If you’re unfamiliar with the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, it’s strongly recommended that you read our previously published preview of the game before continuing on with this review, as it includes additional gameplay details.
The leader of the bunch, you know him well, he’s finally back to kick some tail. Within the last year we’ve seen a big resurgence of Donkey Kong after a prolonged absence from the limelight since the release of Tropical Freeze on Wii U over a decade ago. He had a major role in Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. Movie (with rumors of an upcoming spin-off film), a Donkey Kong Country expansion was announced for Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios, and a Nintendo Switch remake of one of the best Game Boy Advance puzzle games, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, is soon to be released. Having now played through the entire game early, let’s take a look to see if Mario vs. Donkey Kong is worth going bananas over or if it does a bit too much monkeying around.
As soon as you start up Mario vs. Donkey Kong, it’s immediately obvious that Nintendo wanted this remake to be a very faithful adaptation; and that’s certainly not a bad thing. Everything from the title screen to the opening cutscene will be familiar and nostalgic to those who grew up with the GBA, while also providing a fresh and modern feeling to those who are experiencing it for the first time. There are more than enough differences and additional content to justify it being a standalone release, and although it would have been nice to see the original also added to the Nintendo Switch Online service, it’s understandable why Nintendo went the route of making the remake the only way to play it on Switch (at least for now).
All of the content from the original game has been rebuilt from the ground up, including all six of the main worlds (Mario Toy Company, Donkey Kong Jungle, Fire Mountain, Spooky House, Mystic Forest, and Twilight City). Additionally, there are two brand new bonus worlds that were not featured in the GBA version, Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit, both of which include a new world theme and gameplay mechanics that fit right at home alongside the rest of the stages. That means there are 8 worlds with 8 stages each (6 standard, a Mini Mario, and a Donkey Kong stage), making for 64 levels to play through and enjoy. It takes about 5-10 hours to “complete” the game and see the credits roll, but that’s only just the beginning.
Just like in the original, after the credits are finished, you’ll unlock the “Plus” Worlds, almost doubling the amount of stages in the game (although there are no Mini Mario stages in the Plus Worlds). These stages are entirely unique and much more difficult than the ones in the standard worlds, with the only similarities being that they share the same world theme and overall style. When taking into account the Plus Worlds, Mario vs. Donkey Kong actually includes 120 levels. But wait, there’s more! There are also 16 “Expert” stages (a bump up from the 12 in the original) that can be unlocked by collecting gold stars; earned by obtaining all three gift boxes on each of the main stages. That’s over 130 total levels compared to the 96 on the GBA!
Before you even unlock any of the post-game content, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is actually quite a challenging game, but never frustratingly so. The limited amount of time that you’re given to complete a stage can be very unforgiving, and the puzzle-solving and platforming skills required to beat some of the levels is no walk in the park, especially if you’re trying to pick up all three gift boxes to earn a gold star. Mario’s movement feels more heavy and precise than usual, being more similar to the classic Donkey Kong arcade game rather than traditional Mario platformers. It’s important to collect as many 1-ups as you can, as any direct impact from an enemy or obstacle will result in losing a life. If you lose all of your lives and get a game over, you’ll be forced to start at the beginning of the stage, regardless of if you’ve reached the checkpoint. As someone who really enjoys a good challenge, “Classic Mode” was definitely my preferred way to play, but if you’re wanting a more laid back experience, there is also an easier “Casual Mode” to give yourself an infinite amount of time and safety bubbles.
Speaking of new modes, Mario vs. Donkey Kong now has support for two-player co-op, and it surprisingly feels like so much more than just an afterthought. When playing two-player mode, the second player uses Toad, complete with the same abilities as Mario. When walking past each other, there is no collision, but you are able to jump on each other’s heads to get up to hard to reach places. To keep things from being too easy, there are two keys required to open the door to get to the next section of the stage instead of one. Just about the entire game can be experienced in two-player mode, so you should definitely get a friend, family member, significant other, or even a random stranger at a party to play alongside you if you can find one.
The only thing that can’t be experienced in two-player mode is the newly introduced Time Attack mode, which is unlocked after completing the main game. Time Attack mode offers even more replayability by giving you a target time for each stage. If you beat the stage before the target time is up, you’re rewarded with a gold medal. Whatever your fastest time is is also saved, so you can always try to beat your own highscore later just for fun, which is a nice inclusion considering the actual highscore counter from the original Game Boy Advance game has been removed entirely.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong runs at a near flawless 60fps, and I didn’t experience a single instance of framerate drops or glitches during my playthrough. The graphical style is very colorful and pleasing yet not overly complex, looking like something between New Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Odyssey, making load times exceptionally fast despite the aging hardware of the Switch. Since the original Mario vs. Donkey Kong was also designed for a handheld console, the pick up and play “just one more level” nature of the game transfers over to the Nintendo Switch family of systems perfectly.
What used to be one of the best puzzle-platformers on the GBA is now one of the best on Switch. Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a faithful remake that goes above and beyond in just about every facet; whether you’ve already played the original or are completely new to the series. With modern graphics alongside brand new modes, levels, and features, it’s easy to recommend this charming remake based on one of the most iconic rivalries of all time. If you’re still not convinced, you can try out the free demo available now via the Nintendo eShop. Mario vs. Donkey Kong launches for Nintendo Switch on 16th February 2024.
9/10
A copy of Mario vs. Donkey Kong for review purposes was provided by Nintendo UK.
Related
mynintendonews.com
