Mario and Rabbids: Sparks of Hope review – a decent strategy game in flimsy Nintendo wrapping

Nintendo Switch; Ubisoft Milan/Ubisoft
Nintendo's deft touch is missing from this crossover game from Ubisoft that fails as a Mario outing but succeeds as a turn-based battler

With a spotlight shining upon him in a crowded LA auditorium, game developer Davide Soliani starts to sob uncontrollably. After years sworn to secrecy, Davide's dream game is finally being unveiled to the public - and by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, no less. It's a genuinely heartfelt and disarmingly human moment, a rarity amid the overly slick presentations that dominate E3, gaming's annual hype event.

Soliani's game was 2017's Mario and Rabbids, an unlikely crossover between Ubisoft's Minion-like mascots and the iconic red-and-blue-garbed plumber. It's hard to imagine anyone else having such an emotional reaction to this colourful kids' caper, an enjoyable (if bare-bones) turn-based strategy game. Nevertheless, it became a huge hit. Five years and 7.5 million sales later, Ubisoft is borrowing the keys to the Mushroom Kingdom once again for Sparks of Hope.