Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: How to solve the Winter Palace puzzle

The first Mario and Rabbid crossover game introduced the world to the unique idea of a Mario tactics game. Yes, there was a small element of exploration between the combat encounters, but the meat of the experience was the turn-based action. With the sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, not only has the combat been expanded but there’s also more to do outside of the fights.

The second region you will reach in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is the chilly Pristine Peaks. This winter-themed wonderland starts out under heavy snowfall. Once you’ve cleared the storm, a bigger challenge will present itself in The Winter Palace mission.

Here, you’ll need to figure out how to activate two statues to enter a central chamber where one final puzzle awaits. If you’re stumped on any part of this process, we’ll help you reach the thrilling boss fight waiting for you on the other side.

Two rabbid statues in a palace.

How to activate the west side statue

We’ll start with the statue on the west side of the central chamber. The trouble with this one is that reaching it requires going through a series of doors in the correct order.

Here’s the path to take: Step 1: Take the door on the right. Step 2: Locate three cracks on the left side of the hallway.

Step 3: Use Beep-O’s ability to destroy the center cracked wall using ZR. Step 4: Enter the center door. Step 5: Take a sharp left to another cracked wall.

Step 6: Use Beep-O to break it and enter the door. Step 7: You will now be at the statue. Activate it and jump off the ledge to return to the central chamber.

How to activate the east side statue

Second up is the statue on the east.

This one is at the end of a maze, but there are enemies roaming inside that will bring you into a battle if caught. If you do get caught, simply win the battle to continue on. Step 1: Enter the maze and take the first left.

Step 2: Take your next two immediate rights. Step 3: Take the next right. Step 4: Go left.

Step 5: Follow the wall on your left all the way to the top-right of the maze to get a key item. Step 6: From here, go to the bottom-left of the maze, reference your map if needed, and put the item on the pedestal. Step 7: The gate to the second statue will open.

Step 8: Activate the statue and return to the central chamber.

A star spinning puzzle.

How to solve the ring puzzle

Now that the central chamber is open, one final puzzle stands between you and the boss. This is a ring puzzle where you need to rotate the different layers until you line up the stars. Thankfully, it is very easy.

Step 1: The outermost ring can’t be moved, so ignore that one.

Step 2: Spin the middle ring right until the stars are all lined up.

Step 3: Finally, spin the middle ring once to the right to connect all the constellations.