Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Reviews
Despite owing so much to XCOM, this is a fantastically imaginative and enjoyable strategy game that's as accessible as the genre has ever been on consoles.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle's guts are impressive, but its main event feels like a [good] expansion for a fleshed-out strategy RPG that has more to offer than a great combat system. By the time it opens up halfway in and you really start to delve into the skill tree, it begs to be played. But until then both exploration and some battles feel like going through the motions in a "kinda sorta" tutorial way.
As strange as Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle sounds on paper, there are some really good ideas in the mix. Having XCOM's battle gameplay presented in a more light lighthearted fashion and greatly enhancing character movement are both excellent touches. It's not perfect, but there's a lot to like from this unlikely combination.
Simply put: one of the best games available today on Nintendo Switch.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mario and Rabidds come together in a videogame with high doses of humor, entertainment and style. Ubisfot and Nintendo join forces to create a great exclusive for Nintendo Switch.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
An unlikely mash-up, Mario+Rabbids is a very unique game. The turn-based strategy elements aren't going to be for everyone, but for Mario fans this alternative look into the Mushroom Kingdom isn't worth passing up.
Overall, I must say, I was really impressed by my time with Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. It's a polished X-Com style game that removes some of the obtuse layers to ensure the early gameplay curve is accessible, uses humor very well, and kept me coming back for more.
Nintendo and Ubisoft's partnership to develop Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle for the Switch was a brilliant idea and we want more!
Mario + Rabbids KIngdom isn't going to be a game that appeals to everyone with the slow pace and limited gameplay. It would need to be full multiplayer rather than optional co-op with a range of modes for that. However, it does have fun and casual nature and an easy going game for younger players to pick up.
Mario + Rabbids: The Battle of the Kingdom is one of the most unexpected and beautiful games of the year, which carries with it a deep tactical gameplay with the integration of role-playing and adventure elements. If you own a Nintendo Switch, you should buy this game.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a strange mix-up, with surprisingly deep mechanics and addictive gameplay. Almost like a Nintendo version of the Xcom-series.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle looks, plays and sounds better than you would've ever expected from such a confusing crossover - an interesting take on the X-COM formula that can start to feel tedious, but starts amazingly and will keep many players stuck into the turn-based strategy shooter.
All of the nods to the Mario universe, how many staples of said universe feature in how the gameplay works with this unique title and the attention to every little detail makes this not only a fresh take on a classic character, but possibly my favorite Mario game ever.
With every successive stage the potential dangers grow, and new ones are always being added to the pile.
Ubisoft nailed its first outing with Mario, hitting all the beats with its humor, story, music, and graphics. To say that it does Super Mario justice would undersell what the publisher accomplished. This is a Mario game through and through, and fans will love it.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle combines one of the most beloved names in video games with a horde of manic, cartoon rabbits for a surprisingly satisfying turn-based strategy experience.
That a crossover as bonkers as "Mario plus Rabbids by way of XCOM" even exists is to be celebrated, and fortunately it's an absorbing title that's only slightly diminished by some simplistic cover mechanics.
It shouldn't work, but Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle coalesces into something that shows a reverence to Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom, but isn't afraid to challenge its ideas. It's a wonderful game in its own right, and a bit of magic for Nintendo's Switch that's far better than it has any right to be.
Mario + Rabbids delivers a fun and refreshing take on the Mario experience that only scratches the surface of this new tactical shooter's potential. Difficulty can vary wildly and the inability to save mid-battle might frustrate some folks while also making the game a bit tough for a younger audience. Its combination of humor and solid tactical gameplay, however, makes the game exactly the kind of title that Nintendo needs from third-party developers to build up its new system's library.
Nothing about Mario Rabbids should work. It's enough of a shock that Ubisoft Milan managed to bring together these two worlds so well, then it successfully makes its cast the stars of a genre none of them has ever been near. Robust in how it plays and confident in its presentation, Kingdom Battle is exactly the kind of bold and fun exclusive Switch needed in its first year.