Review: Mario vs. Donkey Kong – The return of the original rivalry

Today, this duel of colossi returns in a remake of the original Game Boy Advance game of the same name: Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Only unlike the portable delivery of that time, it has beautiful and very well maintained visuals, as well as some quality of life extras that are well worth experiencing.

Now, the remake of Mario vs. donkey kong It falls into that bag of Nintendo relaunches and ends up being the argument of many “ocotitos” (synonymous with hater) that the Big N only knows how to sell you the same thing over and over again. Maybe they are right if we think about the remakes of Link's Awakening or Super Mario RPG, however, those developments were very worthy and we enjoyed them.

Technically the joke of a re-release is that a new generation of players enjoy it and those users who miss it have a familiar experience, but with many modern details and quality of life additions and, honestly, this release fits perfectly into that place.

We also recommend: Princess Peach: Showtime receives a new trailer with more transformations for the heroine

Quality puzzles to break your brain

Mario vs. donkey kong It is a game where Donkey is amazed by some Mario toy minifigures and well, as they say, “it became easy for him” to put several of them in a sack and take them with him. Instead of filing a complaint and carrying out the proper investigation with the authorities, Mario decides to go recover the minifigures that his archrival took.

The point is that to recover the happy minifigures (which could well have been left to Donkey and made more) it is necessary for Mario to overcome many levels in the form of puzzles where each one becomes more complicated than the other. The Italian plumber has his basic skills of running fast and jumping, which helps him eliminate enemies, escape pursuers or evade traps.

In addition to the aforementioned moves, we have a handstand where Mario's boots turn into pieces that stop falling bricks and such, and also a very gymnast-like double jump that allows the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom to reach much higher points . Now, all this helps you reach colored boxes that are key to finishing each level perfectly.

You can hang from tubes to jump higher, throw objects and other actions, all so that at the end, when you pass a level, you can receive a grade at the end and advance in this adventure. The general premise of the experience it offers Mario vs. donkey kong It is compact, fast and entertaining. It's what you expect from a game with dozens of puzzles that you will surely repeat many times because you couldn't overcome them. Nintendo knows how to offer challenges and this is one of them that goes beyond trying to rescue a princess, it tests your creativity.

Overcome these puzzles to recover the toys

Catching a user of puzzle games seems like a not very easy task, especially because after a while the individual can get bored or fed up with the repetitiveness of this exercise. The complexity of each of the levels of Mario vs. donkey kong it is rising gradually the only difference being the sudden change in boss battles.

But, we go by steps. The game explains itself, that is, it tells you what your special moves, rules and objectives are. As I mentioned, the ideal is to get some blocks and then reach a door and exit the level. The complex thing is when you take the key to open said door and that's when everything you did or didn't do influences your escape.

If you decide to let go of the key after grabbing it, a timer sounds and that's when everything starts to “count”, in the strict sense that said object can disappear over time and you have to do everything again. Add to that that the levels have a time limit and what seems like an eternity, well, the truth is not that much. When there is little left, you feel like everything is going to waste and you can't save the day.

The boss battles focus on rescuing the Mario minifigures that we don't understand how they manage to move on their own. In other words, Obama doesn't have those toys and that's why Donkey wants them so much. Overcoming the different level bosses can be a capricious task in which if you do not pay attention, you will miss the formula to overcome it. The design of each of the levels is very well thought out to be carried on a small screen, such as that of a cell phone, and the Switch's screen seems too large for this task. However, that does not stop it from being an entertaining activity.

The time will come to learn to move with the minis

Just when you think that the line of the game is more than clear, by moving from one place to another opening doors, moving a key, reaching for colored cubes and letters, suddenly you realize that you have the responsibility of also moving Mario minifigures. This is when another layer of difficulty appears when playing Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

It is easy to think that the activity can be very repetitive, since it is nothing more than varying the tasks to be performed and surpassing the different levels. The thing is that we must consider that this was a game designed for another era where the screen was much more compact, disposable batteries and the gaming experience was not as evolved as it is now.

Yes, we have many quality of life improvements to the gaming experience. The breaks are clear, there is even a choice of difficulty for those who do not want to complicate their lives and just live the experience. The joke of beating all the levels plus a couple additional ones designed for this installment, may be something that is not designed for all Mario consumers.

The two new worlds certainly expand the game, there is no doubt about that. They even provide more variety to the experience. The truth is that the game-level package is good, it has no flaws and is designed for a very specific consumer. Clear, Mario vs. donkey kong It provides enough tools for anyone to enjoy it, but it also has barriers that not everyone will be able to enjoy.

Finally, it is a remake

Over the years, the definition of the word remake has become more flexible. Initially it was about making the same game from scratch, but with renewed graphics and perhaps with adjustments to the plot. Then, as time went by, it was adjusted to just sticking with the “improved visual section” or disguising the true concept behind the word.

In the specific case of Mario vs. donkey kong The situation is certainly complex because in the end it is about reviving the original Game Boy Advance game in its entirety and adding a few more additions so that the experience tastes different to you, if you played the original title several years ago.

We must be honest, the work is impeccable in each of its sections. The new animation that is faithful to the original scenes of the Game Boy Advance game, the improved music, the recreated levels. Come on, it seems like one of those craftsmanship that we always see in this type of developments published by Nintendo.

Now, the question is this: With all the package that they are selling us, does it make sense for you to invest your money in it? Here you are not preserving the classic, you would acquire that new presentation that may make you return to that happy moment when you played on the Game Boy Advance, but nothing more. That is something you should consider very carefully.

Should you buy Mario vs Donkey Kong?

The Nintendo Switch has been home to several comebacks: Super Mario RPG, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening are just some of the titles that shone in their time and that have now received a second wind so that a new generation of consumers can play them and Enjoy how great his work is. Now the question that happens with Mario vs. donkey kong It is very curious for a simple reason, the title is very portable, to be carried on a phone and not on the current Big N console, but that does not stop it from being an attractive and very vicious title.

Mario vs. donkey kong not only revives that old rivalry for which both characters became famous since the 1980s. It teaches us that a game can have a simple and entertaining presentation, but at the same time with a challenge that not everyone can overcome. The graphics are beautiful, worthy of this generation. It is likely that more than one person will get frustrated by not reaching the end, but those who do achieve it will feel the satisfaction of finishing an unpretentious video game.

Do you agree with our rating? Follow the conversation in our Discord.

We play Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Nintendo Switch with a code provided by a Nintendo representative in our region.

(Visited 20 times, 20 visits today)