The Northport and East Northport library has recently expanded to include a selection of games for Nintendo’s home console-handheld-hybrid Nintendo Switch. For gamers on a budget, this is a godsend. Games on cartridge will usually cost about $40 to $60, which limits the amount of games you can purchase when you only have a limited amount of funds. Gamers are forced to prioritize their purchases, and are forced to let some games they were interested in slip by the wayside.

Case in Point: Mario and Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Sure, there was Mario in a strategy format, which looked cool, but many were put off by the Rabbids. The Rabbids are a race of bunnies who have their own series of games, which has lasted more than a decade. I’d basically compare them to Despicable Me’s Minions with Rabbit ears. The games feature a variety of mini games, but they had never been as well known as Mario. Not to mention they were both making the leap to turn-based strategy for the first time, making many skeptic of the game. I was among them, and so the title slipped me by the wayside.

But with the oncoming of the library’s Switch collection, I was compelled to give the game a try. And boy, I was not disappointed…

The game starts with the Rabbids’ time washing machine landing in the “real world” a bit in the future, in an inventor’s (and Mario fan’s) basement, where one of the Rabbids gets his hands on a “Super Merge” headset. The Rabbid starts merging Rabbids with other objects, and accidentally hits the washing machine, sending all the Rabbids, and the inventor’s robot Beep-O, falling through a wormhole into the Mushroom Kingdom. Meanwhile in the Mushroom Kingdom, a wormhole opens up, depositing a vast array of enlarged real world objects, and sucking up Mario’s friends.

Mario meets up with Beep-O and two friendly Rabbids, Rabbid Luigi and Rabbid Peach. They endeavor to stop the Rabbids and return everyone home.

When the game begins, you are given a world to explore. You move Beep-O, and your party of three files behind him. You aren’t allowed to jump but there are secrets to find between battles. You can also travel through pipes, cannons, and press buttons to change the environment. You also collect coins, which can be used to purchase different guns for your characters.

The real meat of the game lies in the battle system. Once you enter a piece of enemy-infested territory, the battle begins. Your 3 party members begin with two options to spend each: movement and attack. Your character is allowed to move throughout a highlighted area of movement. Once they choose a place to stop, they can move the left stick to select an enemy to shoot. Once all your party members move, it is the enemy’s turn. You can also pass the turn to the enemies at any time during the battle by pressing the Y button.

Key to winning battles is the cover system. All around the play field are blocks which the characters can fight behind. Shorter blocks offer a 50% of shielding you from a hit from that direction, and taller blocks offer full protection from that angle. The bricks can be destroyed, unless they are black, in which case they are indestructible. There are also super effects which can be created by enemies or certain guns, which affects characters in different places. For example, Honey sticks a character in place, Burn causes characters to run around in a random pattern, potentially taking them out of their cover, and push pushes the enemies.

The game is good at keeping the system interesting by adding new elements. For example, a few levels in, the team is given new character-specific enemies. Now, Rabbid Peach can generate a shield to lessen the damage caused by enemies on their turn, Rabbid Luigi has a shield that gives him immunity to super effects, and Mario can shoot an enemy on its turn when it moves in range. Your entire team is given two more movement options at this time as well: the team jump and the slide attack. During your turn, you can get an extra movement boost if you jump on a team member. You can also set your movement path through an enemy to slide attack and cause extra damage.

There are also different kinds of battles. Some will require you to defeat all the enemies, some will have a certain amount of enemies that need to be killed, and some require your party to reach a zone.

Five levels in, you face your first midboss, Pirabbid Plant. After this challenging battle, you are rewarded with two additions. Firstly, Luigi. The heaviest hitter of the group, his special move is similar to Mario’s. But more important is the skill tree. After each battle, you win orbs to buy new abilities for your character. For example, Luigi was outfitted with an extra team jump, Rabbid Peach got an extra slide attack, and Mario was given a short range, multi target attack. This truly changes the way you play the game, allowing more freedom to customize your characters.

I know the last few paragraphs have made it seem much like the game attacks you with a barrage of new features,  but the game presents the curve flawlessly, and it never feels like there is too little or too much coming your way at once.

You finally track down the Rabbid with the SuperMerge headset, but Bowser Jr swoops in, naming him Spawny and recruiting him to help.At the end of the first world, you face your first boss, Rabbid Kong. The way the boss is defeated is truly interesting. Rabbid Kong has a stash full of bananas in front of him which he can eat to heal any damage. You have to hit a button to send his bananas tumbling into the abyss so your damage remains in effect. However, he now attacks you, creating an interesting challenge. After he is defeated, you are gifted the ability to push crates in the overworld, and you return to Peach’s castle, now your hub world, and start the next area.

World 2 is Sherbert Desert, a desert- snow world hybrid which unfortunately had it’s thunder stolen by a similar level in Super Mario Odyssey, which came out beforehand. You quickly find Toadette, who asks you to find Toad, who has gone missing. After a few levels, you find Toad, who has found Rabbid Mario frozen in an ice cube. Now, you are entrusted to get Toad to the end zone of a set level. The challenge is that he can only move, and does not have any of the options afforded to you, like the team jump and the slide attack. Making your way back to the beginning area, Toad places the Rabbid Mario cube in a gate, causing it to open on two more Spawny creations, Blizzy and Sandy.

This boss fight was incredibly difficult, and even easy mode didn’t help. And that was where unfortunately time ran out and I had to finish the article instead of pressing on. Though it was disappointing, it is good to know that there is more content to explore. I just hope I’ll be able to beat it.

This game is great, and a good way to get into the strategy genre for all those interested, and a fun game for any veterans of the genre.The steady but not overwhelming addition of new wrinkles to the battle system helps you to keep on going and complete the game. Mario fans and Rabbid fans will also have a great time here. And even if you don’t like the Rabbids, play it anyway. You won’t regret it.