Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

An unlikely mash-up, Mario+Rabbids is a very unique game. The turn-based strategy elements aren't going to be for everyone, but for Mario fans this alternative look into the Mushroom Kingdom isn't worth passing up.

Clearly the developers have a great love of Mario and an even greater understanding as to what makes a Mario game special. All of the nods to the Mario universe, how many staples of said universe feature in how the gameplay works with this unique title and the attention to every little detail makes this not only a fresh take on a classic character, but possibly my favorite Mario game ever.

During the 20+ hours that can be plugged into Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle 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.

Ultimately, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle will serve one specific audience very well. If you’re coming to this game as a Mario fan, you may be disappointed at the bizarre exclusions, and hardcore strategy nuts will brush this combat off as a baby’s toy. However, if you’re new to the genre, then this is a welcoming introduction to strategy games with all the polish in the world and a great sense of humor.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle takes familiar characters to very different places than we've seen them before, and the experiment works. While the premise is about as ludicrous as one would expect from the Rabbids, there's a real strong game underneath all that goofiness. The strategic action isn't quite as punishing as some of the more established franchises in the genre, but Kingdom Battle still manages pack some smart gameplay tricks into a welcoming experience for Switch owners.

Oh, and because people have probably been waiting for me to acknowledge this, yes it feels damn good to be vindicated after nine months of people saying “No way that there’s a Mario and Rabbids RPG coming to Switch called Kingdom Battle with music by Grant Kirkhope”. Suck it nerds, it was a real thing all along, and a pretty good thing at that.

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.

While not a traditional Mario or Rabbids game, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle contains enough elements from both franchises to appeal to fans of either series. The lighthearted humor and silly visuals combined with a surprisingly deep battle system make this unexpected crossover a delight to play.

It's an unfortunate shift that mars the final product quite a bit. This is still a wild ride with a handful of amazing moments, but the gameplay part of it needs more variety than it has, so the whole thing ends up coming back down to earth and feeling a little disappointing by the end.

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 gives you the action and strategy of XCOM in a way that does justice both to Mario and to the Rabbid’s kooky style. Ubi’s big E3 surprise is an unmissable Switch game.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle exudes off-beat optimism that never dissolves. It's a consistent delight, no matter how challenging the road becomes, because Kingdom Battle's unique turn-based tactics system is in every way a pleasure to engage with. Coupled with the annoyingly infectious allure of Rabbids, and the always delightful, colorful world of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is an implausibly engrossing formula that is positively challenging and endlessly charming.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle may not be the deepest tactical RPG, but it delivers a solid all-around experience that takes advantage of the strengths of both Mario and the Rabbids—making for one of the most surprisingly enjoyable game experiences you’re likely to have this year.

While Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle may have been the crossover that no one wanted, it's materialised as a really good one with some interesting systems, despite its smattering of shortcomings. It shouldn't work, but it does.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a game that sounds like it shouldn't be any good. On the contrary, Ubisoft has crafted a charming adventure for Mario and its Rabbids. The game streamlines the strategy combat experience while still offering surprising depth. Its world is absolutely beautiful, full of color, life, and hints of Mario's long history. Mario + Rabbids has no right being this good. It's not perfect, but it stands as one of the better gaming surprises of 2017.

Mario + Rabbids manages to walk a narrow road, offering up a legitimately challenging squad tactics experience without alienating the family-friendly Mario audience. While it doesn’t quite have the full layer of spit and polish of an in-house title, Ubisoft’s game comes damn close to capturing that Nintendo magic.

I was as skeptical as anyone when I heard the words “Mario” and “XCOM” uttered in the same sentence, but Kingdom Battle didn’t just prove me wrong – it ended up being my favorite Mario game in recent years. Nintendo and Ubisoft took a big risk working together outside their comfort zones, and that risk paid off.

Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.

Beyond the regular campaign, there’s challenges to master, perfect scores to wrap up and collectibles to hunt down. Every level represents a puzzle with multiple solutions. The presentation is an absolute delight, and the play style is perfectly suited to the Switch. If you’ve any interest in turn-based tactics, Nintendo or Ubisoft games, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a slam dunk.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a game that will surprise people. The level of quality and depth here is absolutely extraordinary. It is one of the most charming and detailed games I have played in 2017 and I suspect it will go on to become one of the Switch’s most memorable titles.

The effort put into Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is evident in the high-quality of the game.

Let me tell you, the hype is real. Nintendo, as always, in a sea of dark and gritty games reminds us that purely aiming for fun can be enough. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a testament to fun, wrapped around a game filled with depth and creativity.

Earlier, I compared Kingdom Battle to Super Mario RPG. It’s not quite as good as that classic RPG, largely because its original characters (Rabbid Peach is no Geno) aren’t as likable as Mario RPG’s unique heroes. Nor is the story as memorable. Kingdom Battle’s plot is serviceable but bare. But its tactical fights are a lot of fun. Ubisoft managed to turn a complex genre into a Mario-friendly experience that never insults the intelligence of its players. Instead, Kingdom Battle can offer a sturdy challenge.

