Why You'll Probably Want To Do Most Side Quests In Mario + Rabbids: Sparks Of Hope

Rather than running through the Mushroom Kingdom as the first game does, "Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope" has the world's most famous plumber once again jumping through the cosmos. Mario and his crew travel from planet to planet meeting all sorts of friends and foes. As a result of the developers aiming for a beefier single-player adventure, beating the main story of the game can take as long as 30 hours. 

Dan Stapleton of IGN stated in his review that even after investing 30 hours, he'd left plenty of content unfinished. Content that bolsters the playability of "Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope" can take the form of collecting all 30 of the powerful Sparks for mixing and matching with your gameplay style or completing any number of side quests. While optional, players will probably want to work through those side quests thanks to the bonuses they provide.

In many of the "Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope" side quests offered by friendly folks, players have a chance to earn Planet Coins. While normal coins let players nab items to use in battle, such as healing mushrooms or damaging POW! blocks, Polygon pointed out that they can save up Planet Coins to acquire keys for each planet's "Secret Zone." The game bars these mysterious locales behind rainbow doors, but thanks to the indicators on the map, players should not have much trouble finding them.

The content of these Secret Zones varies from planet to planet, but players should expect combat challenges and an environmental puzzle here or there as well. Journeying into and completing these hidden areas rewards the player with a new Spark to join their team. If collecting all 30 of the super-powered critters made your to-do list, you'll want to collect Planet Coins through plenty of side quests and besting each Secret Zone. 

It's also worth noting that, while the Nintendo Switch doesn't have a system for achievements, "Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope" boasts Ubisoft Connect compatibility. Not only does the game present challenges for tasks like completing all side quests or winning 150 battles, but players can even earn in-game rewards such as Move Boosts or Star Potions.