Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a remake of a Game Boy Advance classic of the same name and Nintendo’s latest puzzle platformer. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review Overview
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 A Real Brain Teaser Simple Controls, Efficient Gameplay It’s Got Speedrun Potential |
Barebones Story, Even for a Platformer Tutorial Just Stops for Some Reason Easy Mode is Way Too Easy |
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Overall - 80/100
Nintendo is two-for-two with their recent remakes so far, as they start the year with the positively perplexing puzzle platformer that is Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Though this game isn’t as meaty a platformer as one would expect from Nintendo, its simple premise and effective execution make it more than worthwhile — if you can forgive its empty Koopa shell of a story and “Baby Mode”. You're gonna get your brain teased and then some when you come after DK in this worthy remake to the 2004 Game Boy classic.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Story - 6/10
This game’s story isn’t the most complex, nor is it the most compelling. It sort of gets a pass because it is a platformer and games from that genre aren’t usually known for their compelling narratives. It could still benefit from some spit and polish, however, as I somehow doubt the story beats from a 2004 Game Boy title would do well in today’s gaming scene.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Gameplay - 9/10
Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s platforming is as crisp and well-designed as one would expect from the remake of a mainline Mario game. Its efficient use of basic gameplay mechanics and challenging puzzles make for a platforming experience that is as enjoyable as it is simple. Pair that with Nintendo’s usual polish and you’ve got yourself another great addition to Mario’s ever-expanding reportoir of platforming escapades.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Visuals - 9/10
What can I say? Nintendo knows what does and doesn’t work for its characters. It’s clear that Nintendo is a proponent of the “don’t fix what isn’t broken” ideology because, despite the lack of innovation in this game’s character and aesthetics, I still find myself in awe at how good they all look. This game benefits from decades of research and design innovations applied to a formula that’s been proven to work well and it shows.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Audio - 8/10
Although Mario vs. Donkey Kong doesn’t have much voice acting apart from the occasional grunt or scream, that’s standard fare for the Mario franchise as a whole so it doesn’t really take a hit for that. The game’s music is pretty darn good and effective for its purpose though. Puzzle game music is usually a nothing burger with repetitive melodies that border on annoying, but I’d put this game’s music on par with Snipperclips on how well it pairs with the task at hand and the atmosphere of each world.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Value for Money - 8/10
This is a strong addition to your collection of Mario games if you’re a fan. If you’re not, then the game’s asking price of $50 might prove to be a powerful deterrent, though that’s not an indication of the game’s quality in the least. It’s a well-made game with puzzles galore and speedruns aplenty, but you might want to reconsider if you’re expecting a good story in addition to that.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review: Consider My Brain Properly Teased
Nintendo’s really rolling out the remakes recently and — let me tell you — they haven’t missed so far. I mean, considering how high the expectations were for Super Mario RPG and how far Nintendo knocked that one out of the park, I really shouldn’t be surprised that they made a good and proper remake of Mario vs. Donkey Kong as well. There’s just no substitute for quality, I suppose. But that’s neither here nor there; we’re here to talk about Mario vs. Donkey Kong and how it darn near massaged my prefrontal cortex.
I don’t consider myself the most well-versed platformer enthusiast but I’ve been around the Warp Pipe a couple of times. You won’t see me any%-ing runs on speedrun.net, but I know a good puzzle platformer when I see one and let’s just say this game was more than just a blip on my radar. I expected Nintendo’s usual quality in puzzle-crafting and stage design and, well, that’s exactly what I got. But we’re skipping ahead a little bit, let’s start with the game’s premise and go from there.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a puzzle platformer, meaning it’s not just about going from one end of the level without getting hit anymore. It’s about efficient maneuvering, proper sequencing, and problem-solving. That nerd crap aside, you’re not going to get far if you treat this like any other Mario game. You’ve got to get those synapses firing if you want to progress. With that premise out of the way, let’s see how well Nintendo executed it in this game.
