PLATFORM: SWITCH | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Hot on the heels of last year’s Super Mario RPG remake, the folks at Nintendo have revisited their back catalogue once again with their latest effort, an updated version of the puzzle-platformer Mario vs Donkey Kong. Originally released on the Game Boy Advance in 2004, it’s one of the rare Mario titles that doesn’t revolve around rescuing a princess. Instead, Mario is now in charge of a toy shop that sells “Mini-Mario” clockwork models. When his inventory of Mini-Marios is stolen by Donkey Kong, Mario must navigate a series of puzzle-filled levels to chase down Donkey Kong and reclaim his stock.
Each of the main levels is split into two halves. Mario’s first task is to collect a key and bring it back to the exit door before moving on to the next screen where a Mini-Mario is waiting to be found. At the end of each world, things change up again, with Mario leading his tiny companions, Lemmings style, to a toy box, before finally surviving a boss battle against Donkey Kong himself. Figuring out how to achieve your goal in each level is a puzzle in itself, made even trickier with all the switches, ladders, enemies and other hazards that are dotted around the screen, but Mario’s surprising agility means that there’s always a way to contend with whatever problems he faces.
Updated with Nintendo’s modern graphical style, this version of Mario vs Donkey Kong is much easier on the eye than the original. Other new additions include the option to play the entire game with a second player, with both having to claim a key before levels can be completed (so both get to actually do something in the game, rather than one person being relegated to a supporting role), two brand new worlds, a time attack mode, and new “plus” levels to unlock, changing the game’s rules and raising the difficulty. Mario vs Donkey Kong isn’t the longest or most challenging game in the world (there are 130+ levels but they’re all rather short), but it’s great fun, which is always the most important thing!
