Mario's latest outing with the Rabbids in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope provides players with a wonderful strategy RPG full of unique and interesting characters that harkens back to some of the more ambitious spin-off titles in Mario's catalog. What was once considered a bizarre choice for a crossover has blossomed into a beloved series and seen a growth in goodwill from players towards Ubisoft's quirky Rabbids. The success of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has itself sparked hope in fans that more crossovers with unexpected franchises could be in the cards for the mustachioed plumber.
Mario first saw a crossover with the Rabbids in 2017's Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which marked the first instance of a Nintendo property being developed by Ubisoft. Nintendo is no stranger to letting other companies handle its major franchises, with games like Super Mario RPG being developed by Square Enix and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap being developed by Capcom. As Nintendo continues to expand the network of third-party developers it works closely with, it's very possible Mario could see himself in an adventure alongside some of gaming's biggest mascots.
Mario and Sonic Should Do More Together Than Just Play Olympic Sports
Bitter rivals since the days of the SNES and Sega Genesis, Mario and Sonic have changed over the years and engaged in friendly competition throughout the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series and the Super Smash Bros. series. Since Sega exited the console market and ended its rivalry with Nintendo, the two companies have worked closely to bring many Sega titles exclusively to Nintendo platforms. With the hatchet buried, it's finally time for Mario and Sonic to have a proper crossover that sees the two team up against a common foe.
There are a variety of genres that would be perfect for these two, but a mod for Sonic Generations shows that a 2D/3D platformer hybrid could be the perfect match. Switching between Mario and Sonic with levels playing out in either 2D or 3D depending on the character seems like a formula for an excellent crossover experience. Beyond platformers, a game inspired by the Mario and Luigi series of RPGs would be a great fit as well and could involve similar active battle mechanics utilizing a party consisting of both Mario and Sonic characters. It's quite surprising these two legends of gaming have yet to have a full-fledged crossover, but it seems like only a matter of time before the Blue Blur teams up with Nintendo's golden boy.
A Pac-Man Team-Up with Mario Would Be Iconic
As a fellow retro-gaming icon, a Pac-Man and Mario crossover game seems like a no-brainer. The two have already appeared alongside each other in the Super Smash Bros. series and with Bandai Namco having worked on the previous two entries, Nintendo is well acquainted with how the developer can handle their IPs. Add in the recent Pac-Man World Re-Pac remake to remind players of Pac-Man's 3D platforming experience, and it's only natural to believe a crossover with Mario could happen.
The obvious genre for such a crossover would be a 3D platformer given the two characters' history with that style of game. Something similar to Banjo-Kazooie where the player controls both Mario and Pac-Man with the ability to swap between the two as needed could be a way for these two iconic mascots to share the spotlight. While a game like this once seemed impossible, it's more likely than ever now that companies like Bandai Namco and Nintendo are capitalizing on the nostalgia for their characters and working together to bring their IPs to new audiences. Even though the Mario + Rabbids series was quite the surprise when it was first announced, it may have opened the door for even bigger collaborations between Mario and former gaming rivals in the future.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is available now for Nintendo Switch.