In short, I think Mario vs. Donkey Kong did a bang-up job at being a puzzle platformer. At length, let me talk about how it managed to do so. Firstly, it was efficient with the presentation of its puzzles and their respective solutions. What I mean by that is that there are no bells and whistles involved apart from what’s necessary to the game’s aesthetic. Every mechanic required to solve every puzzle is derived from the basic idea of running, jumping, and throwing things, keeping things compact and consistent without ever making things boring. No gimmicks, no useless item fetching, and no one-off mechanics endemic to each world; just clean, efficient gameplay.
Secondly, it’s properly challenging without ever being frustrating. The puzzle design is fair and solvable in addition to being efficient. You won’t have to sweat to solve these puzzles, you just need to think for a bit. If you’re ever stuck in a single level, maybe you can try the game’s built-in “Casual Mode” to explore new solutions, though I think it’s only fair to warn you that this mode isn’t good for much else, as I’ll elaborate on much later.
Every stage pretty much follows a formula (in structure, not in content), so you know what to expect and can plan accordingly. Some unexplained mechanics might catch you unawares, but it’s nothing too damning and the retry button’s always there should you need it. An example of this would be the key you need to open the locked door in the first half of every stage, which returns to its starting position after 12 seconds whenever you drop it.
Lastly, it doesn’t feel like a random low-effort platformer you’d find on a flash game website somewhere, it’s got the substance and polish you’d expect from a AAA developer like Nintendo. The game’s aesthetics, level designs, character designs, and UI are all up to Nintendo’s standard and I think that does a lot to uplift the game as a whole.
It’s ain’t all Super Mario Sunshines and Princess Daisies, however, as the game does lag behind in a few respects; namely story and balancing. Don’t get me wrong, the game’s narrative is effective for a puzzle platformer, I just think that copying the story of a 2004 Game Boy title beat for beat isn’t the best idea for a remake. As for its balancing issues, it’s a minor nitpick, really. The game features a Casual Mode that I consider too casual — if you can forgive the minor elitism. It’s serviceable as a practice mode, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling it an actual game mode.
And that’s about it for Mario vs. Donkey Kong. It’s a good game with tight mechanics and fun puzzles that really get my smooth brain going. It doesn’t overreach with its concept and delivers well on its promise as a puzzle platformer as a result. Maybe it can benefit from a slightly better story, but I’m enjoying the game as it is even without it. More than anything, I’m just glad to see a Mario game where Bowser doesn’t try to steal the princess or some magical MacGuffin of some sort. A non-story is better than a tired story, I suppose.
Pros of Mario vs. Donkey Kong
| Things Mario vs. Donkey Kong Got Right |
|---|
|
A Real Brain Teaser Simple Controls, Efficient Gameplay It’s Got Speedrun Potential |
A Real Brain Teaser
Who could’ve thought that a puzzle game would have good puzzles? In all seriousness, you’d be surprised how often puzzle games miss their mark with their puzzle designs — often swinging too wildly towards either extreme of too easy or too hard. Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s puzzle platforming hits the spot just right by actually making me use my head without making smoke come out of my ears (at least outside of Casual Mode). No stage is blatantly unsolvable and there’s always a path forward if you’re willing to look. It’s no Super Meat Boy or Celeste in terms of difficulty, but not every puzzle platformer has to make you want to throw your Switch out an open window for it to be fun.
Simple Controls, Efficient Gameplay
Although it’s got that signature Nintendo magic for its visuals and audio, this game doesn’t waste time with frills and ties, opting instead for compact, efficient gameplay mechanics; such is the mark of a good puzzle platformer. No move is more complex than running, jumping, or throwing — barring a few derivatives that stem from those three mechanics— and solving each puzzle is only a matter of careful planning and precise inputs. There are no unseen traps and random buffoonery involved in your traversal of each puzzle, so let your muscle memory take control and bask in the simplicity of good game design.
