Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Reviews
This rollercoaster ride of a turn-based strategy game starts out almost impossibly strong, but by the end I mostly wished it'd been over three hours earlier.
The game isn’t without fault — greater variety in characters and levels along with more meaningful customization would be welcome — but most of the issues are minor in comparison to how much fun the game is to play.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a joy to play and is one of the most charming releases of the year.
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.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is very charming and the whole aesthetic is a labor of love. However, pesky gameplay shortcomings and a nasty difficulty spike halfway through hamper this Nintendo love-letter.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle gets more right than wrong in creating a casual and fun tactics experience, but tedious puzzle sections and a shotgun approach to Mario references holds it back from greatness.
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.
Based on its colorful world, beautiful animation, and source material you might expect Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle to be “My first turn-based tactics game.” But you're in for a surprise: even for XCOM vets some of its battles are challenging puzzles. Some of its tougher levels do devolve into a trial-and-error slog, but a good mix of enemies, objectives, and character abilities keep things interesting.
Mario + Rabbids is a nice mix of puzzles and turn-based tactical fights for younger audiences. It’s off to a slow start and gets better over time, containing a fair amount of content, collectibles and bonus challenges. It may not have the most elaborate combat system of all time but definitely brings unique ideas and concepts to the table.
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.
There's some really fun gameplay, with great bosses. However the open world feels empty and I wish there was lots more content for returning players after a first time completion.
Hats and Mario caps off to Ubisoft: Kingdom Battle is the best Mario world so far that's not made by Nintendo and the rare kind of game where the sidekicks, the Rabbids, outshine the famous cover stars. It might be lacking in variety over time and it would have been nice to kick the plumber out of the squad for a change, but these minor flaws can't ruin the fun of an otherwise surprisingly great tactical strategy adventure.
Review in German | Read full review
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a bright, beautiful, and truly wacky experience that proves what can be done when another studio works on a Nintendo license.
Many were sceptical about Nintendo lending out Mario for a Rabbids game, but this unique tactical RPG is a prime example of why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. While it’s not developed by Nintendo, it retains that distinct Nintendo charm and polish throughout. If you’re looking for a deep RPG for the Switch, Mario + Rabbids’ quality might just surprise you.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a hilarious, fun, and attractive looking title, despite some technical flaws here and there that are quickly overlooked due to all of its intrinsic qualities. If anything, this is perhaps the one Rabbid game that will truly push the critters into the realm of mainstream on a worldwide level, more so than they have ever been so far, simply because they are such a perfect fit with Mario in that universe, in a way that nobody would have ever expected. It's challenging, for sure, so fans of Mario who are wary of strategy games beware. If even ever so slightly interested in strategy, though, and willing to sit through it all, persevering as much as it takes to see it through to the end is a complete blast. Well worth checking out.
Doesn't matter if you're a fan of a tactic games or a newcomer to the genre, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle will please you with colorful looks, great maps design and addictive gameplay. And this adorable rabbids will definitely steal your heart.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a good first step towards what will hopefully become a series for Ubisoft and Nintendo. Fans of Mario games, strategy RPGs, or even Switch games in general should grab this without hesitation.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle smoothly merged two completely different worlds into a quirky, comical story with addictive gameplay. At the same time it managed to mold its own identity on a system that needs this kind of game.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
This game, all in all, deserves to be played even if you are not much of a Strategy games fan because Ubisoft had elegantly produced a "Nintendo" title which perhaps may surpass even Nintendo themselves if they had released a Mario game in the strategy genre.
Review in Arabic | Read full review