From the totally crazy start (what the hell!?) to the game play plus Mario 3D style. I'm loving it at about 2 hours in.

Are you liking it?

I'm liking it. The aesthetic and concept is crazy and fun but I'm wondering if it'll be beyond anything than X-Com lite. Admittedly I'm only a couple hours in so there's plenty of time for the mechanics to be fleshed out so I'm hopeful.

IGN did NOT like it.

I'm hoping for the best, but I might give it a few more days and see what the overall read is on it.

That said I love Hot Shots Golf, so I preordered the digital version (which comes out today) and I was excited to get home to play it, then I started looking at it more closely and it seems it might be rotten with microtransactions, which might have turned me off of it.

So, my options were I was going to preorder EITHER Mario + Rabbids or Everybody's Golf (Hot Shots) this week, and I chose Everybody's Golf. I might have chosen poorly.

I like it, for the first hour at least. Environment does look great. Also (not so) subtle jokes.

I am looking forward to the challenge.

So I got past the home base stuff and more mechanics rolled out like party/item management and now an overview tactical map that I'm actually seeing the closer similarities to Fire Emblem than I do X-Com which Patrick talked about a bit. The camera perspective used in this game plus the chance of hitting percentages make you think of X-Com but I think that's all there is. The percentages are only 0%, 50%, and 100%. The tactics and map overview make me think more of Fire Emblem which is nice so a mix of X-Com and Fire Emblem seems like a terrific blend

They didn't? 7.7 isn't a bad score, and if you actually read Stapleton's review it's mostly positive.

OMG, you are correct. I was mixing two reviews from IGN up in my head.

They reviewed the new Peter Dinklage movie "Rememory" as a 4.0 and for some reason when I made that post I was confusing that score with Mario + Rabbids. My bad.

I don't get the set up (plotwise) of this game...Rabbits invade the Mushroom Kingdom via a VR headset that they get from a scientist's bedroom?

@shivermetimbers: ...and? what's not to get?

@shivermetimbers: It's not a vr headset from what I gathered but rather a heads up display for the combining machine she has. Don't ask me how the rabbids got there though :/

Mario poster ended up in the time travelling washing machine and got combined with the headset

The washing machine/time and space traveling device, it's pretty clear from the opening video.

I'm digging it so far, about an hour into it. I really enjoy the combos I've been making with burn effect and Mario's GOD DAMN OVERWATCH ABILITY. It's pretty great that I can say that, hah.

Im enjoying it but it maybe seems a little TOO simplistic. Im only an hour in tho.

edit: Beat the first boss now. They dole out stuff a bit slowly so my first impression of the simplicity of the gameplay wasn't completely right. Still feels a bit simple but it's been enjoyable. And, surprisingly, I'm finding the Rabbids to be the best/funniest part of the game with the juxtaposition of Mario.

I'm going to be picking it up today on the eShop. I think I've already burned myself out on Splatoon, so this would be a great way to go.

I'm like an hour or so in but so far I'm having tons of fun. While simplistic, the mechanics are neat and the tactics are really fun to perform. Obviously I don't know yet if it has legs, but so far it's doling out items and mechanics at a good enough pace to keep me interested. Also I completely expected to hate the Rabbids twist on the universe but the plot, humor, and overall design are superbly crafted and well beyond my expectations.

For anyone curious, it gets very surprisingly complex and deep later on, and very challenging. Don't let the simple start fool you, you're gonna get smoked later on.

I'm a couple battles past the mid-boss of the first world and I'm loving this game. It has an undeniable charm and the combat plays great. Additionally, there's something really cool about just being able to walk through the map you battled on once you complete it. It makes everything feel rooted in the world, which I never really felt with XCOM.

And like others said, this game borrows from XCOM, but definitely is more along the lines of Fire Emblem. It's a great mash-up that works really well.

Can't wait to play more!

One of my favourite things has been having sniper Luigi on overwatch peg an enemy from half-way across the map with his vacuum cleaner gun. Game's rad.

Played a little bit of it so far. I...like it okay? It seems decent but I'm looking forward to the mechanics getting deeper (which other people say they will) and finding a way to heal between battles.

