Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Reviews
Overall, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope does a fantastic job building on the original’s success while retaining its laid-back and humorous approach to RPGs.
Sparks of Hope is a definitive Switch experience that cannot be missed, and a master class on what a sequel should be.
An Ubisoft Rabbids title? One of the best tactics games of 2022? You better believe it.
If there is one thing I could say about Sparks of Hope, it is that is more of the same, andthat isn’t a bad thing, far from it. But along with the improvements to gameplay, there are also some odd additions to be found, such as the Rabbids now spouting dialogue. Overall the package is a generous one, with plenty of content to enjoy and challenges to overcome. But it is hard to ignore the fact that Maio seems like a secondary character in his own game, as do all of the Mushroom Kingdom’s cast. Does the inclusion of Mario make Sparks of Hope a more appealing package, yes absolutely, but it stops at making it a better game. But it is hard to deny the appeal that the first game had and Sparks of Hope certainly makes good on the promises of the original. A game that places fun at its forefront.
Sparks of Hope lost the effect of surprise and could not reach the first part both in terms of the level of humor and the quality of the battles. It's still a good and enjoyable tactic, but it flies out of your head immediately after passing.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Sequels can often find themselves in invidious positions; to follow on from what was already successful, while making enough changes to justify its existence, is a tricky balancing act in any form of media. If the necessary criteria are to be bigger, better, and more ambitious, while retaining the original's heart and soul, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope accomplishes that with flying colours.
Back in 2017, the Mario and Rabbids announcement was a bit of a shock, not least a gamble on behalf of Ubisoft, who combined one of gaming’s greatest icons with one of its most irritating spinoffs. Well, boy do we have something for you! Its sequel has recently been released, bringing more Minion-like antics to the mushroom kingdom, and beyond.
A few improvements and some stellar battle scenarios in the second Mario + Rabbids make it a Mario party worth attending.
It manages to shake up tried-and-true elements from the last game and the strategy genre as a whole and even rewrite the rules dictating what it means to be a tactics game. Where the last game set out to make tactics gameplay approachable for a wider audience, Sparks of Hope seeks to inject its own clever spin on the turn-based strategy genre, and in doing so delivers a fantastic experience. Complete with one of the best scores in any Nintendo game, fun puzzle-solving and solid exploration, Mario Rabbids Sparks of Hope isn't just a follow-up to a game derisively categorized as "baby's first tactics game" by hardcore fans of the genre; it's a tactics game for everyone that everyone should play.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope builds upon the framework established by the first title in several positive ways. The tactical combat has been given more variety, and having more things to do outside of battle was also a smart addition. Despite the annoying Rabbids and lackluster plot, it's an overall improvement and a solid sequel.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a can't miss sequel for the Switch, adding refinement and shine to an already stellar property.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope remains a great game like its predecessor, but with tons of changes, some really good while others make the experience feel less consistent.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a fantastic strategy game with a great roster of heroes, an impressive soundtrack, lovely animation, humor, and more. In other words, having Mario and the Rabbids come together (again!) is a delight for newcomers and veteran gamers alike. Let’s-a go to battle!
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope comes from the unexpected success of a spin-off that was highly discredited until it proved itself successful. Thus, while much was expected from the sequel, there was a feeling it wouldn't need to do much to repeat the feat. Without any doubt, I can say Ubisoft hit the mark once again.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Semi-open worlds with quests in the form of real-time strategy battles provide a sort of 3D role-playing game spin on the continuation of this odd match-up of Mario and the Rabbids. While Sparks of Hope improves on the formula introduced five years ago, some charm has been lost in the more generic lands the heroes traverse, with a story that doesn't offer much thanks to plain characters outside of the Rabbids. Battles are still as fun as before, with plenty of customisation possible, but there isn't much to think about when skill points can be redistributed at will. That may suit the target audience, though, and the additional difficulty options are pleasing in that regard, as well. Kingdom Battle fans will enjoy this, and there is some solid tactical gameplay to be found, but it's a bit too familiar and unsurprising to elevate it beyond the original.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a wonderful sequel that lives up to the original's quality and puts a lot of new elements into it. You'll have a blast going through the new worlds and finding your perfect team to fight Cursa with!
Sparks of Hope is a strong sequel that isn't afraid to reinvent the tactical foundation laid by the first Mario + Rabbids game.
Sparks of Hope seems like an ideal sequel. It tries to develop every aspect of Kingdom Battle that was limited, but it also tries to freshen up even the systems that admittedly worked perfectly.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is just a downright fun and adventurous game, one that continues to bring the turn-based tactics genre to a wider audience and also makes its own unique mark in the gaming space. There’s just so much to love about this game, and it’s incredibly easy to recommend it to anybody who’s a fan of tactics games or Mario games. It’s a great one to kick back with and play in short or long sessions, and really the only thing holding it back in any way is that the source material naturally limits the depth and nuance of the story that the game can tell beyond the fairly standard “big bad villain wants to ruin everything” structure. And that’s okay; this is a Mario game after all, a franchise built on big bads wanting to ruin everything over and over again. We don’t come to Mario games for the story (usually), we’re here for the cute, whimsical setting and characters and the highly polished gameplay. Sparks of Hope is a fantastic follow up to the original Mario + Rabbids that meets or exceeds it in every way, and once again it is a title that we are lucky to have the opportunity to play.
It is still hard to believe the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom and the Rabbids can live so harmoniously in the same game, but much like its predecessor, Sparks of Hope defies all expectations and provides a constantly delightful and rewarding experience on all fronts. Armed with delicious combat, swelling music tracks, and overflowing charm and hilarity, Sparks of Hope is one of the finest games of the year.