Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle On Stage

Ubisoft E3 2017 - Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

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Published: June 12, 2017 5:07 PM

Ubisoft's E3 presentation began with a pair of raving Rabbids bashing on a question block from the Super Mario franchise. Yves Guillemot, Co-founder & CEO of Ubisoft took to the stage to announce a game featuring the Rabbids & Nintendo's main man Mario. We were then treated to an unexpected surprise - Legendary game designer and creator of Mario himself Shigeru Miyamoto walked up to the stage while carrying a life-size replica of one of the weapons from Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Miyamoto-san was then joined on stage by a translator as he spoke in his native language about his hopes and expectations for the game.

Miyamoto-san then proceeded to talk about his love of the Rabbid characters, stating that he had a few toys of them adorning his desk. He spoke of Mr. Guillemot warmly as both a rival and fellow game producer. A behind-the-scenes video goes into some more detail about the background of the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jum0LImABLI

Xavier Manzanares then took to the stage to show off gameplay of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. We got to see Rabbids running about with iconic characters from the Super Mario franchise in a 3-D world that mixed styles from both franchises. Humorously, some of the Rabbids were adorned in costumes likening them to Luigi and Princess Peach. Gameplay was shown from an isometric perspective, a side-scrolling perspective, and a top-down perspective. This is just movement for the game world; actual gameplay battles will take place in a turn-based RPG environment.

The gameplay for combat worked out much like the XCOM style of games. You can move in limited areas depending on the character's ability to moves, destroy cover, and strategically position yourself in order to make the best you of your team and their abilities. Attack options, movement abilities, and techniques are combined to give you the best chances in combat. There are also environmental tools that can be used such as Rabbid Pipes which allow certain characters to flank enemy forces.

Towards the end of the trailer, we got a fast-paced series of cuts showing what appeared to be a skill tree and a variety of moves. After a quick farewell from our illustrious presenter, we were shown a proper game trailer that gave us a look at gameplay intermixed with comical cinematics. Mario, Princess Peach, and Yoshi made prominent appearances throughout the trailer as well as iconic enemies from both series such as Boo, Piranha Plants, and a gigantic mutated Rabbid wearing a Donkey Kong tie around its neck. Luigi will also be featured in the game. You can see the action for yourself in the Announce Trailer for the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bvUwoBXOyc

A blog post was released immediately after the announcement detailing a lot more about the game and its world. The Mushroom Kingdom has literally been turned upside down, turning the iconic green pipes white as the worlds of Mario and the Rabbids collide in this new game. You'll tackle puzzles, tough fights, and new equipment for your characters as you work towards unraveling the mystery that led to the merging of these two game franchises.

Aside from a single-player game, there will also be co-op challenges for two players (each controlling two characters of the party). Amiibos, of course, will also be compatible with the game in one degree or another.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is set to release for Nintendo Switch on August 29, 2017. Interested gamers can head over to Ubisoft's official website to pre-order the game right now if they're so inclined. Pre-ordering the game will grant access to 8 unique weapons. The Collector's Edition will include a six-inch figurine of Rabbid Mario, collector's cards, and the game's soundtrack.

If you want to know more about this and other announcements happening at E3 then be sure to check out our E3 2017 Coverage Hub.

A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N

More Info About This Game
Learn More About Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Publisher
Ubisoft
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Release Date
August 29, 2017 (Calendar)
Genre
Tactical RPG
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