Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Reviews
Nintendo's deft touch is missing from this crossover game from Ubisoft that fails as a Mario outing but succeeds as a turn-based battler
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is a turn-based tactic game that is also suitable for children. Your team of heroes must defeat their enemies in order to free all Sparks that Curca has captured, thus lifting the darkness. Some levels are harder to pass than others. The easy battles ensure that it remains fun and the game progresses smoothly, while the more difficult battles provide a bit of challenge. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope isn't the most fun game in Nintendo's Mario universe, but it's definitely worth playing nonetheless.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
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
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 and Rabbids Sparks of Hope provides the same enjoyable turn-based combat as its predecessor, with some minor tweaks to make it more accessible to a wider audience. A greater focus on the Rabbids opposed to the Mushroom Kingdom feels like a backwards step though, with the slapstick crossover comedy failing to sparkle this time around.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Mario and Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a worthy sequel to the first game with tonnes of meaningful changes and challenges. Whilst it loses steam a little the more you get on, it is still an enchanting title.
...after spending over a dozen hours in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, the joy of strategic battle management has returned. It’s a fantastic and whimsical RPG, but a smattering of poor puzzle design keeps it from being a true masterpiece.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a fun-filled exploration that shows what can happen when Nintendo decides to share its toys. While it's not the biggest leap a sequel has ever made, an incredible soundtrack, great visuals and witty writing make it one of Switch's best games of the year.
With so many options to customize your team and strategic battles that feel better than ever, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is exactly what a sequel is supposed to be, building on the foundation the first game laid down while not being afraid to shake things up. A general lack of polish feels wrong in a game starring Mario, but beyond those issues lies a fantastic strategy title for all ages.
[T]he Mario + Rabbids sequel is anything but soulless, though its appeal may depend on your tolerance of the turn-based strategy genre's ever-dreary pacing and Rabbid slapstick in general.
It’s hard to tell what exactly I’m getting out of this game sometimes, but it’s so fluffy and silly it’s equally as hard to care about scrutiny.
Sparks of Hope is a strong sequel that isn't afraid to reinvent the tactical foundation laid by the first Mario + Rabbids game.
An excellent experience for fans of strategy and casual games alike.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope improves on Kingdom Battle, but drags things out far too long near the end. Fans of the original – or tactical combat games in general – should still check it out.
Ultimately, the new Mario + Rabbids game is a solid sequel to the five-plus-year-old Kingdom Battle, though Ubisoft's attempts to give it an open world spin end up with mixed results.