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Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Mario + Rabbids Davide Soliani Ubisoft

July 24: Davide Soliani, who is best known for his work on the Mario + Rabbids games, announced on social media that he’s left Ubisoft.

Soliani (pictured on the left above) was one of the key developers that worked on the series. He acted as creative director on both Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.

Original: We have a heads up on the next Nintendo Switch Online Game Trial in Europe, which will be Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Those that are interested can pre-load it now.

The trial begins on July 8. Once it’s active, Nintendo Switch Online members can play through the entire game. Then they can transfer all progress over to the finished version once the event wraps up.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope sales

According to a report from VGC, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has sold nearly three million copies. That would be combined physical and digital sales worldwide.

The VGC report, based on its sources, said the sales momentum “was partly helped by discounting on the Nintendo eShop, means Sparks of Hope is performing roughly in line with the historical performance of the first game, which went on to reach 10 million players.” However, while Kingdom Battle launched during Switch’s first year, Sparks of Hope released during a significantly higher install base.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Rayman interview DLC

We’ve been sharing excerpts from our recent Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope interview with creative director Davide Soliani, but we wanted to publish our full discussion which contains some extras.

Soliani shared a lot of insight about bringing back Rayman for the game’s final DLC, Rayman in the Phantom Show. He also spoke to us about interest in continuing the franchise in the future, though it’s too early to say anything at present.

Here’s our full discussion: 

Mario Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC Rayman playable Mario

Mario was obviously a big part of the main experience of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, but he actually wasn’t playable in the big Rayman DLC. Instead it was Rabbid Mario and Rabbid Peach that rounded out the lineup.

Speaking with Nintendo Everything, creative director Davide Soliani explained how the playable characters were decided.  Soliani noted that that the Rabbids and Rayman compliment each other well in terms of comedy. Additionally, “Rayman was only a guest because otherwise it would have been like two IPs packed together, an existing one.”

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope playable Rosalina

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope features Rabbid Rosalina as a playable character, but not Rosalina herself. Creative director Davide Soliani explained the decision in a recent interview with Nintendo Everything.

Soliani revealed to us that the team did consider having her be playable. However, the decision ultimately came down to two key factors. The first aspect is that Rosalina is quite tall, and that could have been an issue with gameplay. Also, as we’ve seen in Nintendo’s own games, she’s simply “too powerful.”

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC 3

Ubisoft has readied a launch trailer for the third Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC, Rayman in the Phantom Show. The company’s platformer mascot is back in a starring role.

For more information about it, read the following overview:

Mario Rabbids Sparks Hope sales studio

A lot has been made of the sales for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, with CEO Yves Guillemot previously saying that the game underperformed. He also recently spoke about how the company should have held off launch for the Switch’s successor.

Series producer Cristina Nava has now chimed in, and indicated that the studio isn’t concerned about the sales of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Like the previous entry, Nava believes turn-based tactual experiences are slow burners and this one “will grow” over the years.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Rayman DLC

The much-anticipated Rayman DLC for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is just on the horizon, with the release date set for this month. It’s officially known as “Rayman in the Phantom Show”.

Rayman will be the special guest in a mysterious dimension, the Phantom’s Space Opera Network. The Phantom from Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is returning and is “asking for help to improve his channel’s ratings.” You’ll explore TV sets, “take part in dramatic battles, and lead your team to put on the best show ever.”

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope - The Last Spark Hunter review

System: Switch
Release Date: June 21, 2023 (new DLC)
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft


2022’s Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope was an excellent evolution of its predecessor’s fast-paced, freeform strategy gameplay, and I’ve been eager to check out its DLC to have an excuse to play more of it. The Last Spark Hunter is significantly larger in scope than the run-based Tower of Dooom DLC from earlier this year, this time offering up a whole new planet to explore, a new antagonist, and even some new mechanics to shake up gameplay. But for players who have likely already sank dozens of hours into the base game, is the overall quality high enough to justify revisiting the world of Sparks of Hope?


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