Legendary Nintendo game developer Shigeru Miyamoto crashed Ubisoft’s press event at the E3 gaming conference on Monday to help debut a game that combines two loved game franchises: Super Mario and Rabbids.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a tactical adventure that’s exclusive for Nintendo’s new Switch console. In the game, the Rabbids are mysteriously teleported into the Mushroom Kingdom, which destabilizes the whole world. It’s up to Mario to save the day, and he’s got some delightfully goofy help from his Rabbids buddies.
Ubisoft has been developing the game for three years. A gameplay demo presented during the press event shows the Rabbids fitting comfortably into Super Mario’s cartoony setting.
Miyamoto said via a translator at the press event that he challenged Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle’s developers, “Whatever you do, don’t make a jump game or a Mario platformer. Make a Mario game that has never been made before.”
With turn-based battles (co-op and solo), unique weapons, and familiar Super Mario characters turned into unruly Rabbids, it seems Ubisoft has done just that. You can get a look at the game above, and check out a behind-the-scenes video about how it came together below.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle will be released for Switch on Aug. 29.