Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope release date, characters, more

Olivia Richman Published 21/05/2022

Over 2 million people played Mario + Rabbids on the Nintendo Switch, so it’s no surprise that Nintendo fans have been anxiously awaiting the sequel to the unique strategy game. Luckily for them, Nintendo has begun release details about this anticipated game.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a turn-based strategy game that sees popular Mario characters team up with Ubisoft’s Raving Rabbids characters to fight chaos-causing evil Rabbids. Every character has its own special abilities that make the game strategic and complex, prompting players to pick a new squad depending on the unique challenges of each map.

Mario + Rabbids was a huge success, getting high reviews and selling well. Even Nintendo fans who weren’t too fond of the Rabbids found the gameplay fun and different on the Nintendo Switch. The challenge blended with the humor left fans wanting more Mario + Rabbids. And that’s now finally happening.

Related: These are the best-selling Nintendo Switch games of all time

When is Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope coming out?

According to leaks, the release date for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is October 20, 2022.

The reveal was accidentally made on Ubisoft’s Spanish store where a date was listed ahead of an official announcement. The listing was taken down, but screen grabs were taken to immortalize the slip:

https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1541532730479050753

This coincides with Ubisoft’s latest earnings report, which mentioned that Mario + Rabids: Sparks of Hope would release in the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2023. A trusted insider previously said that Mario + Rabbids should be coming in time for the holidays this year, which also coincides with the leaked release date.

Is there a Mario + Rabbids sequel?

Yes, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope has been officially announced by Nintendo as a sequel to Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle.

The new sequel’s official trailer has come out, offering the first glimpse at the anticipated game’s plot. The short opens up with Mario and a Rabbid on a ship flying through space and approaching their destination. The screen shows a Rabbid getting morphed with Luma, seemingly creating a magical (and potentially obnoxious) new character.

A hologram on the ship shows that there are more of these Rabbid-Luma hybrids, but that an evil entity is after them. The hologram of the villain reaches for Mario and his friends. This prompts the Nintendo characters and Rabbids to grab some weapons as they land the ship on a planet.

Seemingly abandoned, Mario notices a large bad guy landing on the ship behind them. They are soon surrounded by possessed characters with glowing eyes. These enemies are controlled by the same giant villain they saw in the hologram.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHIuHMv3t88

What is the Mario + Rabbid: Sparks of Hope gameplay like?

Nintendo released a gameplay trailer soon after the cinematic trailer, giving a small glimpse at what the game will entail. It shows the Nintendo and Rabbid characters in a once-peaceful world that’s been ravaged by the ghostly entity and its possessed minions.

Maps seem to range in not only appearance but also environmental factors, from rainy Mediterranean-inspired beaches to snowy and dangerous lands.

The gameplay looks very similar to the first Mario + Rabbids game. Each character will take turns making a move, which includes walking a set distance and then performing a special attack based on the character’s abilities and items.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMNBC8lRtvY

What characters are in Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

The usual cast of characters is back with a few new additions. Each Nintendo character (Mario, Luigi, Peach) has a Rabbid counterpart. The cinematic trailer also shows a Rosalina-inspired Rabbid, meaning Rosalina and a Rosalina-styled Rabbid will also be available in the new sequel.

There is also a mysterious new character shown in the gameplay trailer. It’s currently unknown who this stranger is and if she will be on Mario’s side. But since Nintendo has stated there are nine playable characters, it would make sense that this curious new Rabbid is part of the playable team.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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