Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, the sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, recently released for the Nintendo Switch, makes an interesting case for a classic game style to keep being utilized, even as technology and gameplay advances. Set after the events of Kingdom Battle, Mario, as well as his cohorts, must save the titular Sparks creatures and defeat the newest enemy, Cursa. Developed and published for Nintendo by Ubisoft, Sparks of Hope combines the iconic world of the Super Mario Brothers games with the characters of Rabbids, a spin-off series of the Rayman games. While continuing the legacy of Mario games, and contributing to the world of Rayman, the newest Mario + Rabbids game also makes a case for fixed-camera games.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a complete expansion of the Mario + Rabbids universe. In an interview with Sparks of Hope producer Xavier Manzanares, they noted that the team wanted to expand the universe of Kingdom Battle even more, and after having focused on technology a bit in the first game, going into outer space felt perfect for the sequel. The science fiction elements of Sparks of Hope have been touched upon in another Mario game, Super Mario Galaxy, which was largely successful. In a series that has been around for decades, it seems fitting for Mario to head to the moon, at least a couple times.
Growing still from its predecessor, Sparks of Hope has many noticeable differences that almost completely separates it from Kingdom Battle. A recent Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope galaxy preview showed the many changes and developments made from Kingdom Battle, most notably the art style changing between games. Sparks of Hope is still a beautiful game, but its art style is definitely more angular, creating a slightly more flat appearance in some aspects than in Kingdom Battle. On its own, the art style of Sparks of Hope is by no means bad, but side-by-side with Kingdom Battle, there is an interesting contrast. However, the visual elements being so different might not be just a different art style, but also due to the changing of the camera system, which broadens the scope of the entire game.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope Makes The Argument For Fixed-Camera Games
While Sparks of Hope fixed the crossover’s biggest problem, it also, perhaps unintentionally, shows why games utilizing a fixed-camera viewpoint is still a viable option for video games today. As Digital Foundry points out in a YouTube video dedicated to this topic, the free-camera style, the amount of variation in what a player can see in a game is much wider than it was in Kingdom Battle, ing for the noticeable contrasts in art styles. While there are definitely benefits to a free-camera system, a fixed-camera system allows more creativity and choice from the artists and developers. The fixed perspective also allows for higher asset quality in certain scenes. Though there might be more to be desired from the camera system of Sparks of Hope, the image quality is still quite good, and the game does offer other evolutions from Kingdom Battle.
Recently announced DLC with Rayman for Sparks of Hope hints at continuing expansions for the Mario + Rabbids universe. Additionally, Sparks of Hope demands tactical play with advanced mechanics, making it, arguably, the more difficult of the two Mario + Rabbids games. The sequel does prompt players to decide which aspects of a game are most important to the overall experience. However, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope stands confidently on its own, remaining a worthwhile and enjoyable game.
Source: Digital Foundry
