Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has finally been released, and many fans are surprised at just how much content it offers. As one of the most highly anticipated games of October 2022, Sparks of Hope of course shares a lot of things with its predecessor, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, but it definitely brings many new things to the table, too.
With Mario being on everyone's minds right now after the most recent Mario Bros. movie trailer received some controversy, many people will undoubtedly be trying this game. Ubisoft has crammed so much into it that any player could easily get lost along the way. With that in mind, here are a few tips and tricks to help new players land on their feet.
Effectively Use Cover on the Battlefield
Using cover is one of the most important aspects of any battle encounter in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Enemies will typically focus their attacks on the character who is easiest to hit, so ending a turn out of cover can end up with that character getting attacked multiple times in a row, destroying their health bar and the player's chances at success. Therefore, no matter what actions or attacks are taken in any given round of combat, it's in the player's best interest to always end their turn behind some sort of cover.
Don't Be Afraid to Reassign Skills
As players go through the game, they will gain Skill Prisms, which can be used to buy special skills for every available member of the player's team, improving their effectiveness in a fight. It's important to note, though, that all of these skills can be refunded at any time for no extra cost. This is great for players who may want to change up the team they're using or even just try out a different skill than the one they've bought. Players should invest their Skill Prisms whenever possible, as they are always free to change their minds later.
Explore Optional Content and Seek Out Sparks
Many players may want to just stick to the main path and get through the story of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope as quickly as they can, but there are many reasons to go off the beaten path from time to time. There are secret areas hidden all across the game's map, with each one offering something special that adds to the player's experience. This includes extra battles, extra money and items, and, most importantly, Sparks.
Sparks, an odd combination of the infamous Rabbids and the star-like Lumas from other Mario games, will give buffs and stat boosts to the player's team when discovered, so it's definitely important to seek them out whenever possible. Finding Sparks and taking on the extra bonus battles are the best way to progress forward if the player hits a particularly hard difficulty spike.
Focus on the Objectives in Battles
Each battle in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope can be very different from the previous one. Many will require the player to defeat every enemy, but some just involve surviving for a few rounds or reaching a specific destination on the map. Players can get quickly overwhelmed by enemies if they spend every encounter trying to defeat every single one, especially as some encounters involve constantly respawning enemies, so always be sure to be working toward the main goal. A good strategy is to have some members of the party focus on chipping away at the enemies while others make a beeline for whatever the goal happens to be.
Be Sure To Rotate the Team
The final important thing to note is that when team members take damage in a fight, they might not be fully healed after a win. Characters can still be wounded, and though a percentage of health is healed with each win, it's not 100%. This can make encounters more and more difficult over time, and spending coins on healing items isn't always the best option.
Therefore, rotating the team members who are currently in the active party can be a valuable tool. All allies, not just those in the active party, regain that small percentage of health after each win, so if a particularly wounded party member gets benched for a little while, they'll be back up to fighting form in just a few rounds. Combine that with the previously mentioned ability to refund any character's skills at any time, and even the most neglected party members can have their time to shine.