It’s Got Speedrun Potential
One could argue that almost any game has speedrun potential and it’d be a fair argument, I’m just saying that this game’s got a lot of it. Mario’s no stranger to the speedrunning scene, as most classic Mario games would attest, so this one might be another potential addition to the list. Its puzzle elements and focus on the sequential execution of moves could be just the dopamine hit that speedrunners are looking for.
Cons of Mario vs. Donkey Kong
| Things That Mario vs. Donkey Kong Can Improve |
|---|
|
Barebones Story, Even for a Platformer Tutorial Just Stops for Some Reason Easy Mode is Way Too Easy |
Barebones Story, Even for a Platformer
Far from me to expect a platformer to have “some” story, but this game’s narrative is about as lush as a pack of Dry Bones. I wish it was more complex than “DK steals Mario’s merch so Mario has to chase him” but that’s all there is to it. I’m aware that the original game’s story was just as bland and that having a compelling narrative has never been the Mario franchise’s strong suit, but is it so much to ask to have some razzle dazzle in there? Especially with this game’s status as a remake, I think it could have benefited from a narrative touch-up.
Tutorial Just Stops for Some Reason
They just do. After a certain point, tooltips and hints just stop appearing but the new mechanics don’t. Sometimes old mechanics just stop working and there’s no indication that they did until it’s too late. Case in point: the flaming eggs from Fire Mountain, which could usually be knocked away by doing a handstand. There’s a case to be made for trusting the player’s intuition and not handholding them all the time, but the game features a Casual Mode where literally nothing is a danger, so I call shenanigans.
Easy Mode is Way Too Easy
I mean, I don’t know what I expected from a game mode literally called “Casual Mode”, but it wasn’t two levels of redundancy, that’s for sure. I can barely call it a game in this mode, let alone a puzzle game. I understand making the game more accessible to less skilled players, but I’ve had cutscenes that were harder to watch than this “Baby Mode”.
Two — count them — two levels of redundancy are set to make sure that even the goobiest of goobers can solve any puzzle in this mode if they hit their head against it enough times. First of all, you have to get hit or die five times before you even lose one of your many lives in this mode. Next, the time limit’s just gone, so you can take your sweet time running through your mind palace for a solution.
It’s not the worst offense to be too easy, though I’d wager even a novice would find Casual Mode uninteresting.
Is Mario vs. Donkey Kong Worth It?
Only if You’re Into Platformers, Mario, or Both
This game sits at $50, which isn’t too high a price, but enough to give pause to people who don’t usually play platformers. I’d say it’s still worth it considering its polish, efficient game design, and positively perplexing puzzles, but I can see a few people thinking this wasn’t worth the money.
I strongly recommend you add this to your collection if you’re a fan of getting your brain squeezed or just Mario in general. Otherwise, maybe you’re better of with a puzzle game that has more narrative substance.
| Platform | Price |
|---|---|
 Nintendo eShop |
$49.99 |
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Overview & Premise
Mario vs. Donkey Kong revolves around a great chase between the two titular characters across different realms filled with puzzles. Donkey Kong’s made off with an entire shipment of Mario’s new line of toys and our favorite Italian plumber’s not one for shoplifting. Follow Mario as he scales puzzle after puzzle in pursuit of the biggest heist this side of the Mario Toy Factory. Will DK get away with his shenanigans or will Mario retrieve his collection of toys in mint condition?
Mario vs. Donkey Kong FAQ
Is Mario vs. Donkey Kong a Remake?
Yes. Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024) is a remake of the original game which was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004.
Does Mario vs. Donkey Kong Have a Demo?
Yes. A free demo of the game was released on February 1, 2024 and can be downloaded on the game's Nintendo eShop page.
Mario vs Donkey Kong Product Information
 |
|
| Title | MARIO VS. DONKEY KONG |
|---|---|
| Release Date | February 16, 2024 |
| Developer | Retro Studios |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Supported Platforms | Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | 2D Platformer |
| Number of Players | 1-2 Players |
| ESRB Rating | E (Everyone) |
| Official Website | Mario vs. Donkey Kong Website |