It feels like a weird game to be one of the Switch's only full price releases for August...and very weird to be the first Mario game on the system other than Mario Kart, but I was looking for a bigger experience than the indies provide and it definitely seems to fit that. Potentially seems like it's well designed for mobile use with its distinct structure, so that's a plus.

I wish it had some actual platforming...or nothing...between the tactics levels. Running around hitting switches and collecting things is a little boring but also seems necessary to get equipment. That could be more engaging....or it could be pure tactics (which is fun) but I do like the colorful world and cheerful music.

So far for me it's a 7.5/10 but I'm very early so I could see rising considerably as it gets more complex and challenging.

It's basically a "My first strategy game". I say that as a gamer, who primarily plays strategy games and a little bit of action games. I think it is fun. The high mobility gives it a very different feel, which I like. The production quality in terms of art and music is incredible though.

I think arguably it has a lot in common with Super Mario RPG, in that they are both Nintendo collaborations with other companies, both feature somewhat pared down but not overly simplistic systems compared to the norm in their genre, both look great and have a lot of charm, and both have some real-time movement/action elements (I'm not sure I'd call it action for Mario + Rabbids but there is realtime exploration and very light puzzle solving, which is not the norm in a tactics game.)

Of course Super Mario RPG is a hyper-beloved classic, and I don't think this will quite reach that level, but I do think the two games have a lot in common.

After delving a little deeper...it's getting better, as I hoped. I'm not even through the first world yet but there are more mechanics, more interesting levels, some actual puzzles in the overworld, and just a general higher quality level. The music is also extraordinary, and there is surprising variety in the graphical style even within the same world.

It's also the best handheld game I have played on the Switch. I was in the back of a car for like 40 minutes and I did not want the ride to end because I was so engrossed in the game. Fortunately when the ride did end I was able to pause the game, take it upstairs, dock it, and instantly start right back where I was. It was that commercial come to life.

Zelda is still my favorite game on the Switch, of course, but this may be my favorite Switch game, by which I mean the game that benefits most from the hardware's special features. Turn based tactics are great for portable because you aren't going to mis-time something if a car lurches or have to pause in the middle of an intense fight and start right back there if someone starts talking to you.

I have not been a huge Ubisoft fan for the past few years but I feel really good about this game.

Am I crazy, or does the HD rumble play 8-bit mario sound effects when you do stuff? Mute your sound, open a crate, and you hear the sound of a mushroom rising out of a question block from Super Mario Bros.

I've only played up to the beginning of world 2, and I'm liking it so far. The only very minor complaint I have right now is that I wish there was some in fiction explanation for unlocking new abilities, such as being able to move blocks.

I'll try that tonight. That would be some other-worldly attention to detail if it did.

I think a major difference, and in a way can give it a "action" feel to some degree is that skills can trigger on the same turn. For example, if you put Mario into steely gaze, and then have another player aggro an enemy that causes them to wander into Mario's range, he'll fire. This can effectively let you get two attacks in on one turn for a character by utilizing your knowledge of enemies. It adds depth to how you manage enemies and your character layout.

I know all the talk is about how easy this game is every time someone talks about it (seems like they are always in World 1 tho)... but the further I get the more unfair it seems? Anyone else having difficulty?

I'm on a level where there are 3 shield guys and one of those guys that moves if you shoot them. So basically on your first turn you can kill one shield guy or the other big guy. Once that is up, tho, the shield guys move in and shoot you causing you to get honey on you (makes you unable to move on your next turn). This is a prob because the only way to kill the shield guys is to get behind them.

So basically you are in a forever loop of not being able to move behind the shield guys to damage them and then their turn comes up so they can shoot you again causing you to take damage while also putting honey on you once more so you can't move. I'm really at a loss on what you can even do on that stage to win. I guess there is A right answer on that stage that I'm just not seeing.

2 games from nintendo i want to play, this is a first since the snes. Maybe i will pick up a switch ay one point get this and zelda. Nintendo's price gouging practice makes it seem unlikely the thing will ever drop in price enough though. :-(

@handlas: Rabbid Luigi's special prevents the Honey from activating. You can also use "cleansing jump" (skill tree) to remove honey from anyone you jump on. Finally, you may be able to take out more than one of those guys on the first turn if you go ham enough -- worth knowing that you can "dash" them from any direction and also that dash attack doesn't trigger the smasher guy's reaction. GL!

