Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Review: A Colorful Approach to Turn-Based Tactics

The first Mario + Rabbids game, Kingdom Battle, proved that it was possible to meld the kineticism of the Mario franchise with the methodical tactics of a turn-based strategy game. Ubisoft’s sequel, Sparks of Hope, is more colorful, more fluid, and just all-around more fun, giddily taking cues from Super Mario Galaxy to blast off into new territory.

Whereas Mario + Rabbids’s MegaBug mashed up elements of the Mushroom Kingdom with wild Rabbids, this sequel’s Sparks, a power source coveted by the villainous Cursa, are part Rabbid, part Luma (which first appeared in the original Super Mario Galaxy), and the journey spans five richly detailed planets. Sparks of Hope wastes no time demonstrating its newfound freedom from the grid-based “realism” of the first game—the very first battle is fought atop a giant ravaging space manta ray—and in doing so draws focus to unique challenges, as well as novel maps that aren’t restrained by needing to double as the game’s overworld.

When Beep-0, Mario’s robotic ally, kicks off the quest by flying you to Beacon Beach in search of an energy source that will help them warp to Cursa’s lair, players are free to roam the area’s darkened reefs and sands, picking fights with stray goombas or attempting to clean up Darkmess Puddles by meeting their specific win conditions. At some point, players can only unlock additional sidequests by progressing the narrative, which often transforms a region—in this instance, by restoring the lighthouse and brightening the beach with actual sunlight and the good cheer of one DJ Cheep Tuna, a Cheep-Cheep-hatted performer.

Each region is bursting with quirky things to stumble upon, though the tactical combat is rich enough to be rewarding enough on its own. The secret weapon of these fights is the way in which the developers have centered them around unique objectives, such that they serve as extensions of the environmental puzzles found on each island. Missions are rarely as straightforward as simply killing enemies, which keeps you on your toes as you try to come up with new strategies to best synergize your squad (of two to four heroes), your Sparks, and the environment.

One level in Pristine Peaks requires players to find a way to maneuver a bob-omb down a series of icy slopes, swapping back and forth between each character’s movement skills and two available actions to clear enemies. Special conditions like these keep you constantly switching out party members and freely respeccing their skill trees for maximum efficacy. Defending precious machinery from oncoming attackers? Give Luigi a Team Jump boost up to a turret and use the guaranteed critical hits of his High Ground specialty to pick off foes as they spawn. Need to help an infected Wiggler shake off the Darkmess? Extend Rabbid Luigi’s movement range and the ricocheting chain of his Discruptor weapon and you can clear up to six pustules in one go(o).

Sparks of Hope is a 30-hour game that never overstays its welcome. Battles are fiercely objective-focused and rarely more than 10 minutes long, save for the occasional survival mission or multistage boss fight (including a breathtaking finale that utilizes the whole team, a la Final Fantasy VI). They’re also consistently fresh, even when they’re just a matter of clearing out all the enemies, thanks to the extra abilities you can learn by collecting and equipping Sparks. If you’re jealous of a Ghostly Walker’s ability to sneak by, you can return the favor by activating Ethering’s temporary invisibility. If you’re frustrated by how a Magnafowl can draw you all to his location, the disco-ball-hued Glitter can do the same. Like chess, your teams are evenly matched in abilities, which makes how you choose to maneuver your pieces the deciding factor.

Sparks of Hope’s flaws are more accurately described as missed opportunities. The wardens of each realm are vibrant, funny characters who deserve better than having their backgrounds conveyed through static and lifeless murals. And given his thunderous personality, you’d think Bowser would speak up at least as often as newcomer rabbids Edge and Rosalina; it’s too easy to forget that he’s even in your party. But these things don’t matter in the heat of combat—does Bowser’s Bowzooka cannon really need a backstory?—nor do they apply to exploration (which is better off not explaining the physics of the Wiggler Express and its floral tracks, actually), but in a game overflowing with sparks of joy, it doesn’t seem unfair to hope for even more.

This game was reviewed with code provided by Ubisoft.