Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope uses a tactical turn-based combat system that truly is the highlight of the gameplay. As you progress through the game, you come across classic enemies from both the Mario and Rabbid IPs. You also encounter a fair share of unique crossover enemies, such as the Squashers, pig-Rabbid creatures with a Thwomp on their back.
And, of course, you’ll face off against powerful bosses in each world you visit. These bosses, who range from variations of classic enemies to original characters for the game, pose an extra challenge you’ll have to work through. The creativity of this game certainly shines through in its boss battles, though some are more fun than others.
8 Giant Wildclaw
The Giant Wildclaw is the first boss you encounter in the game, and, rightfully so, ends up being the least interesting and least challenging boss you face. It is the boss at the end of the first part of Beacon Beach’s main quest and introduces you to Edge, who joins your party.
What makes the Giant Wildclaw challenging is its large size and higher health compared to the standard Wildclaw, much like other giant enemies you'll come across in a few optional side quests. However, it’s essentially the same as taking on a Wildclaw and lacks some of the originality of later bosses in the game, making the battle pretty basic.
7 Darkmess Edge
Darkmess Edge is the penultimate boss of the game, essentially an anti-version of Edge, with the exact same powers and move set. While intimidating and epically designed, Darkmess Edge fails to incorporate some of the challenge of earlier bosses and doesn’t feel as creative as others.
Adding players with good long-range weapon capabilities to your party to fight alongside Edge (a required Hero for this battle) makes Darkmess Edge easy to finish off. Because of the relative ease of this late-stage boss battle, fighting Darkmess Edge just isn’t as exciting as it could’ve been.
6 Darkmess Bowser
Similar to Darkmess Edge, Darkmess Bowser is a somewhat simple late-stage boss, as he’s simply a dark copy of Bowser. This battle is the first of the boss gauntlet in Cursa’s Stronghold, and has a fairly cool aesthetic that makes it feel like you’re taking on Bowser in the final world of a traditional Mario game.
Adding to that feeling is the presence of Magikoopas and Goombas, pitting you against extra enemies as if you were fighting Bowser’s own army. It’s a little more challenging than Darkmess Edge’s fight, as Darkmess Bowser is more difficult to reach and receives some strength from the Magikoopas.
5 Bedrock
You meet Bedrock, the second Spark Hunter, in Palette Prime’s village, where she and Bowser are already engaged in a big brawl. You jump into battle alongside Mario’s infamous enemy into one of the most interesting—yet frustrating—boss battles. This battle gives you a temporary party of four, with Bowser as a required Hero.
In order to inflict any meaningful damage on Bedrock, you must lure her to specific spots on the battlefield and get her to attack you from there, which triggers an explosion that actually hurts her. What’s annoying about this, though, is how difficult it is to get Bedrock into the perfect position in order to trigger this. You also can’t really attack her normally, as your weapons barely leave a scratch, if anything. While it’s a creative boss battle element, its tedious nature makes it a less appealing.
4 Midnite
Midnite is the first major Spark Hunter boss you encounter, and one of the most intriguing bosses in the game. You battle her at the end of the Pristine Peaks main quest. Fighting her is relatively straightforward, as there’s no unique tactic required. However, the battle does last three rounds, providing enough challenge to make it a difficult boss fight.
Additionally, the lead-up to get to Midnite adds suspense to the game and story, making her boss battle more compelling and meaningful. You must navigate through the puzzles of the Winter Palace, including finding hidden passageways and making your way through a small maze.
3 Giant Wiggler
As you make your way by train across Terra Flora, you encounter a huge angry Wiggler infected with Darkmess Eyes. While on the train, you must fight against it and free it from Darkmess’s hold.
Throughout the battle, the Wiggler moves up and down the side of the train cars, which requires some strategy as you spread your Heroes out across the board or seek to keep up with its movements. This battle is among the best in the game, not only for its creative concept, but also for its challenge.
2 Daphne
Daphne is the last of the Spark Hunters you face, at the end of Barrendale Mesa’s main quest. Throughout the game, encountering her is hyped up by introducing her character early on and showing how menacing she is. The tension built up around her character pays off in her boss battle, making it that much more engaging.
Beyond the build up to Daphne, her battle also provides an excellent strategic challenge. Over three rounds, you must make your way across the stage to Daphne, where she’s protected by barriers that only allow you to hit her from the back or sides. You must get into the right position in order to take her down, all the while battling fierce enemies and avoiding her own high-damage blows. It’s an exciting challenge for a boss and sets her battle apart.
1 Cursa
The final boss battle can make or break a game, and Cursa’s definitely does not disappoint. You also get to play as all nine heroes, split into three teams across three separated battlefields. This is an awesome feature of the battle, as it really gives you the sense that these Heroes are all in this final fight together.
Cursa also provides a strong challenge for you, as you must fight across three rounds like other major bosses. It makes for an incredibly satisfying end of the game.