“Mario + Rabbids” is extremely charming | Movie Zen

When Super Mario teamed up with rabbits similar to French Minion in the strategy “Mario + Rapids: Kingdom Battle” a few years ago, few thought it would be anything but flip flop, but I and many others thought it would be a really good, addictive game – and rabbits are really charming !

with the sequel Mario + Rapids: Sparks of Hope Nintendo and Ubisoft have taken the concept further into space, where the plumber and his friends meet new allies on an intergalactic adventure.

Crazy encounters between Mario and killer rabbits

As Mario and his new bunny friends take a moment to relax after the events of Preculus, the party is abruptly interrupted by the appearance of a dark creature called Corsa, scattering dark matter throughout the universe in search of so-called sparks – a mix of Lumas from “Super Mario Galaxy” and Rabbids.

You will simply have to travel to space and defeat Corsa and her minions, as well as save the poor characters. Along the way, they make new allies like the classic archenemy Bowser, the new powerful emo rabbit edge and other witch species.

As before, it’s fun to watch mock bunnies interact speechlessly with Mario, Luigi and Peach, with all the weird scenes that pop up during the adventure – not least because of the really cool animations. What’s a little sad is that many of the places the gang visits can be completely uninspiring – from beaches to snow-capped landscapes, which we’ve seen countless times in other Mario games already. It is possible to explore the places more than its predecessors, but I would have liked to see more authenticity.

Strategic and exciting battles in almost real time

Like its predecessor, most of the gameplay takes place in strategic arenas, where Mario and his friends – hear and be amazed – use firearms and the like to defeat their enemies. Unlike before, where you can move a certain number of steps in the grid of each round, the battles are more free this time. The combat is still turn based, but you have more freedom in how you move before choosing to attack.

This really opens up the fights in a way that it’s not just the same thing over and over again, but offers more tactical possibilities. It’s really satisfying when you get a really good round where everything clicks perfectly and your enemies are eliminated without much damage to yourself. You can also equip characters with different insignia, allowing you to freely customize them and create unique combos. The thing that bothers me though is that the heroes’ upgrade menus and customizing their abilities seem a bit slow, which means I like to avoid that as much as possible.

Given the number of battles there are, however, it can get a little annoying in the long run, largely because you’ll see very similar settings multiple times during the same world. It is of course possible to differ a lot by changing the characters and their abilities, but sometimes this is a little consolation. When some specific battles feel incredibly complex and unique, it gets a little sad to see this cut and paste setup.

Funny puzzles and flashy clips

Like I said, the worlds in “Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope” can feel a little uninspiring in their themes, but as compensation, it’s more exciting to explore than its predecessor. Maps are more of a small open world these days, with secrets to discover and side quests to complete along the way.

However, puzzles are not always overly stimulating and can often be solved with the left hand and brain at half speed. There are more fun ways to design a puzzle than having to shove a box into an obvious spot, or catch fish without any particular ingenuity.

In the end Mario + Rapids: Sparks of Hope However, it’s a really good sequel that not only feels more of the same, but is a natural progression of an addictive and enjoyable concept – although there are some annoyances to look out for. If you liked “Kingdom Battle,” there’s no reason not to play it.

Mario + Rapids: Sparks of Hope

a program: Nintendo Switch

Type: Adventure / Strategy

chest: October 20

What do you think of the first “Mario + Rapids”?