Mario + Rabbids' tactics run as deep as its fan service

[Administrator]

Remember the Mario Kart video that was doing the rounds for a while? The one where Luigi takes out Waluigi and then follows it up with a long, cold stare as he hurtles past in his kart? It's great, you should watch it. The Mario Rabbids team think so too, having named one of Luigi's abilities "Steely Stare" in honour of this defining moment for the gangly Mario brother.
In fact, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is absolutely full of nods and references to the wider world of Nintendo fandom. It's a game made by a group of people so obviously delighted to be working with a group of characters they worship and it's hard not to be swept along by the enthusiasm. Alongside a wink to his now-iconic death stare, the Mario Rabbids interpretation of Luigi, for example, also comes equipped with a rifle that's been modelled after the hoover used in Luigi's Mansion.
There's an eagerness to poke fun at Mario and his pals here which I hadn't fully anticipated. This is a partnership between the two franchises, as that title suggests, and that means the developers also had to do right by the Rabbids. I'm quite fond of these skittish little things, particularly when they're used to demonstrate the absurdity of a situation. Ubisoft hasn't shied away from that here.
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