities, assignable Sparks granting passive and active powers (to be chosen carefully depending on the opponents on the map), special techniques, or even opponents with weak points to analyze with Beep -o. The famous Sparks gain levels in exchange for a few Starbits. These small creatures grant their owner great game-changing effects such as splashes or burns (which have the effect of displacing opponents hit by the attack). Needless to say, a Fire Sparks makes its owner immune to the burn super effect. Yes, from what we have seen, lthere are plenty of customization options and mechanics in place so that the hardcore fan finds lasting happiness.
Mario + The Raving Rabbids Sparks of Hope does not bet everything on its confrontations since theUbisoft’s software also highlights a richer exploration aspect than what we encountered in Kingdom Battle and in the Donkey Kong DLC.. In a short month now, we will be able to say definitively if all the choices made by the French publisher are the right ones.
The Ubiforward was an opportunity to give news of Mario + Rabbids 2 on Nintendo Switch. During a long video, we can discover the novelties of the combat system, while the trio faces a boss, while traveling by train. Rayman also arrives in DLC.