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Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Gets Free PvP Update

They gave Mario a gun and now he’s gonna turn it on you…

Chris Jarrard

December 7, 2017 12:10 PM

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No one is having a better 2017 than Nintendo. They successfully launched the hottest console of the year, have multiple first party titles in contention for game of the year and are selling high-margin plastic figurines faster than the factory can make them. If this wasn’t enough, they have idiot millennials like me fighting over miniature plastic recreations of their golden era consoles like a bunch of animals. Nintendo’s 2017 midas touch has also extended to an odd 3rd party collaboration with Ubisoft on Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. In any other year, it would be a breakout hit, but has been overshadowed by some of the company’s other juggernaut successes. Fans of the turn-based tactical shooter can look forward to a much requested multiplayer mode that is arriving with a free update this week.

It was certainly a big risk for Nintendo to send out a Mario game where the denizens of the mushroom kingdom use guns on each other and it was also a gamble to partner with Ubisoft for the production, but it all paid off with one of the best games of the year. “Mario X-Com” works beautifully on the big screen and on handheld mode, making for one of the ideal Switch software offerings. Fans loved the game at release but many wanted a PvP mode.

Starting tomorrow December 8, anyone who owns the game will get a free update that brings a 2-player battle mode to the experience. Using either a pair of Joy-Con controllers or Pro Controllers, players can battle it out with each other in the colorful arenas. Directly from Ubisoft’s announcement:

• Players will freely pick three different heroes among the eight from the main game. And for each character, they will choose among three unique pre-sets with specific statistics and skills to create their own strategy
• Surprising and random bonus items are dispatched on the battlefields, conferring additional actions, double damage or other advantages to the player who achieves to get them
• Every battle can be customized with various settings, from adding a timer or limiting the number of turns of the battle, to removing all the items for a pure tactical experience

Anyone still working there way through the base game should check out our in-depth guides and walkthoughs for Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle.

Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.