Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review – Age-Proof Ape Action

Nintendo’s original frenemies have been on fairly good terms in recent years, teaming up for sporting action and even taking down Bowser together in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but their rivalry will never truly die. The two debuted together in 1981’s Donkey Kong and Nintendo has delivered a number of spiritual successors over the years, including the critically-acclaimed 1994 Game Boy version of Donkey Kong and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong titles. Now, after a near decade of peace, the grudge match has been revived with an expanded remake of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series’ Game Boy Advance debut.

Does this new Mario vs. Donkey Kong successfully unlock that old-school arcade charm? Or is this Mini Mario adventure too lightweight to recommend? Time to hammer out the pros and cons.

For those unfamiliar with the Mario vs. Donkey Kong games, they tweak our two titular characters a bit, as our mustachioed hero is now an industrialist who owns a factory that produces miniature toys modeled after himself. Perhaps fed up with Mario’s ego, Donkey Kong decides to steal all the toys and Mario gives chase through dozens levels to get back his inventory. Don’t expect much more than that from the story, but at least it isn’t just another variation of “Mario saves a princess.”

True to the original arcade Donkey Kong games, Mario vs. Donkey Kong presents a series of short platforming stages with the goal of most being to free a Mini-Mario toy while optionally collecting three presents along the way. After playing through six standard stages, you’ll then lead your little toy troupe through a Lemmings-style Mini-Mario level and however many Minis you get into the toybox will then represent the amount of hits you can take against Donkey Kong in an ensuing boss fight. Rinse and repeat this routine until you hit the credits, although at that point, you’re really only halfway through the game. Mario vs. DK also serves up a full slate of post-game “Plus” levels that mix up the rules somewhat (you now have to rescue a single Mini Mario and lead them back to the exit in every stage) and some extra-tough unlockable endgame challenges. Heck, this remake even offers a new Time Attack mode as a final test of your skill. There’s certainly no shortage of stuff to do in this game.

This is all brought to life via handsome, if unflashy, new visuals. The original GBA Mario vs. Donkey Kong featured 2D pre-rendered DK-Country-style visuals that haven’t held up that well aesthetically, while this version of course goes for modern polygonal models. While the stages themselves are a bit bland, Mario and his enemies animate very smoothly and the whole game has a nice crisp look to it. Ultimately though, it’s the game’s audio presentation that really stands out, with jazzy remixes elevating the original Mario vs. DK’s tunes in a big way. And hey, as a bonus, the game’s credits indicate the legend himself Charles Martinet still voices Mario in the game – perhaps the last time that will be the case.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is generally labeled a puzzle-platformer, but make no mistake – unlike a lot of entries in the subgenre, a lot of emphasis is still put on the platforming here. The way Mario maneuvers here feels a bit different than most of his platformers as, staying true to the original DK games, the plumber’s jumping ability is somewhat limited with less of a focus on physics and momentum, although he can still pull off timely double jumps, handstand backflips, and other acrobatic moves.

The puzzle-ish aspect of Mario vs. Donkey Kong is initially fairly straightforward, with most of the mental stimulation coming from trying to collect those extra presents, and the Mini-Mario challenges. Each of the game’s worlds introduce a couple new mechanics, from climbable vines, to explosive Bomb-ombs, to flowers that blow Mario and other objects around. Typically, you get a few variations on each new mechanic, but they aren’t harped on until they become a bore. Two new worlds added to the Mario vs. DK remake, Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit, fit seamlessly in with the rest, bringing the game’s overall world count to a more standard eight. These additions provide some of the best levels in the game, with Slippery Summit and its clever use of icy sliding floors being perhaps my favorite World of the bunch. Frankly, one can’t help but wonder what could have been achieved with an all-new Mario vs. DK.

While Mario vs. Donkey Kong takes some time easing you in, once you get to the game’s latter worlds and post-game challenges, your grey matter will be put to the test. Don’t worry, though. As with the best puzzle platformers, even the most head-scratching levels usually have a fairly simple solution that you’ll (eventually) kick yourself for not seeing. Mario vs. DK’s platforming doesn’t pull any punches either, at times being downright unforgiving – a single misstep means death (unless you’re carrying a key or other object) and later levels expect you to execute your jumps with precision. Thankfully, the game never feels too frustrating as stages are brief and easy to jump back into and there’s a new Casual mode for beginners. Local co-op has even been added to the mix, which doesn’t always make the game easier, but at least gives you somebody to commiserate with as you bang your head against a particularly tricky stage.

Ultimately, despite beginning life on the pocket-sized GBA, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a substantial package, both in terms of challenge and the amount of content it delivers. While your first time through the game’s worlds may only take 6 or 7 hours, 100 percent completion is potentially a 20-hour-plus endeavor. Don’t be surprised if you end up logging more time with the humble Mario vs. DK than some of the plumber’s flashier platformer outings.

This review was based on a copy of Mario vs. Donkey Kong provided by publisher Nintendo.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

Mario vs. Donkey Kong may lack the razzle dazzle of its stars’ more recent games, but this remake still has the power to hook players with its tried-and-true retro platforming and a finely-tuned difficulty curve that culminates in some challenges that will truly test your mind and reflexes. Those who have played the original Mario vs. DK to death may not find quite enough new content here, but lapsed fans and new players are in for a barrel of fun.

Buy for $49.99 from Amazon

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