Crossovers are usually one of the most exciting events for gamers and in the case of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, it is one of the most fun and hilarious for Nintendo and Ubisoft, because in this sequel there is more freedom and ability to explore a title of the tactical RPG genre at a higher level.
The story of the game begins when an evil force invades the Mushroom Kingdom. His name is Cursa and he is able to mentally dominate the characters, who become enemies of Mario and his friends. To save the universe, the heroes must embark on a journey through different worlds to fight with the help of new allies.
In this sequel to the 2017 game, in addition to Mario, Peach, Luigi and their versions in Rabbids, there are also Bowser as a playable character, a Rabbid Rosalina and Edge, a Rabbid with a rock personality.
However, the most relevant implementation is that of the Sparks, which are inspired by the sparkles of Super Mario Galaxy, but play a fundamental role in the development of the game.
During the fights, the team of the protagonists faces another and they fight with weapons, or with some of their limbs. In this edition there is more freedom of movement on the map, in which it is even possible to move through the air with techniques in which the different members of the team participate.
This marks a substantial difference compared to the first game, in which a grid was used to move around the board and carry out several actions in the same turn, which has an impact on the strategy, in which the capacity of each character, since their attacks also vary.
However, the most relevant element in the evolution of the title is the use of the Sparks, since once equipped on the heroes, they have the ability to add skills or make them stronger against enemy attacks.
About the rivals, these also have a development layer, because as the story progresses it is more complex to face them. Therefore, it is required to build a corresponding strategy to get around the level.
Unlike the first installment, this is a title with a greater focus on the exploration of the worlds, since the protagonists must go through the places before entering the battles to discover different aspects of the game.
There are even areas where certain puzzles must be solved to advance, which gives it a second layer of gameplay that can entertain you in the middle of each fight.
In terms of image, the worlds respect the personality of the first game and also the details of Super Mario. It is clear that Ubisoft put a lot of effort into taking care of Mario’s legacy, although in some specific moments there are frame drops and the lighting is not the same as that shown in the first trailers of the title.
Although it is the first time that the Rabbids speak and the game is translated into Spanish, there is no adaptation for Latin America, which is extremely annoying because it speaks of a neglect of the public in the region.
Do I recommend buying Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope? Yes, it can easily become one of the essential games in the Nintendo Switch catalog because it ensures around 25 hours of hilarious experience, in which every decision counts.
In addition, it is a game that is extremely friendly for any audience and can be experienced from a child to an older adult.