Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Space Jam. Kingdom Hearts. Mayweather vs. McGregor. Three examples to show how fantastic crossovers can be. And then we have Alien vs. Predator to show us how bad they can get.

A new kind of Mario party

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a wonderfully pleasant surprise that masterfully accomplishes almost everything that it tries to do.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle has a special charm to it, which is something I didn't expect to say when first hearing about the project. While the allure of these two franchises coming together may be the draw for many, the surprising depth to its combat and the replayability that it offers are the real highlights. The fact that Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle turned out as well as it did makes me hope to see Nintendo work with other developers again in the future to utilize their beloved characters in new, unique ways just like this.

These two flavors taste great together.

During the 20+ hours that can be plugged into Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle's campaign, fans will be exposed to a funny and visually engaging world worth exploring that features some genuinely challenging portions of combat. Reoccurring enemies may weigh down an otherwise varied universe, but the end result of this partnership between Ubisoft and Nintendo is a wonderful, tactics-heavy venture that Switch owners won't want to let pass them by.

I was hardly the first to express my initial distaste at the thought of Rayman’s detestable detractors - the Rabbids - crossing into Mario’s universe and shooting people. Things didn’t get better as Rabbid Peach was shown in promotional art looking… somewhat unhinged, and plenty of doubt was cast on the game. But much of that dissolves once you play it. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle might be one of Mario’s most inventive and outside-of-the-box adventures to date, and the Rabbids actually make for fun characters for Mario and his pals to share their tale with.

Based on its colorful world, beautiful animation, and source material you might expect Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle to be “My first turn-based tactics game.” But you’re in for a surprise: even for XCOM vets some of its battles are challenging puzzles. Some of its tougher levels do devolve into a trial-and-error slog, but a good mix of enemies, objectives, and character abilities keep things interesting.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle gets more right than wrong in creating a casual and fun tactics experience, but tedious puzzle sections and a shotgun approach to Mario references holds it back from greatness.

Other than the campaign there’s some challenges to embark upon (which didn’t really catch my interest), or a limited co-op mode. I’ll be honest here, it’s nice that they have it, but it’s a little strange given that the story is single-player — you’d have to catch your partner up to speed with your happenings unless they’ve played it. The learning curve isn’t too steep (which is part of its charm), but I wish drop-in/drop-out multiplayer was just fully integrated.

Ubisoft and Nintendo got together to make a crossover. Instead of a platformer, RPGamers get Mario and Rabbids married together with XCOM style combat.

It’s hard not to like the Rabbids. Their wacky antics and comedic style make for charming and simply silly games. Merge that with the lighthearted and fun world of Mario and you are in for a good time. These words are ones that you would think you’d never say, yet here we are: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle has to be the quickest turnaround in history for a game’s response, where one moment we are condemning its potential but the next singing its praises. Not only does the game look good in trailers but in action it’s a new classic.