Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is doing well in the reviews. The scores keep fluctuating on Metacritic but it is hovering above the original by one point. Not much has changed between the first game that debuted in 2017 and this sequel. It is still unbelievable that the crossover happened at all and that it turned out as well as it did.
Many things have been improved in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope such as the flow of combat, but then again some things remain unchanged which is both good and bad. These are just a few ideas on what the developers could do to improve what is already a stellar tactical RPG with a few patches down the line.
8 Add More Voices
The voice work in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is good but inconsistent. Most characters speak but only a few words from their dialogue boxes. The only two characters that are fully voiced all the time are Jeanie and Beep-0.
It may be late to fix this now, but it would be great if the team somehow got the voice actors back in the studio so that they could record more lines. It is a daunting task to be sure and the lack of full voice acting isn’t a detriment to the RPG storytelling but it is a nice wish to reflect on.
7 Add A Photo Mode
Ubisoft is pretty good when it comes to putting photo modes in their games. Being able to pause the camera in the middle of the action can create some cool photo opportunities. Taking a picture before taking down someone in Assassin’s Creed is one example. The lack of a photo mode in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is another example that doesn’t hurt the game overall. It would just be a nice mechanic to have for the screenshot enthusiasts out there.
6 Add Boosts To Weapon Skins
One of the strangest things about Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is that the weapon system doesn’t adhere to traditional RPG values. Shops will have new weapons for players to equip but all they do is change the skin and they don’t boost stats. There are some exceptions but overall equipment is just another way for players to customize their heroes to their liking.
It’s nice the game does something to change up gear but it would be better if these weapon skins boosted stats as well. This could hurt the balance of the game at this point but a patch to put in stats for these weapons would be highly appreciated regardless of that issue.
5 Increase Battle Speed
One of the best features RPGs have added to their games recently is the ability to increase speed. Another recent tactical RPG on Switch, The DioField Chronicle, speeds up movement and actions for both heroes and enemies. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has a speed-up function as well but it only works on the enemy’s turn.
A patch could tweak this functionality to make it better. Speeding up movements and actions during the player’s turn would be good. It would also be nice if there were more than one boost option. Finally, a way to skip through enemy turns entirely would be the best fix out of all these ideas.
4 Add A Jump
It’s wild that a spinoff like this featuring Mario, doesn’t have a normal jump button. It would be so convenient to allow players to jump around in the environments. Players don’t need to skyrocket far above the clouds like in a traditional adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom.
Just adding in an ability to hop over small obstacles or a way to jump down from heights would make exploration more satisfying. This is another idea that might break the balance of the game since Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is set up like a Metroidvania in ways but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
3 Add Multiplayer
The first game offered players the opportunity to play through it with co-op. It was a limited mode but adding in an extra pair of hands was still nice. This sequel doesn’t feature co-op or multiplayer of any kind which is truly odd.
While it would be nice to see co-op return, it would be better to add in a versus mode for players. Fighting against friends or random people online can be one of the most satisfying things in a tactical RPG.
2 Tweak Load Times
This could be something out of Ubisoft’s hands but it would be amazing if the load times could be improved. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a great example of a new game that is bogged down by old hardware. The Switch has been great since 2017 but it is high time for a sequel system. A new RPG that needs to load to get into an equipment menu, even if it only takes a second or two, is ridiculous. If loads can’t be improved that will be disappointing but also understandable.
1 Expand The Save Database
This is a small complaint but Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope could use some more save files. There are three profiles for players to use and each one of these profiles expands itself to offer four manual save slots. While this is more than the traditional three in most RPGs, it is less than what some fans desire. Being able to save in certain parts of a game can be handy for content creators or players that just like to keep saves around their favorite parts of RPGs. If more manual save slots could be added that would be wonderful but also nowhere near the top of the fix-it pile.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope was released on October 20, 2022 and is available on the Switch.