One of the oddest pairings you’ll ever see may just be one of the best games being made for the Nintendo Switch. Yes, I’m speaking of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. This absolutely insane game from Ubisoft and Nintendo may not seem like your cup of tea, but watching the game being played at the Nintendo Treehouse event, it may be a game you won’t stop playing.
What was immediately apparent as the demo went on was that the world of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is not only big, it’s detailed. From the grass, the plants, the rocks, everything is made in the style of Mario, but mixed with the craziness of the Rabbids, and it absolutely works.
But when you get into combat, you’ll see something very different, a very tactical approach. You’ll likely see a lot of comparisons to Fire Emblem, and that’s very fair. But there’s also a lot of shooter elements such as cover based combat. Both Mario (and crew) and the Rabbids (and crew) have to use their blaster weapons wisely in order to hit their opponents, but also be mindful of their surroundings so they don’t get blindsided, while also being advantageous in regards to getting around the world.
For example, in the game, there are different objectives in battles depending on the one you’re in at the time. There is “Defeat”, “Escort”, “Advance”, and more, and each one has you focusing on different tasks. This is important, because the enemy Rabbids you face will often times respawn, so you can be overwhelmed if you don’t stay on task.
Also of note, as you traverse this mixed world, you’ll learn new skills and abilities which will help you advance and expand the world even more. Plus, when you “defeat” Rabbids, you’re actually freeing them from a bond that’s making them evil. So winning battles will actually help you advance through the game in numerous ways.
It’s clear that Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a true labor of love, and Ubisoft really wants this to do well. If it plays as well as it looks right now? We’ll be loving it when it arrives on Nintendo Switch on August 29th.
