It’s a Lot More In-Depth Than You’d Think
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle looks like a game designed to appeal to a younger audience, but the tactical RPG gameplay is a lot more complex than you might initially think.
During my hands-on time with the game, I found that the battle arenas were full of verticality, tricky hiding spots, and shortcuts that you could use to flank your opponent. Your characters gain more accuracy with their guns by aiming at their opponents from high ground, and if your enemies choose to hide behind obstacles for a long period of time, you can even destroy those barricades by shooting them down.
I also got to fight the game’s first boss: a Rabbid who’d fused with a Piranha Plant in an utterly terrifying manner. Unlike most of the regular enemies who’d normally take cover behind obstacles, the Rabbid Piranha couldn’t do anything like that simply because it was too tall, leaving it completely open to shots. Your party members all have different skills to help them out in battle as well. Mario automatically shoots any enemy within range once his ability is activated, Rabbid Luigi can become invulnerable for a turn, and Rabbid Peach heals allies in her vicinity.