During Ubisoft Forward 2021 press conference, a sequel to 2017’s tactical strategy game Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle was announced. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope will launch in 2022 on Nintendo Switch. The announcement trailer reveals Mario, Luigi, Peach, and the Rabbids on a spaceship, suiting up for an all-new alien threat.
The threat is Cursa, an evil being bent on consuming Sparks, which are formed by fusing Lumas and Rabbids. Mario and crew will explore planets throughout the galaxy to build a three-squad team (out of a nine-person roster) and repel evil forces through tactical turn-based combat. The sequel leaves the grid-based battlefield behind, however, and adds the option to get the jump on enemies outside of turn-based mode.
The trailer also reveals new signature weapons, including dual pistols for Mario, a bow for Luigi, and a weaponized parasol for Princess Peach.
The original Mario + Rabbids was a delightful spinoff that combined Nintendo’s famous mascots with Ubisoft’s not-so-famous Rabbids within an XCOM-style strategy game. The fusion resulted in one of the Switch’s first big third-party successes, bringing the Rabbids into the Mushroom Kingdom in a fun, silly story and tactically satisfying gameplay.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope will release sometime next year. It’s rated E10+.
