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Mario + Rabbids is a series of role-playing games which is focused on the turn-based, tactical strategy style of gameplay. A crossover between Mario and Ubisoft's Raving Rabbids, its developed and published (except in Asian territories) by Ubisoft.
Unlike the Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario games, the gameplay chiefly uses weaponry during battles and is more team-focused. In addition, it uses the original designs from the mainline series, rather than having unique designs of the aforementioned games. All of the Mario characters' voice clips and series' original sound effects were reused as well.
As for tone, in balancing between that of the Mario and Rabbids franchises, it features 'edgy' humor elements not common for the former series, such as toilet jokes and censored profanity. In comparison with the latter series, however, the tone is more darker yet friendlier as opposed to its usual irreverent nature.
Its first game is Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle released in 2017, followed by a downloadable expansion game, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure, released in the following year. The next entry, titled Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, is scheduled to be released in 2022.
All games were developed for the Nintendo Switch system.
Gameplay[]
The gameplay has a greater emphasis on teamwork and has Mario and crew use weaponry and explosives. Each ally and opponent has a health bar and includes a number describing the amount of health. It also uses a linear, grid-based system, in which the player must make a path to the strategy of attacking enemies, taking cover, and firing within limited range. Grids are also applied outside of combat.
In Kingdom Battle, attacks can have special effects which include the following:
- Bounce - Sends opponents to the air (can be pushed off boundaries)
- Push - Pushes opponents afar (can be pushed off boundaries)
- Fire - Causes opponents to run around and burn others
- Honey - Prevents movement
- Ink - Prevents attacks
- Ice - Prevents effects for a turn
- Poison - Steals health
- Stone
Certain forts, sometimes hidden within blocks, also contain detailed boxes with the effects mentioned above. Once hit, the same effects will apply to the character hiding near it.
In Sparks of Hope, the grid-based gameplay will be removed and replaced with an emphasis on free movement, and is described to be "a new take on the tactical genre".[1]
Games[]
| Title | Platform | Release | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
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Worldwide: August 29, 2017 |
After the Rabbids wrecked havoc in the Mushroom Kingdom with the SupaMerge headset, Mario and his gang must team up with their Rabbid friends (Rabbid Peach, Rabbid Luigi, Rabbid Mario, and Rabbid Yoshi) to defeat fellow Rabbid enemies and bosses to restore peace in the Kingdom. |
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Worldwide (DLC): June 26, 2018 | When Rabbid Peach and Beep-0 were sent to another dimension, they must restore the missing pieces to the broken Time Washing Machine, scatted across the island. They team up with Donkey Kong and Rabbid Cranky, and solve puzzles, encounter new Rabbid enemies, and take on Rabbid Kong once again. The game is set during the events of the main campaign after World 1, in which the player must complete before accessing Donkey Kong Adventure. |
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Worldwide: 2022 |
Mario and his crew go on an intergalactic journey to stop the evil forces of Cursa who's consuming the power of Sparks (species created by the merging of Lumas and Rabbids). |
Music[]
The series' music is composed and arranged by Grant Kirkhope, best known for his work on Rare-developed games like Banjo-Kazooie. Much of the music is original to the gams with arrangements from across the Mario franchise including Donkey Kong. In addition, it featured live orchestra performance in many tracks, performed in Prague, Czech Republic.[2]
Appearances in other games[]
Rabbid Peach made an appearance in the Nintendo Switch version of Just Dance 2018 in the alternate version of the song "Naughty Girl" by Beyoncé, exclusively through the Just Dance Unlimited subscription. It also featured the Mushroom Kingdom during the Rabbids' invasion.[3]
Spirits of Rabbid Peach, Rabbid Mario, and Rabbid Kong (based on his Mega form from Donkey Kong Adventure) appear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. DLC Mii headgear based on the Rabbids was later released in 2020.
References[]
- ↑ Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is doing away with the grid and opening up the Galaxy (gamesradar) Date: June 12, 2021. Author: Sam Loveridge.
- ↑ Credits 2017 | The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ↑ Rabbid Peach Bringing Sassy Dance Moves to Nintendo Switch (Rabbids UBISOFT) Date: April 13, 2018.