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

As strange as Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle sounds on paper, there are some really good ideas in the mix. Having XCOM’s battle gameplay presented in a more light lighthearted fashion and greatly enhancing character movement are both excellent touches. It’s not perfect, but there’s a lot to like from this unlikely combination.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a hilarious, fun, and attractive looking title, despite some technical flaws here and there that are quickly overlooked due to all of its intrinsic qualities. If anything, this is perhaps the one Rabbid game that will truly push the critters into the realm of mainstream on a worldwide level, more so than they have ever been so far, simply because they are such a perfect fit with Mario in that universe, in a way that nobody would have ever expected.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a gorgeous, amusing, and challenging turn-based strategy that's easily the best exclusive on Nintendo Switch so far. I'm just as surprised as you are.

However, what Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle may ultimately lack in depth, it makes up for in charm, in design, in intent, and in self-awareness. It's funny, beautiful, sharp, well paced and fits like a glove on Nintendo Switch whether it's on the go or in front of the big TV. We had our trepidations going in, but it ultimately won us over. Indeed, this is a concept that shouldn't work, but it does. In fact, it works very well.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a must have for Switch-owning fans of turn-based tactical games. More importantly, such is the style and depth on offer that it's also ideal for those that haven't played much of the genre, for whom 'X-COM' sounds like a silly acronym from a war movie. It introduces the concept in the best possible way, and then utilises its own ideas for what becomes a smart and - at times - deliciously challenging experience.

Despite hiccups in handheld mode, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was more than I hoped it would be. It’s one of those rare instances where the positive pre-release reception was totally justified and made the ultimate pay-off even better. The developers at Ubisoft Milan and Paris took their time to figure what works about strategy games and elevated it to a form that can be enjoyed by many.

Despite owing so much to XCOM, this is a fantastically imaginative and enjoyable strategy game that’s as accessible as the genre has ever been on consoles.

Wonderfully paced, beautifully presented, hilariously nostalgic and reverent, portable, ever-challenging and charming to a fault. If The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild wasn’t enough to push your switch to Nintendo Switch, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle definitely should force your wallet. Gaming like this is as rare as hens Rabbid teeth.

That a crossover as bonkers as "Mario plus Rabbids by way of XCOM" even exists is to be celebrated, and fortunately it's an absorbing title that's only slightly diminished by some simplistic cover mechanics.

Solamente nos hubiera faltado algo de plataformeo, porque no hubiera desentonado. El modo desafío y el cooperativo local no hacen sino aportar mayor variedad a los combates estándar y permiten explotar al máximo la profundidad que acaba demostrando el juego en sus secciones de combate. Un título que se adapta como anillo al dedo a Nintendo Switch, aunque echemos de menos control táctil.

Un soplo de aire fresco inesperado repleto de contenido, diversión y una gran ejecución de todo lo que propone. No hemos parado de jugar a Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle durante la última semana, y la verdad es que no tenemos la intención de dejar de hacerlo. ¿Usuario de Nintendo Switch? Aquí tienes un motivo más para seguir ampliando la colección, y este no entraba en las quinielas.

Las 20 horas de campaña de Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle fueron mucho mejores de lo que esperaba, visualmente el juego es atractivo y la mezcla de ambos universos está bien lograda. Del lado de la jugabilidad es un RPG de estrategia por turnos dinámico, frenético y con buenos retos en los que más de una vez tendrás que reintentar la misión ante el desafío.

Lo nuevo de Ubisoft Milán es un título divertido, completo, original y muy bien ejecutado, hecho con mucho cariño y que podemos disfrutar incluso sin ser grandes fans de la estrategia. Además, llega envuelto en un genial apartado visual, que nos deja ya entrever lo que puede dar de sí Switch, repleto de homenajes tanto al mundo de Mario como al de los Rabbids, y con una banda sonora que tiene algunos temas memorables.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle se muestra como un grato ejemplo de lo que los third-party deberían hacer con sus juegos para el Nintendo Switch: aprovechar las características de la consola adaptándose a sus recursos pero dándonos una experiencia rica y valiosa.

Una cosa es una alianza estratégica y comercial, y otra es una colaboración real entre equipos de desarrollo. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle responde a esta última concepción. El resultado es un videojuego de estrategia y táctica que fusiona con extraordinario acierto dos universos, pero también dos maneras de hacer videojuegos: las de Ubisoft y Nintendo, que en realidad resultan no ser tan distintas.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle es una aventura única, es el choque de dos mundos que aparentemente no tienen nada que ver, pero que juntos funcionan de maravilla. El empleo del motor Snowdrop de Ubisoft le sienta como un guante a una aventura colorida que luce de maravilla en pantalla, y que es capaz de sacarte una carcajada cuando menos lo esperas.

Wahnwitzige Angriffsketten, eine charmante Präsentation und ein lustiger Koop-Modus machen das Crossover zu einem taktischen Highlight für Switch!

