Mario vs. Donkey Kong Reviews
This charming puzzle-platformer makes a welcome return.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong might not be as polished as a Mini-Mario toy fresh off the assembly line, but it's just as full of charm and fun to play with.
Overall, Mario Vs Donkey Kong is a capable remake of a game whose identity crisis between platformer and puzzler can't survive the journey from handheld to TV. Enjoyable enough but not that taxing - aside from rare spikes when it becomes too taxing - it's a good recreation that doesn't have the tools to venture into greatness. It will be an impressive enough glow-up for fans of the original, but mixes being straightforward and mildly frustrating into a colourful and charming milkshake (so close I can almost taste it), even if it's a little bit sickly. It's worth occupying a few hours with, but it won't live long in the memory, and underlines why few Mario fans would put this one in the plumber's highlight reel. Now, time for that milkshake for real.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a simple game, but as is the case with Mario's best titles, there's an elegance to that simplicity. Nintendo has done a stellar job adding features to make it more palatable to a modern audience, but it only comes together because of how well the classic levels hold up. Mario and Donkey Kong have been rivals for over 40 years, and this game admirably carries that legacy forward.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong was directly inspired by Donkey Kong ’94 and features many of its mechanics, including the lock-and-key system and the Super Mario Bros. 2-style treatment of enemies. It’s a very solid puzzler, but it’s just not as inspired in its design as the older game. Until Nintendo decides to give its actual puzzle-platforming masterpiece an equally considered remake, though — or at least deigns to add it to the Game Boy collection on Switch Online — Mario vs. Donkey Kong will have to do.
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong brings the puzzle-platformer spin-off back to its roots, with clever improvements and a beautifully toyetic facelift.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is what sheer simple fun Mario vs. Donkey Kong really is. It's so simple in concept, but never really gets old or tiresome as they keep building up new ideas along the way. It's hard not to keep obsessively going to see what challenge is coming next. There might be moments where it's easy to get stumped, but it's easily fixed simply by looking around and re-examining the options to come to the proper solution. If there's anything that's a downside about the title, it's that we only wish there was even more to play. Hopefully this entry puts it back on the map for Nintendo and they consider expanding upon it even more in the future, as it's a delight and well worth picking up for all those who love charming, puzzling adventures that won't overwork the mind too much.
Mario vs Donkey Kong serves up a slick return to the 2004 GBA adventure that finds fresh fun in cooperative play. Yep, the new co-op mode really is the star of the show this time out and, alongside two new worlds, 'Plus' versions of each level, a Time Attack mode, and fancy new looks and sounds, there's plenty to dig into and enjoy with a core puzzle/platforming setup that has aged quite well. Just be aware that, if you're a more seasoned player looking for platforming challenges, this game finds its strengths as an experience for younger gamers or as a co-op title to enjoy with your kids. Taken as such, it absolutely earns a recommendation.
Mario Vs Donkey Kong is a nice time for all, but those seeking major challenge or wholesale changes to the original might not find what they need here.
Mario vs Donkey Kong for Switch is the perfect example of what 2D Mario means. A game that feels current despite already being 20 years old thanks to a completely renewed version graphically and with elements that favor its replayability. More strategic and fun puzzles that look better than ever.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
While it's been pleasing to see Nintendo revitalise certain parts of their back catalogue, Mario vs. Donkey Kong feels a bit dated, despite the modern graphics. I just wish there had been a slightly grander effort to modernise the feel of the game.
The world didn't real need a Mario Vs. Donkey Kong remake but this is still the absolute best effort Nintendo could've made, with tons of new content and the same enjoyable but undemanding puzzles as before.
I could see myself blasting through levels of Mario vs. Donkey Kong while waiting for a flight at the airport, or on the train to work, and that’s the best-case scenario for this package, brimming with bite-sized platforming challenges. It may not contain all the spectacle of others, but there’s enough precise jumping and quick calculations here to satisfy the more hardcore, goal-oriented, score-chasing Mario players around.
It's a very faithful remake in terms of gameplay, with all the good and all the bad that comes with it. But the level design is still excellent, and the new worlds that this version brings are a breath of fresh air that suits it wonderfully. Mario's reduced mobility may shock those who are more accustomed to the plumber's big jumps and pirouettes in games that are purely platformers, but what makes Mario vs. Donkey Kong shine is its puzzles and the ingenuity behind them.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
What changed and what remains the same in Mario Vs. Donkey Kong on Switch is a little confusing at times, and it raises the question of why a remake was the best choice and not a full new game. Still, "if it ain't broke" and all that. The original Mario Vs. Donkey Kong holds up nearly 20 years later, and nearly every new addition makes the already-strong puzzle game even better.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a nice remake of one of the most special and fun games in Nintendo history. The graphical and sound revamp and the co-op mode are fantastic. It may lack some incentive for veterans, but this game is a treat if you've never tried the original.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a fun, if unremarkable way to kill time while you wait for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Starting with a video game released in 2004 and intended for the handheld market, Nintendo has done an excellent job, producing an intriguing and incredibly rich remake that provides hours of entertainment.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Nintendo's latest remake is good fun but asking $65 for a remake of a short 2D puzzle game is asking a lot in these troubled times. Read on.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong offers a notable step up in visual quality from its 20-year-old source material, but the same can't be said for the gameplay mechanics, which remain largely unchanged. While it will no doubt appeal to purists who loved the GBA original, those discovering it for the first time may find it too easy and not up to the same standards as modern, similarly priced Mario releases.