Different but just an entertaining continuation of the adventures of Mario and Ubisoft’s rabbits

Mario + Rapids, an unexpected encounter between the Mario world and Ubisoft’s wild sea rabbits, successfully combines the charm and humor typical of Nintendo with blazing tactical battles from the world of strategic role-playing games.

The sequel to Spark of Hope is surprisingly demo for a second. Turn-based battles, in which he spends most of the time, have been given a new kind of freedom of movement where characters are completely manually controlled within a limited radius, rather than being directed to their positions. The fact that the system is still turn-based keeps the pace relatively intact, but the change is big enough to give the battles a different dynamic and fun that you could argue suits Mario and the gang better.

The scale and structure of the adventure have also undergone significant changes. Sparks of Hope takes us on a vast journey located on several different planets with different climates, game elements, and enemy types. Overall, the sequel dips its toes a little deeper into the role-playing quagmire of the original.

It may be good or bad. Good because the expanded scale contributes to added value and additional strategic options – bad because the rejuvenated build and presentation somewhat transcend Nintendo’s signature charm, which unfortunately lost a bit along the way.

Sparks of hope are not necessarily what you thought they would be. But in the end, its innovation pays off enough to make one of the highlights of the gaming year.