Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has just been given a launch date: October 20, 2022, confirming our suspicions. Pre-orders for it are live today on the Nintendo eShop. As well as Mario and Rabbid Luigi, you'll also be able to take control of Bowser in the sequel to 2017's Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.
In Sparks of Hope "otherworldly enemies" appear to steal the energy of strange creatures called Sparks - they look like the Rabbid version of Shines and Power Stars.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope continues the original's XCOM-esque turn-based combat. In Sparks of Hope, you can move and dash before using your weapon, allowing you to strategically deal limited amounts of damage and move into advantageous positions before you attack enemies.
In the gameplay trailer shown above, Rabbid Luigi can be seen dashing into an enemy before attacking with a weapon that hits everyone on the field in succession. He manages to pick up three kills this way, showing the potential for some strong combos once you get your hands on the game come October. You can also throw Bob-ombs to blast opponents.
There were many other announcements made today during Nintendo's Mini Direct. The Portal: Companion Collection will be available on Nintendo Switch later today. Both Portal and Portal 2 available to take with you on the go.
Persona 5, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 3 Portable are also coming to Switch on October 21. This trio of Persona games is also hitting PlayStation and Game Pass later this Autumn, so it makes sense they're also coming to Switch. Sorry fans, but still no news on Persona or Persona 2.
And, A Plague Tale: Requiem will be launching a cloud version on Switch October 18. Amicia and Hugo's journey will continue, and you can wander around with them as they deal with the horrors of the Inquisition and the deadly, supernatural rat plague.