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Xavier Manzanares

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope grid

According to Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope producer Xavier Manzanares, the game originally had the grid that was featured in the series’ first entry. For the sequel, Ubisoft went with a more open approach. Rather than limiting players to a grid, players were given more control.

Manzanares told EDGE in a previous issue that the grid system was in place back in 2018. However, the team ended up changing things the following year.

He said:

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Snowdrop experience

We recently chatted with Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope producer Xavier Manzanares, and one of the things we asked about is whether the team has been able to do more with the game from a graphical standpoint. After all, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle came out in 2017, so Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Paris have been working with Switch for quite some time now.

Manzanares mentioned that the experience gained with both Switch and the Snowdrop engine has allowed for an increase hope. There are some aspects that may not have been possible a few years ago.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Bowser

Ubisoft has worked with Mario on two games now as part of its Mario + Rabbids series, but we’ve been wondering if the team would have interest in playing around with another Nintendo franchise. This is something that we posed to producer Xavier Manzanares in a recent interview.

Manzanares said the studio has “tons of dreams”, and thought about “a lot of other characters” when it was initially moving towards working with Nintendo in 2014. On the topic of wishes being fulfilled, he said having Bowser playable in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is “already a dream come true for us”.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Nintendo

In an interview with Nintendo Everything, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope producer Xavier Manzanares spoke about the team’s relationship with Big N.

Just like with the first game and Donkey Kong Adventure DLC, the company has an “advisory role” and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto “is testing the builds”. Manzanares also noted that the bonds between the two sides are “stronger” now. That’s what allowed for elements like the hybrid between Lumas and Rabbids as well as having Bowser playable.

mario rabbids sparks of hope origins surprising

Speaking with Nintendo Everything, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope producer Xavier Manzanares has discussed the origins of the project and how it came to be.

According to Manzanares, the team first sat down around Summer 2018 and discussed what the future could be. Having a follow-up be “surprising” was key, and making it stand out from Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was important in order to move forward. That led to a change in how Sparks of Hope handles battles as well as expanding the scope to allow for more exploration and gameplay features.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Ubisoft has posted a developer discussion for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope following today’s reveal. Creative director Davide Soliani, lead producer Xavier Manzanares, and associate producer Cristina Nava all chat about the game.

Gameplay, heroes, and the villain are among the topics discussed. Additionally, it’s confirmed that Grant Kirkhope is returning as the composer.

Watch the full video below.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

A number of media outlets recently went hands-on with the new Donkey Kong DLC for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. YouTuber AbdallahSmash026 was among them, and was also able to chat with lead developer Xavier Manzanares.

One of the topics discussed is multiplayer. While you can play with a friend locally, online isn’t supported.

Ubisoft shared a new video today for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Below, creative director Davide Soliani and lead producer Xavier Manzanares walk you through characters’ unique abilities, diverse weapons, and advanced tactics in co-op.

Not every idea developers come up with makes it into the final game. With Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, this was the case as well.

One mechanic Ubisoft scrapped early on was “Fumble”. This would have players missing attacks. Rather than successfully shooting an enemy, the gun would explore in your face as well.

Ubisoft talked with Nintendo about the idea, and the feature was ultimately cut. Nintendo felt it was a bit too chaotic and random for it to be accessible.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle lead producer Xavier Manzanares told USgamer:

“We thought it was like Rabbids. Even if it sounded cool on paper, when you play it you say, ‘awww man I was about to defeat the enemy but I got this fumble.’ It’s funny one time, but not funny the second time.”

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