Mario vs. Donkey Kong Reviews
Check out Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review Scores from trusted Critics below. With 33 reviews on CriticDB, Mario vs. Donkey Kong has a score of:
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a great remake – implementing a strong shift in artistic direction, engaging co-op options and well-crafted puzzle and platforming elements. Co-op is an especially clever inclusion, and combined with difficulty options, broadens the appeal of an otherwise niche experience to a wider audience. While hardcore players might be let down by the lack of difficulty, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a sensational update that fans of the series and even newcomers will enjoy.
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Mario vs Donkey Kong is a charming puzzler that’s great in short bursts, but the repetitive formula, short length, and occasionally frustrating controls leave it paling in comparison to other top-tier Mario outings on Switch.
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a timeless classic that appeals to players both old and new. With its simple yet engaging puzzles and beloved characters, it offers an adventure suitable for all skill levels. Whether you’re flying solo or teaming up for some two-player fun, looking for a quick game to hop on to pass the time, or delving into a complex challenge, Mario vs. Donkey Kong delivers a delightful experience that caters to everyone.
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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.
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It is hard to believe it’s been twenty years since the original release of two of my favorite childhood games. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door gets a remake/master later this year, but to start 2024 off with a bang, at least in the Nintendo side of things, we get an entirely unexpected remake of the GBA game Mario Vs. Donkey Kong. This one came as a real surprise to myself, because even though there have been six-ish (some games are hard to tell if they count) titles in the series, not ...
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Nintendo revitalizes a forgotten saga with promising success as Mario vs. Donkey Kong triumphantly returns after decades, infused with renewed vigor. Despite not being entirely novel, the game exudes freshness while honoring a beloved franchise and its outstanding predecessor, deserving recognition from millions of players and fans.
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a great looking remake of an already fun game, which is made better by the inclusion of two new worlds to complete. Unfortunately, the game is quite easy, and the entire experience ends too quickly, which may hamper replayability. Still, it is well worth grabbing a friend or family member and dedicating a weekend to completing the game.
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While Mario vs. Donkey Kong has a charming concept and visual direction, the twenty-year-old puzzle platformer shows its age through frustrating level design, bizarre controls, and very little content that improves upon the original. Further, with its $49.99 price point, it's hard to justify purchasing the remake unless you're a die-hard fan of the original GBA title.
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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...
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Mario vs Donkey Kong on the Nintendo Switch is a satisfactory update of a great and often overlooked entry on the Game Boy Advance.
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a surprising remake to see, and one that is full of content and charm to keep puzzle fans satisfied.
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At the end of the day, I wish I had more to say about Mario vs. Donkey Kong. It’s a really enjoyable puzzle-platformer, and it works well on the Nintendo Switch. Still, the game is so short that there’s not a lot to comment on overall. It’s well-made and worth your time if you love simple, clean puzzle games. I also imagine it’d be a great game for younger kids who are still working on their puzzle-solving skills. So if you’re looking for another game starring the beloved plumber to tide you over between releases, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is...
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For some, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is exactly what those who love the GBA release are looking for. For everyone else, this puzzle platformer is full of rough edges that are a deterrent.
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If you fondly remember Mario vs Donkey Kong from its Game Boy Advance iteration, we’ve no doubt you’ll get a kick out of seeing it with a gorgeous, fresh coat of paint. You still will if you’re a newcomer: it’s a treat for the eyes, but it’s also a fun little puzzle game to pick up for 10, 20 minutes at a time. It’s not going to set your world on fire, but those mini Marios are sure to put a smile on your face for a little while.
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Still, late-game frustrations aside, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is mostly a high-quality experience. I can’t recommend it as a must-play—as it doesn’t do anything especially ambitious or revolutionary and doesn’t feel like great value for money—but it does what it does extremely well. Fans of the original who really want to play it again won’t be disappointed, and anyone who loves pure, refined puzzle design will also find a lot to appreciate and enjoy here.
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong is still a game that kids can easily gravitate to, but its added levels, co-op mode, and revamped presentation makes it a no-brainer even for older gamers looking for a relaxing, not-too-difficult good time.
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“Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a fun, if unremarkable way to kill time while you wait for the Nintendo Switch 2.”
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Mario vs Donkey Kong remains an enjoyable platform-puzzler as it did back on the Game Boy Advance, freshened up and featuring a small number of modern and welcome additions.
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong is not the Mario game that I would have chosen for a remake. The base game was good for a handheld title from the early 2000s, but it’s hard to deny that puzzle games — and Mario games to boot — have moved on. Still, there is a simplicity to Mario vs. Donkey Kong that makes switching it on to play a few levels in quiet moments a pretty good time. And now, with the added 2-Player mode, a friend can join the fun with you.
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I’m that specific type of old that had an original Game Boy and refused to move beyond it until the poor thing eventually gave up the ghost (or maybe we were just poor?) Regardless, I loved my Game Boy; I had a magnifying glass and light combo that I affixed to it and played Batman the Animated Series over and over and over. Week after week, month after month, year after year… and usually on a bus heading from one hockey trip to another.
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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.
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Mario Vs. Donkey Kong brings the puzzle-platformer spin-off back to its roots, with clever improvements and a beautifully toyetic facelift.
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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.
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An often overlooked GBA title is given a new lick of paint and a few new bells and whistles in the Switch remake of Mario Vs. Donkey Kong. But, it’s held back by the design decisions of old.
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I enjoyed my HD revisit of Mario vs. Donkey Kong quite a bit, even to the point of earning every badge in the game. While there's not a lot here that will appeal to those who weren't attracted by the original game, it's still a solid remake that adds fun new stages and HD polish.
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Mario Vs. Donkey Kong is an excellent little pocket puzzler that is sure to please fans and newcomers alike.
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For the remake, Mario Vs. Donkey Kong includes many new quality-of-life features as well as new worlds, levels, and the addition of a multiplayer mode. Players who experienced the original game will enjoy seeing the new Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit worlds, and there is a new Casual Mode for those who want to play the game without worrying about the timer or dying as frequently. It is remarkably easy to switch between the Classic mode and Casual mode, so if playing one particular level becomes too difficult, changing to Casual has no penalty and awards the same star for...
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Nintendo’s original frenemies have been on fairly good terms in recent years, teaming up for sporting action and even taking down Bowser together in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but their rivalry will never truly die. The two debuted together in 1981’s Donkey Kong and Nintendo has delivered a number of spiritual successors over the years, including the critically-acclaimed 1994 Game Boy version of Donkey Kong and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong titles. Now, after a near decade of peace, the grudge match has been revived with an expanded remake of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series’ Game Boy Advance...
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Run, jump, and backflip your way to rescuing the stolen Mini-Mario toys in this puzzling twist on Mario action. Obstacles like spikes, moving platforms, and falling bricks stand in your way—put your brain to work and figure out the best way to reach the Mini-Marios. The rivalry that originally heated up on the Game Boy™ Advance system reignites on the Nintendo Switch™ system with newly-added co-op play and updated visuals. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.
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It's not every day that we get a lovely remake of a classic Game Boy Advance game but here we are with some puzzle platforming fun.
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A developer can take many different approaches when remaking a game, but its primary goal always remains the same: to create a new experience that honors the spirit of the original. With Mario vs Donkey Kong, a remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance title of the same name, Nintendo succeeds in this goal. By combining new worlds and modern quality-of-life features with the game's classic, delightful puzzle design, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a strong start to Nintendo's 2024.
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A game that starts well enough but ultimately loses it half way through. A big disappointment.
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