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Mario vs. Donkey Kong: DK for a new generation

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a Game Boy Advance sequel to one of the Game Boy's best games: Donkey Kong. It spawned two DS sequels (and a couple mini-games), but it has more in common with its 8-bit monochrome predecessor.

The main part of Mario vs. Donkey Kong plays almost exactly like Donkey Kong '94. Mario has the same robust set of moves, including a handstand and backward somersault. He navigates easy puzzle-platforming levels. Every stage has two parts. In the former, Mario must find the key and take it to the door. If he sets the key down for more than twelve seconds, it returns to where it began. The door leads to the second half of the stage. Mario must reach and pick up the Mini Mario toy (see below). Various classic Mario villains get in his way, such as shy guys, spear guys (from Yoshi's Island), thwomps, thwimps, ninjis, snapjaws, and bob-ombs, as well as some new ones, like ramrams (rhinoceri). The usual Donkey Kong fare abound: vines, ladders, platforms, switches, spikes, and spring boards. One of the only changes compared to the Game Boy game is that, instead of collecting Pauline's parasol, hat, and purse, the bonus items are red, blue, and yellow presents. If you get all three, you play one of two simple reflex games to have a chance to win extra lives.

The plot is that Donkey Kong, entranced by a commercial for Mario toys, breaks into the Mario Toy Company and steals all the Mini Marios. It's up to Mario to get them back. The game consists of six worlds: Mario Toy Company, DK jungle, fire mountain, spooky house, mystic forest, and twilight city.
Each world has eight levels.
The seventh level of each world plays differently. Mario must guide all the Mini Marios through the stage, picking up the letters T, O, and Y along the way, and finally ending in a chest they hop inside. The Mini Marios follow him automatically, like lemmings. Even if Mario is on a higher or lower platform, they always move in his direction. They cannot climb ladders, but they can jump and, importantly, bounce on spring boards. While controlling Mario, you must be careful not to lead them into ditches, spikes, or enemies. The eighth level is always a boss-battle against Donkey Kong. Each plays a little differently, though they all involve throwing barrels or trash cans at DK. For each Mini Mario rescued in the previous stage, Mario can suffer one hit from DK.

Like its predecessor, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is not difficult. The game seems aimed at younger kids. Before each level, a little tutorial plays, demonstrating which of Mario's moves are needed in that level. Just playing the game casually, I easily beat every level without having to stop and noodle for more than a few seconds. There is, however, a time limit for each stage, so it's possible to lose a life this way. Also, Mario gets stunned if he falls too far and dies if it's really far, a nod to the severe fall damage from the original DK. It's a bit odd, since Mario doesn't take fall damage in other games (fall damage was removed for the Switch remake). Whenever Mario loses a life, he must start the level all over.

Once you beat the game, a "plus" mode unlocks. The stages are the same, but now one Mini Mario follows Mario at all times. In addition, if you get a good enough score on each level in the standard game, you unlock twelve bonus, expert levels. These ones do take a little thought to figure out and are also more reflex-testing. They bring the total number of levels to 60, which is still on the short side compared to Donkey Kong 94's 100!
The background music is kind of jazzy and sounds all right. The sprites use a faux-3D style like Donkey Kong Country, which I don't like. As much as I like the Mini Mario levels, this game didn't make as big an impact on me as Donkey Kong '94 did. But I was a kid back then: now I'm a middle-aged man who is harder to impress, especially with the embarrassment of video-game riches today. I am sure plenty of kids who played Mario vs. Donkey Kong twenty years ago had as great a time with it as I did with DK '94 30 years ago.

While it may not fully measure up, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a worthy sequel to DK '94. The DS sequels to this game consisted entirely of Mini Mario levels, abandoning the traditional Donkey Kong play entirely. An expanded remake of this game with 20 extra levels came to Switch last year, which also adds a simultaneous two-player mode. It doesn't look like the Mini Mario games will return anytime soon. I wonder if Nintendo would ever consider a new Donkey Kong game. It's been 45 years since the original, so I think we're due. Yes, we have Donkey Kong Bananza, but I'm talking about a platforming game starring Mario, with DK as the villain! That's Donkey Kong.

Grade: B+
Linked Review
"A mighty fine platform-based puzzler. It's got a good balance between being both thoughtful and fun and is perfect to pick up for a quick play."
— Jonathan Town, Nintendo Life, 8/10



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