02/16/24
Nintendo Switch
Available now

A classic rivalry reignites in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, available now

The day started like most days …

Donkey Kong was just chilling on the couch and watching TV. Suddenly, a commercial came on for the latest craze—the Mini-Mario toys—and the big guy was in love. The only problem: He couldn’t get one! Things escalated quickly and now he’s gone and stolen them straight from the Mario Toy Company. No, Donkey Kong—thieving isn’t the answer!

In the Mario vs. Donkey Kong™ game, Mario will need to run, jump, and backflip his way through clever levels on his quest to get the Mini-Marios back. If you’re new to this series, you may notice there’s a puzzling twist to how the game is played.

Puzzle your way through platforming challenges

While many Mario games emphasize action platforming, this one mashes up platforming with puzzle solving as you determine the best path forward. Not only will you take on obstacles like spikes, moving platforms, and falling bricks, but you’ll also master contraptions such as Color Switches and Warp Boxes. You’ll need to put on your thinking cap as level objectives change: from unlocking locked doors, to guiding Mini-Mario toys to safety, to fighting Donkey Kong himself (the game is named Mario vs. Donkey Kong, after all)!

There are more than 130 levels, including extra-challenging Plus and Expert levels. There’s also a free demo on Nintendo eShop if you want to try it for yourself.

Tailor the challenge to your playstyle

Some of the puzzles can be a bit tricky, but don’t worry about getting stumped. The newly added Casual Style removes time limits and adds checkpoints so you can take things at your own pace. Or if you’re up to the challenge, Classic Style brings back the, um, classic style. This has the timed levels and one-hit defeats of the original Game Boy™ Advance game.

Team up with a friend in local multiplayer

New to this version of the game, you can play the entire game with a friend via local co-op. Two-Player Mode also adds an extra objective for Mario and Toad to complete together. Aw, thanks, friend!

What else is new for returning fans?

If you happened to play the original Mario vs. Donkey Kong game, here’s what’s new in a handy, bulleted list:

  • Overhauled graphics, music, and cutscenes.

  • Two brand-new worlds—Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit—that feature new environments, enemies, and mechanics.

  • Casual Style and Two-Player Mode (as previously mentioned).

  • A newly added Time Attack mode that will push your puzzle-platforming speed to the limit!

If you’d like to buy the game or play the free demo, please visit the link below!