Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) Review

I’m not quite sure why I never played Mario vs. Donkey Kong when it was initially released in 2004. I really loved the 1994 Donkey Kong on the Game Boy, but for some reason, I just never really gave it a look. Maybe it was the idea that Mario would be versus Donkey Kong—when he had been versus Bowser for so long—that it just didn’t resonate with me, or maybe it was the whole Mini-Mario conceit that seemed a bit too kiddy for me.

When it was first announced during the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, I honestly thought Mario vs. Donkey Kong was a strange choice for a remake. But at the very least, I was looking forward to a chance to actually experience this Game Boy Advance classic, and now I can safely say—much like Super Mario RPG before it—this is an excellent little throwback that fits perfectly on the Nintendo Switch.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong has a genuinely bizarre story that’s both a bit irreverent and hilarious. One day, while watching his TV, everyone’s favourite tie-wearing ape sees a commercial for the new Mini-Mario Toy. So overcome with consumerist fervour, Donkey Kong runs from the Jungle to the city only to find that every store has sold out. Rather than waiting for a restock, DK runs to the Mario Toy Factory—Mario, along with plumbing, has become something of an entrepreneur—and starts ransacking the place.

While happily walking to check on his portfolios, Mario catches Donkey Kong running out of his building with what is easily a year’s worth of product. Naturally, our mustachioed hero isn’t going to let some silly ape cut into his bottom line, and he chases after him to reclaim his lost assets. I’m exaggerating, of course, but not really by much. That’s the basic plot of Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and there’s so much going on for something so simple that you genuinely can’t help but laugh when you really break it down.

But like many Super Mario games, the story, while whimsical and silly, mostly provides the foundation for the gameplay, which is a solid blend of platforming and puzzling. Much like its 1994 counterpart, Mario vs. Donkey Kong has Mario jumping through various levels, avoiding obstacles in order to collect capusled Mini-Marios. As a remake, it’s a mostly faithful recreation of its GBA counterpart, with only a few minor changes.

Furthermore, like its ‘94 and ‘04 counterparts, it’s a slower, more methodical experience as one hit means death, and players need to do a little thinking as they approach each level. Levels themselves are split into two parts, which act somewhat like a practice and final exam. In the first part of a level, you’ll be introduced to the basic idea, in which you’ll need to collect a key to the stage’s locked door. The second part ramps the challenge up a bit and ends when you collect the Mini-Mario.

At the end of every world, Mario must guide the collected Mini-Marios to a toy box—the amount that makes it in will determine how many hits he gets in the DK boss fight. It’s a pretty solid way to gradually increase the difficulty curve while not completely overwhelming players. As such, each level gets to focus on its own unique puzzle—which usually involves hitting coloured switches—rather than be a massive amalgam of every challenge that came before it. It works in a nice, bite-sized way that suits a handheld platform.

“The only other major addition to Mario vs. Donkey Kong is the inclusion of simultaneous multiplayer…”

The only notable changes to the experience come in a change to the extra-lives bonus stage. These were triggered in the original by collecting every present in a level, which would reward players with a roulette that could result in some extra lives. In the Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake, I believe this is triggered by collecting every present in every level before the Mini-Mario/DK Boss stages; now taking the form of an additional stage where Mario must chase a flying key to unlock a chest full of 1-Ups before the timer runs out. There are some 1-Ups available to get in the stage, so even if players are unable to catch the key, they aren’t entirely punished for a miss.

The only other major addition to Mario vs. Donkey Kong is the inclusion of simultaneous multiplayer—where a second player can join in as Toad. Unfortunately, during my time with the game, I never really got a chance to experience it, and honestly, I’m not sure how much it would add. The game itself is relatively easy, and many of the puzzles can be worked around if you’re good enough at the handstand triple jumps, so I’m not sure how much a second player jumping on Switches could really add. Nonetheless, it is a nice inclusion that can open the game up to more players or differing skill levels.

Much like Super Mario RPG, the biggest improvement to Mario vs. Donkey Kong comes in the form of a complete graphical overhaul. While the game looked surprisingly good on the GBA—achieving that semi-3D look that was indicative of the console—the Switch version looks even better, with a full HD glow-up, and retextures of almost everything.

“Much like Super Mario RPG, the biggest improvement to Mario vs. Donkey Kong comes in the form of a complete graphical overhaul.”

Levels have been given a ton of detail, and enemies are made more to look like toys—the Thwomps with the spinning face is a particularly nice touch—and Donkey Kong has been brought more in line with his Donkey Kong Country Returns model, including several voice clips from those games. Mario looks especially good, given a semi-pastel colour palette that makes him look much more fun and likable. Furthermore, Mario’s been given much more animation, like the way he balances himself while standing on enemies or performs double-axels while jumping off the ice.

The audio has also been completely revamped, with the admittedly good-sounding GBA tunes being replaced by live instrumentals. The music in this game is absolutely incredible, and while it mimics the arrangements of the original, it’s been majorly enhanced with the new instruments and tones that better suit the level. Donkey Kong Jungle uses a lot more xylophone—which sounds somewhat borrowed from the DKCR sound font—and piano as a fun mix of the two characters, while The Spooky House incorporates more organ and violin to give the level a more creepy vibe.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong may not be the most exciting Super Mario game—or Donkey Kong game, for that matter—but it was certainly an engaging one. Much like Link’s Awakening before it, the Nintendo Switch is the perfect system for these exceptional old-school handheld games. While I can’t really say how quickly I’d go back to it, I was happy to relive this gem from my youth.

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