Mario vs Donkey Kong

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Switch
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $49.99 – Available Here

Overview

Nintendo have really been scratching that itch lately, releasing a good bit of HD remakes of titles that rose to fame in the early 2000’s. The latest to receive this treatment is Mario vs. Donkey Kong, which originally appeared on the Game Boy Advance. With two new locations, fresh visuals, and a lot of time in-between the last appearance of this franchise – does this new coat of paint hold merit for modern platforms? Let’s find out.

Story

The story is very simple in Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Sitting at home, Donkey Kong sees a commercial for Mario’s toy factory, which is selling small wind-up versions of his famed rival. Eager to get his hands all over the toy, he barges into the factory and takes them all. Mario gets wind of this and makes chase against his once rival, where he must recover all the stolen toys scattered across several locations. Yep, its the same story, but re-told from the ground up in a very charming format. Sure, those looking for their next Super Mario Wonder are not going to find a pot of gold in narrative, but its a fun tale that still manages to bring smiles throughout the journey onward.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Mario vs. Donkey Kong is kept in two parts. The first is a platforming piece, while the other is simple puzzle-solving. Each stage has our hero able to move and jump (with some restrictions compared to normal fare) along levels, where he has to hit colored switches to unlock new areas that also have switches in order to gain a key, grab presents, or snag a toy that is unable to be reached from the start. The whole formula is inspired by the same essence of the original Donkey Kong arcade game, and does well to feel fun and familiar at the same time.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong adds a lot of tricks to keep levels interesting as you progress. Early on, you will be easily clearing stages with just the platforming and switches. As progression continues, more mechanics are added to bring some depth to the adventure. Mario can trapeze off ropes, handstand, and climb ropes in order to gain access to new areas. He also can pick up trash cans and enemies to make safe passageway through spikes and other hazards in order to get to the finish. Yeah – its still a simple formula, but one that never really grows old and becomes addictive due to the time ticking in every stage. A boss battle against DK ends each world, which all feel equally satisfying due to the unique gameplay quirks added to smash him up before the end.

To pad the adventure, Mario vs. Donkey Kong also features a bevy of extra content. Players can tag-team an adventure in a fun two-player mode, or take on a time-attack mode and even a more challenging “Expert” fare to add in more time with the adventure. Add that with the already booming amount of worlds and levels and you have a lot of bang for your buck. I think my only issue is the price-tag for the experience. Sure, the gameplay is great and the new presentation is awesome, but is this really worth the price-tag? I think that will come down to the audience and their tastes but in general, I am inclined to say “not quite”, mostly because we have received these games throughout the years on the 3DS and were just a fraction of the prize. Sure, this looks more premium, but the “jump-in and out” playstyle doesn’t really warrant that kind of premium pricing, compared to Mario’s other outings that seem to be a better value overall.

Audio

The soundtrack is lovely. Filled with familiar tunes and remixed tracks from the past, the audio is filled with reason to be jolly as you regain toys in Mario vs. Donkey Kong. The voice acting is minimal but present, with what I believe will be Charles Martinet’s last time in the Mario role. He does great in that, and even DK and the standard set of enemies make the game feel bigger budget, despite the smaller scope in general.

Visuals

This is the best part. For someone who loved the original, it was a joy to see these fully animated stages taken to new heights on the switch. Nintendo know Mario well, and the quality animations and charms were all put into full effect here to ensure players get the most out of this remake. The new worlds are also filled with imagination and wonder as well, giving returning players a new reason to jump into this version head-on.

Overall

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a tricky one as its so well-made, its hard to find reason to critique it other than mentioning its odd genre-placement. That said, price means a lot for most of us these days, and this title really should be a little less to warrant a pick-up, so day one may be something that needs to be reserved for the hardcore fans of this particular franchise or puzzle fan-antics in general. That said, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a surprising – yet still lovely remake that is sure to remind players where Mario gets his roots, in what is still a content heavy adventure.

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