Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope release date, trailer, gameplay, and more

One of the highlights of the Ubisoft Forward E3 2021 event was the reveal of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, the sequel to 2017’s sleeper hit, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. This turn-based tactics game is often compared to XCOM, but with that quirky Mario + Rabbids twist.

There’s a lot to unpack with this newest adventure, including its trailer, gameplay, release window, and more. Here’s everything we know about Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope.

But first: What are your favorite games and platforms of 2021, and what future releases are you most excited about? Take our poll!

When is the Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope release date?

Ubisoft didn’t give us a specific release date for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, but did announce that it will launch sometime in 2022. The French publisher/developer likes to release games around March and October, so those are solids guesses for the Sparks of Hope release window.

Is there a Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope trailer?

Although we aren’t sure when Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope will launch, at least Ubisoft showed off its new trailer! This game — much like the first — looks absolutely stunning, so we recommend checking out the trailer for yourself below.

In it, we get to see Mario and his friends in space as they battle against deadly intergalactic creatures on a mysterious planet. The trailer above doesn’t actually depict any gameplay, but is more so meant as a cinematic look at the upcoming game.

Considering the first entry featured several characters to choose from and the above trailer only shows a handful of them, Ubisoft likely has a few more surprises in store for the game’s roster.

Which platforms will Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope come to?

Just like the first game, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is a Nintendo Switch exclusive. So if you’re hoping for it to come to other platforms, you’re out of luck. Though, it’s possible this will launch for the long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro system, which is supposed to be revealed soon.

Is there Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope gameplay?

During the Ubisoft Forward E3 2021 event, we got a look at Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope gameplay. While the gameplay trailer wasn’t very long, it does give us a better idea of what to expect when we get our hands on it in 2022.

It still features the third-person camera, allowing the player to have almost an isometric view. The turn-based system returns, wherein you must select from a list of actions while navigating your squad across a grid to take down enemies.

Characters all have their own unique abilities and can chain attacks together for maximum effect. Some have long-range attacks, others are better up close — but all are useful in their own ways.

In the trailer above, much of the gameplay looks the same from the first installment, though with vastly different locales that stand apart from Kingdom Battle. Since this one is still a ways off, Ubisoft has plenty of time to show us a deeper look at the gameplay.

You can definitely expect light RPG elements in Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, with a variety of characters, and turn-based tactical goodness that feels just like a Nintendo game.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope comes to Nintendo Switch in 2022.