There are a lot of systems and mechanics in Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope. These only get more complex as you get further in the game, mix new parties, and add new abilities and Sparks. It’s always a lot of fun to unearth a fresh nugget that helps throw the established order into chaos.
One system that is surprisingly well hidden – so much so it can be missed – is the Gold Prism. These powerful consumables are one use only, cannot be reversed, and unlock a whole host of new powers for the lucky character who ingests them. But what are these mysterious objects? How do you lock them? More importantly, where do you find them?
More Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope content:
Igloo Breakthrough | Hide ‘N Squeak | Sunrise Temple Riddle | Pristine Peak Riddle | Combat Guide | Beginner Tips
What Are Gold Prisms
Gold Prisms allow you to upgrade any one character permanently. This unlocks a new ability tree in their Hero tab, and this tree focuses exclusively on the mysterious (yet powerful) Sparks. Gold Prisms are in high demand, but rather uniquely, cannot be purchased. This makes hoarding them mostly impossible and spending them nerve-wracking as you cannot change your mind after the fact.
Make sure to use your early Prisms on characters you absolutely cannot live without. We personally found that Peach was an outstanding character throughout, and was stable in nearly every team. She was a great candidate for our first Gold Prism.
Where To Find Gold Prisms?
Gold Prisms are locked behind powerful optional side quests hidden on each planet. These quests are locked behind mysteriously golden warp pipes that only unlock once you have enough Sparks.
These quests are no joke, and even your first Gold Prism encounter is quite the challenge when you first unlock it – likely being several levels above your current party level. These are all excellent in execution, you just may have to come back a little later before you can successfully take them on.
Gold Prism Ability Tree, Explained
There are a total of four new abilities unlocked when you consume a Gold Prism, and these range from being rather powerful, to somewhat useless. All of them end up being expensive though. Here’s a quick breakdown of each Spark ability:
Spark Gift
Spark Gift gives any character with this ability a 25% chance to gain a random item. This ability is pretty awful since it costs more than it should, and the chance is so low. Plus, the further you get in the game, the more money you have. This makes item management trivial at best – especially factoring in the free items you find lying around.
Spark Refresher
This ability is far more useful than Spark Gift, but, as is a recurring theme with these abilities, it’s completely random. You have a whopping 35% chance to avoid the cooldown on any Spark you use. This might seem useful, but Sparks have shorter cooldowns the further you get in the game, so it quickly becomes irrelevant. Plus, it’s very expensive to purchase.
Spark Guard
Another random chance ability – only this one is almost strong enough to take. You have a 35% chance of not dying when you are killed. This is obviously fantastic, but as is often the case, this becomes less useful later in the game. Characters in Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope become incredibly powerful once they get some abilities under their belt, and providing you have a strong support character, death becomes a thing of the past.
Spark Energy
The final Spark ability, and one that should be considered once you have unlocked all the key abilities on any character. This one has a very low chance to proc, but the effect is brilliant. You have a 25% chance to gain an Action Point whenever you use a Spark. This is huge, as it lets you extend your turn (and therefore damage). It can also proc multiple times in one turn, really pushing your team to new heights. When it works, it’s amazing. It’s very expensive of course, but worth it later in the game.
Evaluation Of Spark Abilities
They are mostly terrible and not worth the investment. Their random nature holds them back, as does their prohibitive pricing. Gold Prisms are a decent idea, but the abilities gained are incredibly underwhelming. Unlock them more for the cool battle, more than the utility they bring. Your characters are better off using their standard kit.
That’s all we have on Gold Prisms in Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope. Check out one of our other guides for in-depth looks at other mechanics.
