Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a solid refresh of the puzzle-focused series offshoot

I have fond memories of Donkey Kong for the Game Boy.

Released in 1994, Nintendo’s handheld Donkey Kong builds on the 1981 arcade classic in inventive ways, resulting in one of the best lesser-known Game Boy titles ever released. In fact, it’s so great that I recently played through it twice — once on a remade Game Boy Colour and then again on the Analogue Pocket.

Despite my affinity for the puzzle-focused off-shoot Mario series’ first release, I initially skipped Game Boy Advance classic and spiritual successor, 2004’s Mario vs. Donkey Kong, but because I knew the Switch remake was on the way, I played through it a few months ago. While the game doesn’t quite live up to 1994’s Donkey Kong, it still offers enjoyable puzzle gameplay, though its mid-2000s visuals and off-putting digitized Mario voice sound effects haven’t aged well.

This is where Nintendo’s late Switch lifecycle remaster of Mario vs. Donkey Kong comes in. It ditches the original’s odd visual shortcomings in favour of a clean, modern look reminiscent of a simpler version of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The game’s crisp graphics are a perfect modernization of the off-shoot series’ original simple artistic direction.

The premise of Mario vs. Donkey Kong is simple. In most stages, you need to get a key to a locked door while bounding over platforms, flipping switches and dodging enemies. Some stages are straightforward and can be finished in under a minute, especially once you learn the triple jump and backflip, while others are mind-bending and difficult, especially if you want to collect the secret presents strewn throughout stages.

Visually, Nintendo really nailed the art style with Mario vs. Donkey Kong. If I imagined a modern version of Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, this is it.

Adding variety to the mix are stages where you need to march several Mini-Marios to a toy chest (this is far more difficult than it sounds, especially since they mimic your actions), free a Mini-Mario from an orb and finally, take on Donkey Kong in a boss battle typically involving throwing some sort of object at the gorilla (usually a barrel).

To be clear, Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Switch is more of a remaster than a remake. The original game’s stages return and are nearly identical to their GBA counterparts. That said, there are a few new additions, including new worlds that offer the best stages in the entire game and fun end-game content like a ‘Time Attack’ mode (and more) for those looking for an extra challenge.

Handstand backflips are a necessity if you’re trying to reach high places.

There’s also a new multiplayer mode where the second player takes control of Toad. When playing co-operatively, in most levels, a second floating grey key is brought to the mix, adding another layer of strategy to the stage. I didn’t think this would work and initially felt it was little more than a lazy way of adding multiplayer to Mario vs. Donkey Kong, but it’s great and often forces you and your cooperative partner to work together in creative ways. Playing with a pal can also make more difficult late-game stages a little easier since you can divide and conquer. For example, your partner hits that hard to reach switch while you run through the gate.

Speaking of difficulty, Nintendo has added a new casual mode to Mario vs Donkey Kong, removing the one-hit and you’re dead mechanic and replacing it with the familiar bubble/checkpoint system from Super Mario Wonder or the New Super Mario Bros. series.

Since I have so much experience with the puzzle-focused Donkey Kong off-shoot Mario franchise, I haven’t felt the need to turn this mode on (especially when playing co-operatively), but I can see it coming in handy, especially for less experienced gamers. At times, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is so difficult that it can feel unfair, and the ‘Casual’ mode solves this.

Most stage’s puzzles involve colourful switches and a golden key.

Still, part of me wishes Nintendo took the puzzle series’ classic platforming and created an entirely new game rather than releasing a remake with a few new levels and co-op, especially since the new stages are the best I’ve played since Donkey Kong on the Game Boy. On that note, it’s strange Nintendo didn’t remake the original Game Boy Donkey Kong instead of the Game Boy Advance’s Mario vs. Donkey Kong since it’s the more revered title in the series.

This brings us to the main question: should you buy Mario vs. Donkey Kong? For me, the game is a dream come true because I’ve wanted a modern take on the series for years, but on the other hand, $65 is a lot to ask for what is pretty much a one-to-one remake of an almost 20-year-old game, as great as it still is after all these years. If Mario vs. Donkey Kong were an entirely original title that featured stages as inventive as its new worlds, it would be far easier to recommend.

The new worlds feature Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s most inventive stages.

With all of this in mind, Mario vs. Donkey Kong remains a fun puzzle title, and the addition of a co-op mode is great. Plus, there’s not much on the horizon for the Switch as the handheld enters its twilight years — if you’re looking for a fresh new game, Mario vs. Donkey Kong will likely be one of the only options for the next few months.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong releases on February 16th for $64.97.

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