Ubisoft and Nintendo kicked off today with a detailed look at their newest title, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. The long-awaited sequel to Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle arrives on the Nintendo Switch on October 20th, 2022.

The game takes place within the merge of Mario and the Rabbid's universe. In this unique and colorful realm, you and your allies will assemble to defeat the evil Cursa. The dark entity wants to capture the Sparks, creatures who team up with you and enable amazing abilities. Joining the team on this galactic journey will be Rabbid Rosalina as well as a new character called Edge. Bowser will also be reluctantly joining the team to recover his lost army.

Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Heroes

With strategy at the core, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope mixes turn-based tactics with real-time action. Working with your team is essential to defeating your enemies since the game's battle system relies heavily on your strategic abilities. According to Creative Director Davide Soliani, the game offers intense battle scenes that are customizable based on your team composition and which Sparks you accompany you. "We call it a tactical adventure as you'll be able to experience a totally new kind of gameplay".

In Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, a grid was in place during fights to allow for more structured battles. However, the grid has been removed in the sequel, promoting a more dynamic battle system. Along with eliminating the grid system, unique weapons and abilities have also been added. For example, Luigi's bow deals more damage to enemies the further away they are. In the trailer, we saw Peach's shield technique, Rosalina's sleep ability and Rabbid Mario's counterattack. These special abilities allow every character to shine in battle.

Besides the new dynamic combat system, Sparks of Hope has a beautiful world to explore. From snow-covered lands to gigantic forests, the universe is peculiar yet luxurious. The game will allow you to traverse various planets and take quests from the inhabitants. You can watch the full showcase below:

Grant Kirkhope returns as the composer of Mario + Rabbids. His previous works include composing music for Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong and Yooka-Laylee. Famous game composers Gareth Coker and Yoko Shimomura will be joining Kirkhope. Coker is known for his work on Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of Wisps and Ark: Survival Evolved. Shimomura is best known for her compositions in Kingdom Hearts, Super Mario RPG and a multitude of other famous titles. This is a formidable music team, to say the least.

The game will launch on Nintendo Switch on October 20th, 2022 and is already available for preorder via the Nintendo eShop and the Ubisoft Store.