The Mushroom Kingdom and madcap world of Ubisoft's Rabbids are two franchises I never thought would go together, but much like peanut butter and jam, they have combined to create something beautiful.

An absolutely stunning world; Deep combat system that isn't at all complicated; So much fun to play; The two worlds work really well together

Not much to do outside of combat; Sharp difficulty spikes

Despite owing so much to XCOM, this is a fantastically imaginative and enjoyable strategy game that's as accessible as the genre has ever been on consoles.

The core gameplay is simple to learn but surprisingly deep, with the ability to constantly surprise you with new features and enemies; Excellent controls and presentation; Fun co-op mode

Uneven difficulty curve can be frustrating; There's not quite enough to do outside of battles, and it lacks the same depth of options as its obvious inspiration

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is the game the world wasn't prepared for. The world also wasn't prepared for it to be as good as it is. Giving Mario a gun and make him fight Rabbids in a weird XCom mashup doesn't exactly sound like it'd work, but it does – for the most part.

This wonky crossover is the unlikely source of a superbly designed tactical combat challenge as well as a charmingly silly adventure.

Nothing about Mario Rabbids should work. It's enough of a shock that Ubisoft Milan managed to bring together these two worlds so well, then it successfully makes its cast the stars of a genre none of them has ever been near.

When we first heard about the mash-up we were naturally skeptical. Mario, one of the most beloved and sacred characters in interactive entertainment, being paired with Ubisoft's hit and miss comedy act Rabbids in an Xcom-style turn-based strategy game?

It may look frivolous, but Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle's jokey exterior hides some rich gameplay.

Beautifully structured; Exercises your strategic muscles; Good Rabbids-Mario interplay; Nicely observed learning curve; Decent boss-battles; Builds to a strategic crescendo

Puzzles are too easy in the early stages

An unlikely mash-up, Mario+Rabbids is a very unique game. The turn-based strategy elements aren't going to be for everyone, but for Mario fans this alternative look into the Mushroom Kingdom isn't worth passing up.

There are video games that when I first hear about them I think they have potential. Then I play them, and they are epic. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle on the Nintendo Switch is one such video game. Have you ever had that feeling before

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is the story of an unexpected encounter between the most famous video game character, Mario, and the irreverent and chaotic Rabbids as they join forces to restore the Mushroom Kingdom, which has been torn apart by a mysterious vortex.