Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: Hidden Details and References
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, as a crossover, is full of Easter eggs for both the Mario and Rabbids franchises. References aside, the game is full of clever humor, curious NPCs, and the wacky behavior of the rabids that inhabit each planet.
From the giant chickens living in the middle of Beacon Beach to the toads in need of rescuing from Darkmes, there’s plenty to explore in each world. With so many details on each world life, it’s natural to gloss over certain aspects of the game, from subtle character details to overlooked challenges.
9/9 Augie stole the spotlight
Augie is the warden of Beacon Beach, the game’s first world. As you pass through the Sunrise Temple as part of the main quest, you’ve probably noticed the murals painted on the walls of the temple. If you stop to read them, you’ll learn that Augie was often ignored as a child and grew up in the shadow of his incredibly successful brother.
After you complete the Beacon Beach main quest and restore sunlight to this tropical planet, if you chat with a rabbi walking on the beach, he’ll reveal that Augie is claiming to be the real hero and will take credit for what you’ve done. It’s a fun detail about his character that makes total sense considering Augie’s past.
8/9 Woodrow’s poetry is cursed
Like the Wardens of other worlds, Woodrow’s story in Palet Prime is revealed through murals that you can interact with. His story is a little hard to find, as it is scattered throughout the village houses, but if you track them down, it reveals exactly why Woodrow is so sad all the time.
The murals reveal that Woodrow’s poems always come before disaster in Palette Prime. In other words, Woodrow’s poetry is cursed with misfortune. It’s a sad part of his character and makes you feel for him a little more.
7/9 mother’s name
The leader of Barendel Mesa is Mechanic Mama, who plays a large role in helping the heroes defeat Karsa. What you miss about Mamma’s character is revealed in the billboards you come across on your way to fix the windmill.
A part of her story that’s easy to overlook: Ma got her name from the rabid residents of Barrendel Mesa, who admired how she saved them so much; They now see her as their honorary mother. He is the best video game “Mom!” It’s a sweet detail about her character that makes her even more endearing.
6/9 The Secret Zone has a secret challenge
Sparks of Hope doesn’t really keep each world’s “secret zone” secret. These are marked in plain sight on your world map for each planet, but you must complete several side quests to purchase the corresponding planet key to unlock the area.
What you may not know about Secret Zones is that they also have a secret challenge. After you complete the first challenge of retrieving the spark hidden there, go back through the portal to find a new challenge. You have to solve the main puzzle in a time crunch and completing it within the time limit will reward you with a new weapon skin.
5/9 Planet-sized cheeseball cups
Apparently the Rabbids have a sporting event involving a giant cheeseball. It’s part of Terra Flora’s background activity, but it’s easy to miss because it’s on the edge of the planet. If you see a giant cheeseball with Saturn-like rings, approach it to reveal this fun fact.
You’ll also see the Rabbids running in circles around the cheeseball, seemingly training for their next big matchup. It’s ridiculous to think about, and we want more details on how this weird game works.
4/9 Victor Challenge Music
On each planet, you’ll meet a rabbi named Victor, who challenges you to wrangle as many jellyfish as possible within a given time. This is one of the recurring side quests throughout your journey.
As you take on the challenge, listen very closely to the background music and you’ll just hear a familiar jingle. The music that plays during the challenge is a remix of the iconic Super Mario World Overworld theme. It’s a fun nod to one of Mario’s most iconic 2D platformers.
3/9 The musical gift of Rabid Mario
Rabbid Mario is a musician. If he’s at your party and you stand still for a few seconds, he’ll pull out a guitar-like instrument and strum it for a moment or two. Rabid Mario is usually easy to miss if you’re not on your team or if you’re quickly moving from one quest to another.
While his musical ability may surprise you, it aligns with his character and attempts to be decent. Maybe he’s practicing the guitar in their quest to conquer Edge…
2/9 Candy Corn Growers of Concord
Palette Prime, a fruit-themed planet, uses Conkdors, a bird enemy introduced in Super Mario 3D World, to farm them. Specifically, a farmer uses a small clump of them to plant candy corn. Although his efforts don’t seem to be working, Beep-0 blames his choice of crops instead of using Mario enemies for the helper.
This Mario Easter egg is easy to overlook, as the birds hide behind a darkmess puddle in the village. Moving it reveals this entertaining reference.
1/9 JEANIE’S CHARACTER ARC
If you’re not one to check out the memories as you unlock them, you might be missing out on an important part of JEANIE’s character. JEANIE, your ship’s AI, narrates memory entries, which show her understanding of the characters and your adventures.
What’s more, reading the memory also reveals how Jenny begins to develop the emotions she gained at the end of the quest. They capture his growth as a character, as the protagonists’ actions inspire him to hope and feel human emotions. It’s a touchy detail that makes Jenny even more likable.