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You can get Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle for free if you have Switch Online

By Jesse Lennox July 6, 2022

Starting today, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can download Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle for free until July 12.

#NintendoSwitchOnline members! From 7/6 at 10 a.m. PT to 7/12 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can download and try the full Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle game at no additional cost.

Learn more: https://t.co/eO9SSaeg8I pic.twitter.com/D8cuekA1H9

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 5, 2022

Nintendo tweeted out the announcement that all Switch Online subscribers would be able to download and play the entire Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle game starting on July 6 at 10 a.m. PT. The offer will expire on July 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT, giving players just under six days to play the 2017 title.

If players wish to purchase the full game during this trial period, the game will be discounted to $10 and all progress will carry over. The title normally retails for $60.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a major departure from the typical Mario title, in which the Mushroom Kingdom has been invaded by Rabbids from the Rayman universe. Mario and his friends must team up with these new Rabbid companions in a turn-based tactical shooter similar to the XCOM series. An upcoming sequel, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, is scheduled to be released on October 20, so this trial makes sense to boost awareness for the series prior to launch.

Nintendo Switch Online has steadily been growing in value, with the main draw being the ability to play online and access to a growing catalog of classic NES and SNES games. The newer Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is an additional tier to the service that give subscribers additional benefits, most notably N64 and Genesis games, but has also been adding in free DLC to some of their most popular titles like Mario Kart 8 and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

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Does Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope have multiplayer?

Bowser standing ahead of Mario and friends.

Mario games are typically single-player experiences, with the main exceptions being spinoff games. Essentially all of Mario's sports games, for example, allow gamers to team up or face off with friends and family. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was a unique take in that it put Mario and friends, plus their Rabbid counterparts, into a turn-based tactics game. Even so, despite it being very uncommon for the genre, it also included a co-op mode called the Buddy Dome.

With the sequel out and offering a brand new tactical adventure with even more Mario and Rabbid characters, worlds, and combat tactics, many are curious if any sort of multiplayer is included in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. The first game required you to complete some of the single-player to unlock these extra challenges, but is that the case here? Before you gather up your team to play Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope together, here's what you need to know about whether it has multiplayer or not.

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Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: best Sparks and how to get them

Mario Rabbids Sparks of Hope

The title of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has a double meaning. On the one hand, you and your team are the "sparks of hope" against the evil Cursa, but Sparks are also a key plot and gameplay component. These cute star creatures are the Rabbid form of Lumas and are very powerful. While you will have a clear narrative reason to want to rescue as many of these cute little creatures as possible, the benefit you get for having them in battle is arguably even greater.

Up to two Sparks can be equipped to each character, have an active and passive skill, and can be leveled up. Each one is unique, and there are a ton to find in each of the worlds you will visit. The more you manage to find, the better you can equip your team. If you want to know which Sparks are the best of the bunch and where to find them, we've got you covered.

Gaming

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: best skills and how to level them up

Mario shooting two blasters.

Mario is no stranger to RPGs. He's been leveling up and adventuring in turn-based worlds ever since the SNES, and yet never quite in the way we get in the two Mario + Rabbids games. While the tactical style of the gameplay is still novel and by far the most approachable game in the genre for newcomers, there is still a robust RPG leveling system under the hood as well. While the skill trees themselves won't be too intimidating on the surface, the number of different skill types, plus having them for each character, can easily get overwhelming.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope breaks down skills into four different categories: Health Skills, Movement Skills, Weapon Skills, and Technique Skills. There are a ton of skills among them, some of which only one character can get, while others can be learned by many. Having a good spread of skills among your team, and focusing your characters on skills that improve their natural abilities, will make the tougher boss fights that much easier. Here are all the best skills you should go for, plus how to level them up, in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.