Né sous une bonne étoile comme on n'en voit qu’au Royaume Champignon, Mario+The Lapins Crétins : Kingdom Battle peut compter sur deux gambettes solides pour s’élever vers les cieux : sa réalisation de concours et ses combats tactiques, vibrants, malins et follement mobiles. De bon petit jeu à héritier du trône, il reste cependant un super-saut, qu’il tente à plusieurs reprises, sans jamais atteindre l’étage supérieur.

Mario + The Lapins Crétins Kingdom Battle est une vraie réussite qui parlera à un spectre de joueurs extrêmement vaste de par son accessibilité, son contenu et sa réalisation. A l’image de la console qui l’héberge, il réussit l’exploit de s’adapter parfaitement aux différents profils et aux différentes situations de jeu.

Pari réussi pour Ubisoft et Nintendo, qui nous offrent un cross-over aux multiples qualités. Car Mario + The Lapins Crétins : Kingdom Battle ne se contente pas de fusionner efficacement deux univers forts sympathiques. Il nous offre également, et surtout, un gameplay tactique riche et relativement exigeant.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle é um jogo improvável: não só vemos a Ubisoft a dar uso a algumas das mais famosas personagens da Nintendo e ao seu vasto universo como também opta por um género pouco convencional no longo catálogo de jogos com Mario estampado no título. O resultado surpreende pela positiva e demonstra ser capaz de dar nova vida a um género que parece destinado a afugentar um leque de jogadores menos dedicados mas que, com os ingredientes certos, é capaz de apreciar um RPG táctico por turnos.

A constância de ofertas de qualidade continua o maior desafio da Nintendo Switch, factor que depende não apenas da Nintendo, mas também das chamadas third-party. Olhando para os primeiros meses de vida da consola, temos visto múltiplas ofertas de qualidade, sendo que para isso também contribui este Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, uma aposta séria e exclusiva que a Ubisoft coloca na mais recente consola da Nintendo.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle trasuda passione e voglia di lasciare il segno da ogni poro. È un titolo che, pur basandosi su meccaniche e sistemi già consolidati, riesce a rimaneggiare tali fondamenta in modo talmente brillante da meritare senza ombra di dubbio un posto tra i migliori giochi disponibili sulla console ibrida di Nintendo, per non dire tra i migliori esponenti del suo genere.

Manca forse giusto qualche piacevole accelerata in termini di ritmo. E qualche piccolo dettaglio poteva essere limato un pizzico meglio. Ma non c’è alcun dubbio sul fatto che Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle sia uno dei migliori giochi disponibili oggi per Switch e, al contempo, rappresenti un grande momento per lo sviluppo di videogiochi in Italia.

Nel complesso, ci troviamo di fronte ad un nuovo must buy per i possessori di Nintendo Switch, che saranno felici di sapere che Ubisoft Milan ha svolto un lavoro davvero ottimo, sia per stimolare il giocatore che è in voi che per farlo ridere di gusto.

«Битва» похожа на карамельку не только внешне. Это яркая, цветастая игра, от которой, как кажется, не захочешь отрываться, пока не одолеешь целиком. Но ближе к концу понимаешь, что Kingdom Battle быстро запрягает, но медленно едет. Она немного «недожата», словно разработчики задали себе планку качества и сделали ровно до нее, но ни сантиметром дальше.

Olarak strateji oyunlarını seviyor ve aynı zamanda bir Mario hayranıysanız, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle tam aradığınız oyun olacaktır. Eğlenceli yapısı ve dinamikleri ile Switch sahiplerinin kesinlikle deneyim etmesi gereken bir macera olduğunu söylemeliyim.

Mario + Rabbids is geweldige strategy/RPG in de stijl van XCOM, overgoten met een geslaagde presentatie. De gevechten zijn tactisch, uitdagend en vooral zeer bevredigend, ook al zijn er momenten dat je geen mogelijkheid hebt om bepaalde aanvallen te voorkomen. De skill tree is wat wankel en bij vlagen herhaalt de game zich wat, maar met gave gevechten en de heerlijke clash van Rabbids en Mario-humor hield de game mijn aandacht aan.

Eksploracja w Mario + Rabbids okazuje się zwyczajnie fajna. Walka natomiast sprawia mnóstwo frajdy i potrafi wynagrodzić dobre planowanie: dwie postacie w trybie warty plus atak z broni, która odrzuca przeciwka (aktywując bohaterów ze wspomnianym trybem) – i buch, silnego wroga już nie ma, a satysfakcji jest cała masa. Jednak najbardziej w grze zachwycił mnie jej projekt.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle to bardzo ciekawe spojrzenie na gry taktyczne. Wszystko zostało pokryte kolorową i słodką oprawą graficzną, ale nie dajmy się zwieść, gdyż jest to bardzo wymagający tytuł, który może przysporzyć kłopotów nie jednemu konsolowemu strategowi.