Hi, I'm new here.

Loving this so far. Slight non-Nintendo feel to the exploration - it's very pretty but not quite interactive enough.

Great battles though - coming at this more from a JSRPG background rather than X-Com or similar, I like how it encourages and rewards aggresive play.

One bit of advice, if you want the extra challenges to not be a cakewalk, I'd go back to them before moving on to the next world. If you go back super-levelled up they can be a little easy.

@handlas:

Are you using your subweapons? I used Luigi and Rabbid Peach the entire game, which both have powerful sentries that you can send through pipes. Sending both into a group of enemies would do most of the work, and Hero Sight/Steely State would take care of the rest. Of course, you'll want Bounce/Push/Burn effects on everyone's weapons to get the most out of Hero Sight/Steely Stare. I also had 4x Dash on Rabbid Peach, which is extremely satisfying to use. Eventually I'd be clearing out half of each map in a single turn. Never even tried other characters as a result.

I remain mildly obsessed with this game. I kind of want to save some for later, but I can't stop playing. I keep picking up the controller and going through a few levels and it's just exactly the game I apparently needed right now. I'm past the world 3 mid-boss and I'm really impressed with how they added Mario style bosses to a tactics game. That, the puzzles, and the variety of mission types are the things that elevate this game from a fun simple tactics game to a really compelling package. In terms of polish feels like a second iteration of the concept rather than the first.

I have seen a couple issues on the technical side. There have been some weird camera angles, one enemy teleported briefly into the sky before coming back to the playing field, and there is slowdown if too much stuff explodes at once, and near some of the more complex level geometry. But those are minor issues and I haven't seen any huge bugs.

I'm just blown away by how well-designed and thought out this whole dumb idea has been. Is this really the same Ubisoft that stamps all their open world games from the same mold to the point where The Crew had radio towers you unlocked to populate your map? There are so many delightful little details, from the weapon names and designs to the characterization of Princess Peach, to the way various enemies look in different areas of the world.

I'll be interested to see if this ends up on any staffer GOTY lists in a few months. It sure as heck is looking like it's going on mine.

I only just started playing tonight, but I'm really into this game so far. It's got the whimsy of a Mario/Nintendo game combined with strategy that feels just engaging enough. I wouldn't call it a punishing strategy game like XCOM or Darkest Dungeon from what I've seen so far, but that's kind of nice. I don't need every tactical game to beat me over the head with its rng. I lile the rabbids more than i thought I did as well. There's something oddly charming about seeing them interact with the Mario characters.

Spoilers for the end of world 3, but:

Holy crap that song (or songs I guess) was right out of a Rare game from the 1990s! I absolutely love it! Obviously it's Grant Kirkhope so I shouldn't be surprised, but given that the game is mostly not voiced I just didn't see it coming. The lyrics are even appropriately clunky! Seriously fantastic reveal and execution was magnificent. I was especially shocked to see all those gags made at Mario's expense in an officially licensed game that Nintendo had to approve. The Phantom was straight up "Mario, you're fat and you don't talk, what does the princess see in you?" and I ate it up. 10/10 moment in a game I already really really liked. It's possible that Zelda, this, and Mario Odyssey will all be in my top 5 this year, and they will definitely be in my top 10. As much as I have issues with stuff around the Switch (Online handled terribly, where is the damn Virtual Console already?) I have to say that the system has some spectacular games. And we're only 6 months in.

@valjean9430: Luigi and Princess have needed nerfing since Mario 2!

In all seriousness I agree that those two are a potent pair (you didn't even mention their drone attacks, which can get behind cover and blow up multiple baddies) but I think the game is just generally balanced favorably to the player. There are people out there saying Rabid Luigi is the best for his vamp ability and others think the Princess is an adequate healer and can just wreck shop with her shotty.

It's not a very hard game to just get through. I've died a couple times, but mostly because I didn't understand a new mechanic (like the whirlwind) and got wrecked by it, and generally I've been successful on all my second attempts. The challenge comes from the challenge levels and from trying to get perfect on all the levels.

I think the game is actually reasonably well balanced, it's just balanced to be not very hard.

