NZGamer: "During E3 week, I managed to get my hands on the franchise mash-up that is Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. I didn’t write anything of the experience, mostly because I was still gushing from how incredibly weird and cool Super Mario Odyssey was. The common sentiment on the show floor though, is that Ubisoft and Nintendo’s baby was little more than an XCOM clone; a cynical view, but accurate."
When a game hits on a good idea, some developers are content to play it safe for the sequel, making a few refinements but largely stick to what worked the first time. That totally makes sense. But Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is not that kind of sequel; even though Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle surprised us all with its smart XCOM-style tactics in Nintendo clothing, this followup maintains its best ideas but reinvents itself to the point where it immediately feels very different. It’s bigger and better in nearly every way, with a more freeform and customizable take on combat and an almost completely rethought overworld that’s much less linear and absolutely packed with puzzles. The story’s all over the place and the Switch can’t always handle everything smoothly, but it’s a fantastic game that can be played as either an enjoyable cakewalk or a deep, demanding tactical challenge, all while maintaining its zany sense of humor.
The amazing thing about Mario is that this character is still meaningful, while at the sametime being anything.
When Mario + Rabbids creative director Davide Soliani first started working on Kingdom Battle, he was given express instructions from Ubisoft: Rabbids do not, under any circumstances, talk. But now, for the sequel Sparks of Hope, they do.
Daily Video Game writes: "Today, eShop has just kicked off a new digital game sale that features several popular games such as Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, STAR WARS: Knights of the Old Republic, and many more from Aspyr, Ubisoft, Navila Software Japan, Electronic Arts, and Outright Games for Nintendo Switch gamers now!"
It looks so much better than xcom. I'm just hoping it has a bit more variety in missions like Xcom with escort missions etc.
But from what I've seen the game looks amazing.