What started out as a joyful romp through a turn-based strategy became a concentrated effort to not get my ass kicked by the maps. Overall the game isn't too challenging but it is one where you will have to make a real effort to get through some of the battles. This is not a problem because Mario + Rabbids bring in a great atmosphere with solid mechanics. A very good core gameplay loop broken up by puzzles and story. It has been a pleasure to play through this game and I am excited to talk about Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle by Ubisoft.
The Game:
Mario + Rabbids is a turn-based strategy RPG that does everything right. There are four zones in the game all which are dotted with puzzles, chests, and battle zones. While not open-ended the game gives you plenty of freedom to move and explore each zone. Your party is led by a little AI named Beep-O who is trying to wright the wrong. There is so much to see and the game even gives you points where you can stop and see Rabbids doing what they do best, trying to kill themselves by their own stupidity.The battle system is rich and gives you three players to face up against your enemies. There are a few enemy types that you see variations of through the map but even the variations have special bonuses to their attack depending on the level. Cover is important as it will give you a 50% or 100% chance you will dodge an attack. Your enemy shares the same benefit. Cover is done from blocks placed over the map like a paintball course with some being destructible and on top of that, some hold a nasty surprise. These surprises like freezing or firebomb can be used to your advantage or completely fuck up what you were planning to do. Elevation will also give you benefits making the high ground o so important.
Your heroes have a set area they can move but that can be extended by jumping off of allies, with Mario having the ability to jump on enemies after taking flight. You also get a basic attack and a special attack that you can use during your phase for each player. Each turn will give you a lot to do and makes you really feel in control of the battle.
Every hero you get is rich in personality and come with their own perks. You can find combos in the teams like putting Mario, Luigi, and Rabbid Yoshi together. Rabbid Yoshi will give out a scream while Mario and Luigi are at the ready with their special abilities that shoot moving targets. It's a fun way to clear a lot of baddies at the door fast.
There is a home base at Peache's castle that hosts an art gallery where you can view your collectibles, a multiplayer building called the Buddiedome where you can share some joy, a bay for your amiibos, and a physical building for your battle HQ. To get back to where you were in the level you can jump in a cannon that shoots you back to your last location.
My Thoughts:
One thing I liked right away is this game does not hold your hand for long. It will test your ability to see the board for what it is and use your characters to overcome a modern day game of chess on steroids. While you can lay down some painful combos on your enemy, one single slip up will lead to a punishing enemy phase. That being said it is not insanely difficult and an easy mode is offered at the beginning of each map that will heal your characters and give you a health bonus. You are also given the ability to survey the maps before you start.The story is cute. As I covered in my first look at this game the Rabbids made a mess of things and you are there to clean it up. You end up chasing a little Rabbid around with goggles that will combine two items and even worse he gets picked up by Bowser Jr. It's not some groundbreaking story but it is a light-hearted romp through the distorted Mushroom Kingdom. Something you expect out of the Mario franchise.
The graphics are great for the Switch and I only saw slow down a few times. I was expecting a lot more because of the hardware but no major glitching or popping happened. There was a fight where the camera was stuck behind a gray wall when an enemy started to move but it would zoom back in and it was only one fight. Aside from that event, the game ran smoothly and along with a great soundtrack made for a really immersive fun world.
The two player mode is really just two people taking turns moving two characters they pick. It's kinda weird because I had to spend a lot of time describing what each player can do to the people I convinced to play with me and it's a little boring waiting for your turn to come around. I feel like this would be better with an episode of some show playing in the background. It would also help if the people you play with had played the game before you shove a controller in their face. You could honestly just do these by yourself if you feel so inclined.
Mario + Rabbids is hands down one of the best titles out on the Switch right now. That's not saying a lot with the lack of titles but it brings a lot to the table and does what it does right. This experience was a very fun one and for the first time in a long time, I really do feel compelled to go back into this and find everything. There are a series of challenges that exist after you beat the levels so there is gameplay after the story. This game offered a lot and I really enjoyed playing it. Unless you are vehemently opposed to Mario or turn-based tactic RPGs this is a must-have title for the Switch.
TL;DR:
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a turn-based tactics RPG with fluid gameplay and level design. The graphics are decent, the music is good, the story is nice, and this game is worth your time. It's one worth picking up, its a lot of fun.
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