6 tips to mastering Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Are you looking for a tactical experience on the go, full of charm and strategic challenge, but have no clue what to play? How about a little insanity and class thrown into the mix, with Ubisoft’s excellent Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, a turn-based action-adventure that is simply one of the best games you can enjoy in 2022.

Whether you are a newcomer or a veteran of the genre, not preparing yourself well in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope will lead to disastrous outcomes in space. With plenty of new and familiar mechanics working in tandem, it is important to know what you are getting yourself into beforehand to have any chance of success.

To help you on that front, here are five tips to help you master Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope!

1. Experiment with your team

The game’s title says it all, as all nine members of your squad have their own quirks, and can change how every battle will feel like. If a particular setup is not getting you across the line, consider your options and make some changes.

Having a healer is always a good choice in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, but if you are looking to get the battle over quickly before any damage is done, having a bruiser like Bowser might make more sense. As for those scenarios that require reaching a goal, utilising Luigi’s insane mobility and team jumps can make your life that much easier. 

And, of course, don’t forget about the important Sparks, which can grant powerful abilities to further augment your combat prowess. 

2. Fail to plan, plan to fail

Preparation is key to most things, and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is no exception. Before even starting an engagement, be sure to check if you are in the ideal conditions. This means visiting a shop to stock up on essentials, checking out the upcoming enemies and their weaknesses, and changing your loadout to exploit them. 

As a rule of thumb, always heal up if you can afford it. You never know what else might happen during a mission, so the fewer risks you can take, the better. Most importantly, understand your objective. No point trying to kill everything in sight when all you need to do is get somewhere on the map.

3. Team player

A team is nothing without complementary parts, and in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, the nine characters are always useful on their own, but even better together. Take, for example, enemies hiding behind cover. You could go the long way around to flank them, or better yet, just destroy said cover with Bowser’s Bowzooka, and then snipe them with Luigi!

Peach’s Barrier ability is also great in protecting allies, so do that with Rabbid Mario before unleashing hell on a group of enemies. Minimising your risks and reaping the maximum reward, that’s how success tastes like in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. 

Make full use of your dashes and team jumps, take advantage of maps with pipes and warp pads, and keep fighting as a well-oiled machine to even the most challenging of odds. Over time, you will discover more potent combinations of allies, and together with Sparks, Cursa’s armies will stand little chance of stopping your righteous crusade.

4. Be a curious explorer in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has more than just combat for players to sink their teeth into, there are also various planets and areas for exploration and puzzle-solving. Instead of jumping straight into the next mission, walk around and take in the sights.

The Ubisoft team has certainly gone above and beyond to bring each planet to life, and on the gameplay front, you could be unlocking beneficial secrets and such along the way.

Always make a mental note of anything interesting on your travels; a future ability will likely get you where you want to go. So as you move forward, be sure to revisit old haunts and take advantage of your new abilities! 

5. Change up the difficulty

We get it, a turn-based tactical game is supposed to make you think hard about your decisions, but then again, not everyone is built to study every move before making them.

If having fun is all you are worried about in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, make full use of the option to tweak the difficulty before a battle. Don’t let the looming shadow of the genre affect your experience; sometimes, all you need is a break.

6. Speed things up in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Once you have seen some of the techniques in action for your different characters, it might be taking up too much time for them to play over and over again. Keep things moving briskly by switching off the animations via the menu, so you can focus on getting your objectives accomplished.

And when it’s the enemy’s turn, just press “Y”. No need to spend too much time on foes that will soon be vanquished.

Now that you are more or less caught up on the best way to experience Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, what are you waiting for? The Mario gang and the Rabbids are itching to have someone competent to lead them into battle, and you will most certainly fit the bill with this guide!

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is available now on the Nintendo Switch for $79.90.

This article was first published in Geek Culture.