Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Switch Remake) – Review

First introduced in 2004, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a puzzle-platformer that has now been remade for Nintendo Switch after two decades. It comes with a bunch of new worlds, a major visual makeover and additional modes. In terms of challenge, it is still light and brief, but it is undoubtedly engaging because you have to find the stolen stock of Mario Toy Company against the pressure of a ticking clock.

The story

Not only is Mario a plumber, an athlete across different sports, a go-kart racer and a pill-slinging doctor, he also heads his own toy company. Just like the original, the story of Mario vs. Donkey Kong starts with the impish ape entering Mario’s factory and stuffing all the mini-Mario toys in his sack. The difference is that these scenes are now packed with personality and are fully animated, as opposed to the slideshow-style sequences in the original game.

To put it simply, the visual design of the original game had been downright ugly and it has certainly not aged well, so the change is undoubtedly appealing. It had a very limited color palette and the heavily pixelated characters did not add any value either. Luckily, the new version puts the strain on your brain and reflexes rather than your eyes. Donkey Kong, Mario and the different enemy types come with the Nintendo charm and the eight worlds that are included give you plenty to do.

Key to success

While the modern Mario vs. Donkey Kong game may have been styled up a bit, but the heart of the game remains unchanged. Mario’s moveset has not changed, but since the word ‘Super’ is not mentioned in the game, it should not be surprising that there are no Super Stars or Fire Flowers included. Nonetheless, there are still some fun ways to take down your enemies in every stage.

Most of the bite-sized levels in the game have been split into two rooms. Mario has to collect a key and take it to the locked exit of the next level. It is not that simple, given that he cannot climb ladders or do any acrobatic moves. Every world culminates in a different variation on the boss fight against Donkey Kong.

New levels

The overall difficulty level of the game does not come close to Super Meat Boy or Celeste, but there is a great deal of focus on precise platforming, given that Mario can be defeated by just one hit. Moreover, self-preservation is not the only goal for completing a stage, as timing is also important. The remake boasts two new worlds that are actually the most memorable levels in the entire adventure.

Merry Mini-Land comes with nifty new elements like flower-powered fans that enable Mario to float across large gaps. As for Slippery Summit, it coats most of the platforms in ice and this allows Mario to slide through small holes in the terrain. There are great additions to the foundations laid down by the 2004 game.