Cursa’s Stronghold is the final chapter of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Finish both Barrendale Mesa story objectives and Momma’s Shield Buster opens the approach to the Comet Observatory. The route contains Darkmess Bowser, Darkmess Edge and the three-phase Cursa battle. Its three Memories are battle rewards, rather than hidden probes.
Prepare all nine heroes
Upgrade the Sparks you intend to use and check every hero’s skill allocation. The last fight uses the entire cast in fixed groups, so concentrating all useful Sparks and upgrades on your usual three characters leaves the other teams exposed. Give each group a reliable damage option and a way to survive its next enemy turn.
Starburst helps with a coordinated attack turn; Exosphere reduces incoming damage; Regenesis and Vampastra can support groups without Rabbid Peach. Pulser is a recovery option when a fallen teammate is within range. Match passive bonuses to the hero even when you do not expect to use both active Powers immediately.
Visit SALESBOT near the first major battle and check HP and consumables before continuing. Finish outstanding exploration elsewhere if you want to do it before the ending. After the finale, the Stronghold itself cannot be freely revisited, although its battles can be replayed from the Quests menu.
King of Darkmess — Darkmess Bowser
Bowser is compulsory and you choose three allies, making a four-hero party for this encounter. A practical support group includes Rabbid Peach for healing, Luigi for distant damage and Rabbid Mario or another strong attacker for finishing nearby threats.
The boss waits on the high ground. Survey both sides with Tacticam, use the pipes and Jump Panels to gain elevation, and remove a Magikoopa that controls the intended approach. Dash through Goomba groups before spending weapon attacks on isolated survivors. Explosive barrels can open firing lanes, but keep your own heroes outside their blast.
Do not let summoned Darkmess Rabbid Mechakoopas or repeated portal arrivals turn the encounter into an endless cleanup battle. Remove the ones threatening your next move, establish a clear shot and concentrate your strongest available attacks on Darkmess Bowser. The objective is the boss, so victory does not require clearing every reinforcement.
Deep, Dark Secret — Darkmess Edge
The second major battle requires Edge and allows three chosen allies. The islands are connected by pipes and Jump Panels. Darkmess Edge begins in the lower central section, accompanied by a Medician and an Oozer, while Scopers cover the rear islands.
Prioritize the Medician so that boss damage is not undone by repeated healing. Remove or disable the Oozer if it prevents the team from using its planned abilities. Advance by the connected routes and leave an ally in position for the next Team Jump rather than separating all four heroes beyond support range.
Edge’s extra Dashes help deal with nearby enemies without consuming every attack action. Save the strongest weapon and Spark combination for a turn when the healer is gone and the boss is exposed. Destroying Darkmess Edge wins the battle even if a portal remains. You receive The Broken Statue Memory; then take the golden cannon toward the Observatory.
Cursa!!! — the three fixed teams
Each player turn switches to another battlefield and its assigned group. A team must survive while the other two take their turns; a good attack is not worth leaving that group unprotected.
- First battlefield: Mario, Peach and Rabbid Rosalina.
- Second battlefield: Luigi, Rabbid Mario and Rabbid Luigi.
- Third battlefield: Bowser, Edge and Rabbid Peach.
Phase 1 — turn the Astral Arms against the spikes
Watch which hero an Astral Arm follows. Use an unmarked hero to jump off the appropriate Jump Panel and reveal its giant spike. Move the marked hero onto the spike before ending the turn so the incoming arm strike hits the trap. Merely standing beside it is not the same setup.
The arm can intercept nearby Team Jumps and Jump Panel use. Do not send its marked target into the air to create the trap, and keep the other hero’s jump outside its reaction range. Check the arm’s range before committing movement. After arranging the spike, spend remaining actions on enemies that would endanger the waiting team, then repeat for the other battlefields.
Phase 2 — attack Cursa directly
Once the arms are dealt with, shift to damage against Cursa. Set up a damage boost before firing, use each group’s strongest clean attack angles and keep a recovery or protection action when an exposed member cannot survive the reply.
Cursa’s beam can apply Exhaust and reduce a struck hero’s weapon damage. Check the condition before spending a buff on an already weakened attacker. Use movement attacks or a useful support action when they accomplish more, and avoid placing the whole group in a vulnerable firing line just to reach one target.
Phase 3 — charge Rosalina’s wand projections
After Rosalina is freed, ordinary attacks against Cursa are no longer the victory condition. Aim at the wand projection at the end of the active battlefield to fill her power gauge. Stronger hits contribute more charge, so prepare a strong attack rather than spending every action clearing enemies that cannot stop the shot.
Fill the gauge three times to complete Rosalina’s attacks. Cursa still fires its beam, and its wings threaten the second and third battlefields until they are destroyed. Move away from exposed edges and keep healing available between charges. When a firing route is blocked, clear the obstruction or reposition first; selecting Cursa instead of the wand wastes the intended charging turn.
Memories and completion rewards
Deep, Dark Secret awards The Broken Statue. The finale supplies Cursa and A Message from an Outer Dimension. Completing the Stronghold’s tracked objectives unlocks Mario’s Gleaming Dual Slinger skin.
The earlier planets still have separate completion goals. Use the Memory and Spark lists to locate what remains, then choose the DLC adventure from the main walkthrough. These activities do not require searching the now-inaccessible Stronghold for an unmarked collectible.
Previous: Barrendale Mesa · Full walkthrough · All Memory locations