Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024)

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It’s a me, Mario! Well, no, it’s not, and given Nintendo’s litigious streak I probably shouldn’t claim to be Mario. It’s particularly fraught from a legal standpoint because of how similar I am – we both wear overalls, we both jump really high, we both have problems with turtles, the works. Point is, if I start saying I’m Mario, a lot of people might believe me and then I’m going to get sued. Let’s avoid that by talking about Mario vs. Donkey Kong, his Switch remake of the 2004 Gameboy Advance puzzle-platform adventure classic. Momma mia!

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There’s a hot new toy on the market! It’s the Mini-Mario, which is basically just a little wind-up Mario figure that can walk around, jump, all that kind of stuff. I think they’ve also got little NFC chips in them to unlock new stuff in games, but don’t quote me on that. There’s a problem with releasing fresh new merch, though: scalpers and resellers! Or, well, Donkey Kong in this case, since the big ol’ ape is absolutely obsessed with Mini-Marios. DK’s so crazed for Mini-Marios that he’s gone down to the Mario Toy Company’s factory and stolen them all. It’s up to classic non-mini Mario to chase DK down and get the toys back.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is the latest in a surprisingly lengthy series of puzzle platformers focused on taking the classic Donkey Kong formula and doing something a little new with it. In particular, this is a remake of the classic Mario vs. Donkey Kong from the Game Boy Advance, which is probably somebody’s favorite game somewhere, and it adds some more content and a spicy revamped graphical style to boot. Jumping over barrels and grabbing hammers can only get you so far, after all, so modern Donkey Kong is about figuring out how to get from place to place while…well, jumping over barrels and grabbing hammers. You’ll proceed through each stage hunting down the missing Mini-Marios, loading up on presents as you go, and at the end of each batch of six stages you’ll face off against Donkey Kong himself in a boss battle. You’d think we could just give the guy some free Mini-Mario units and have him put his influencer status to work, but DK’s not so easily satisfied.

Each stage basically serves as a self-contained puzzle composed of interlocking parts. Most commonly, you’ll find yourself messing about with switches used to activate and deactivate blocks, figuring out the proper order in which to do so in order to nab presents and proceed toward your tiny robotic goal. As Mario vs. Donkey Kong progresses, though, things get increasingly more complex, adding in wires to climb, wind to push against, conveyor belts to switch around and more. The fundamentals are solid and remain unchanged throughout, but the way that Mario vs. Donkey Kong consistently adds in new puzzle elements and incorporates them into its stage design helps keep things feeling fresh. Also, there’s a hilarious headstand move that protects Mario from falling objects and also allows him to spring up to higher places. That one’s a classic, and headstands should probably be required for safety training in more workplaces.

That spicy revamped graphical style does a lot for Mario vs. Donkey Kong. The “New Mario” style that debuted with New Super Mario Bros. back in the day has helped ensure the modern Mario games look both fresh and timeless, and that very much applies here. You’ve played a Mario game, you know what to expect, from the cartoony animations to Mario’s joyful shouts as he hops around and climbs all over the place. Have you not played Super Mario Wonder yet? You know it, you love it, you can’t get enough of it. The Mario aesthetic certainly isn’t going to grow old before you do.

Indeed, it’s that very addictive Mario aesthetic combined with highly accessible gameplay that makes Mario vs. Donkey Kong a great choice for new players and enthusiasts alike. If you’re looking for some high-octane platforming, you’re mostly not going to get that here – this is more of a meditative, think-y sort of game, which might be why my head hurts. Thinking bad. Me smash. While I smash, though, you certainly shouldn’t pass, particularly if you’re a puzzle fan hurting for some new brain-teasers to work your way through.