I'm halfway through World 3 now, and while I'm still getting Perfects on 90% of the chapters, I'm definitely taking more time plotting out my actions now. Trying to keep my characters within move range of each other while flanking enemies is excruciating; I keep overextending and nearly losing a character because the others can't reach him. They've even introduced two new types of enemies, one which is brutal under the right circumstances and another that's flat-out irritating.

I wish there was more variety in the Skill Tree & Weapon Selection, but other than that there's a solid combat system here that's more interesting than X-COM's due to the movement options.

The shotgun shield guys and the teleporting snipers? I feel like I got a handle on the first after a bit, but the second are just nasty, especially since their movement doesn't trigger steely stare or hero vision.

Jeff was saying how he wished there was more of a 'random' element in the game (instead of just 0%, 50%, and 100% hit percentages) and I think there is, in the form of critical hits and weapon effects. A difficult enemy can be killed without getting a shot off if you can bounce him in the air and let the Mario brothers overwatch him to death, or a close range enemy can be rendered harmless through honey (and a longer range one can be inked.) I often find that the difference between a perfect and a fair or good for me is a well or ill-timed critical hit. Nothing is more frustrating than setting up for an area heal only to have your healer get iced or one of the characters get bounced out of range. Weapon effects are huge in this game, and get much more common the further you go.

I do kind of wish there were more skills, but I understand why they did it this way. They wanted to make the game accessible to genre newcomers, and by focusing on a smaller number of skills and weapon types they let people grasp the game's basics without overwhelming them. I bet if there's a sequel they'll add some complexity to the mix.

What I REALLY want, though, are Wario and Waluigi. Can you imagine a rabbid version of Waluigi? Would he just be the most insane thing ever or would he be erudite and sophisticated? Whatever he would be it would be awesome.

I'm at the start of World 4, steaming towards the end, and I can already tell that I want another of these. I think it's a bit underrated how they've shaken up the Xcom formula not just by making it more accessible and easier but adding numerous boss battles, more varied environmental hazards, a greater focus on movement, and, of course, a sense of whimsy. It's good good stuff.

I meant the snipers and the minigunners. And agreed, the snipers are nasty. You really need to move to take them out properly.

What a weird game. I'm enjoying it a lot. I agree with the Fire Emblem comparison where the encounters feel more like puzzles to be solved instead of XCOM style dice rolls. I think that was a good call. It feels nice and chill, while there is more XCOM 2 out this year for when I'm craving the brutality.

Like Jeff, I think it works better in smaller chunks. It's a great fit for the Switch.

I'm also enjoying this a lot, midway through World 2. I like the more relaxed difficulty, hit percentages, and platformey nature of the movement options. And it's more charming than I had assumed.

After Disgaea 5 got me back into enjoying SRPGs (and also having fun mechanics exploits), I'm loving the Switch as a short-burst tactical game console. I can knock out a map or two and investigate upgrades in a short play session, then hang it up. XCOM always made me feel like I needed longer play sessions to keep the metagame progression in my head.

I hated rabbids before this game, but now I absolutely adore them. This game is indeed surprisingly great.

The midboss of the last world is very punishing and difficult in a pretty annoying way. I was able to get perfects on every encounter with only one or two tries up until that one, and I only barely survived it after 5 or 6 tries with a score of fair. The penultimate chapter and the final boss are also pretty brutal (got good scores), but in a more enjoyable way (aside from the encounters that are strung together so restarting one means restarting all of them). I decided to come back later with more powerful weapons on those ones.

Overall a really fantastic game that I just gobbled up in about a week, but has its shortcomings. Namely:

1) If you don't do challenges as soon as they open up, you quickly become too overpowered for them to be interesting.

2) Most of the puzzles outside battle are boring, some are just shite (there's a specific few in the last world that are pretty mind-numbing)

3) I really wish you could bring four members into an encounter, or at least sub out Mario at some point. Being forced to use him for the whole game is obnoxious, especially considering he has probably the most boring weapon and ability set.

4) The midboss of the last world (as mentioned above) is such a spike in difficulty. He has aggro like the smasher enemies, does MASSIVE damage that is also AOE, a ton of health and a large range of movement (also immune to movement-based attacks), just bullshit in a not fun way.

hm...