The too bland classic from the Game Boy Advance handheld console returns in a completely redesigned form and with a few new additions to the Switch. The new ideas fit nicely into Mario's feud with Donkey Kong, and instead of a puzzle game, it's more of a relaxing affair.
Logical platform game for Switch ● Price: 1,249 CZK ● Singleplayer and co-op ● Age restriction: 3+ ● No official Czech language
Mario and Donkey Kong have been feuding for decades. Even before the famous monkey became the main hero of his own series, he was the villain in Mario's adventure, where he was thrown one barrel after another. They stand on opposite sides in this novelty, which is a remake of the title of the same name from 2004 for Game Boy Advance. The basis remains, but the design is modern at first glance, and Nintendo has thrown in a few new worlds.
It begins peacefully, with Donkey Kong lounging in front of the television with a banana in hand when he is lured in by an advertisement for toys with Mario's likeness on it. He's no slouch, so he makes his way straight to the manufacturing plant, where he collects all the toys. In a series of dozens of levels, Mario himself has to make sure that everyone returns to their original place in order and also that the monkey learns his lesson.
The gameplay is Mario vs. Donkey Kong a little different than you might know from other jumping jacks with a plumber in the main role. It's more about thinking because Mario isn't as capable of an acrobat as he usually is. He can do a few tricks with which you can come up with alternative ways to get to the goal, but most often you will have to make do with classic jumping, using ladders and platforms.
Each level is divided into two parts. In the first you have to get the key and unlock the door. In the second, it is necessary to collect the stolen toy. If you want to have a little more challenge, you can collect gifts in each level. Even with them, I didn't break a sweat for most of the game. mario vs. At first, Donkey Kong seemed to me more like a respite than a puzzle game. The mechanics are very easy to understand and you will get the hang of the controls immediately if you have played any 2D Nintendo platformer in the past.
Unpretentiousness extends to almost all thematically differentiated worlds. Each of them introduces you to a new unique mechanic, around which puzzles are built. Sometimes it's lasers, other times you have to deal with switching colored buttons. In this case, even less skilled players really don't have to worry that the levels would be too demanding for them. The difficulty curve does increase slightly towards the end of the story, but it's still not something I'd be racking my brain over for a long time.
But if you still want a challenge from the new Mario, you will get it only after completing the base. At that moment, expert levels will become available to you, which are gradually unlocked with accumulated stars. These are the reward for completing the level completely, so collecting the gifts as a result makes sense. Here, the difficulty is a bit different and it is not a good idea to look at the whole situation first and then take action. At such moments, the function comes in handy, when holding down R stops time and you can calmly take stock and plan your way to your destination.
In addition, there are plus levels here, in which the point changes slightly. You must bring the toy with the key to the locked door to continue. In the end, it's a nice diversion, and like the base worlds, it's mostly a relaxing affair. So where is the promised new content? In between all that. If I didn't know what Nintendo added to this remake, I wouldn't even notice it was news. Which is good. The new worlds and levels fit perfectly into the whole and enrich the passage with new mechanics that are as simple to understand as those from the original. But even with the expansion of content, it is not a very long-lasting experience. Even thanks to the fact that most of the game is very simple, you will be done in less than 10 hours.
Mario vs Donkey Kong is sure to rank among the popular games for parents to play with younger kids. You can help your child with a solution at any time in local cooperation. Just connect another controller to the console and a red Toad will appear next to Mario. In a pair, even complicated problems can be solved with a finger in the nose. What I like about Nintendo is that they think about cooperation. But at the same time, in this regard, it forgets the possibility of playing online, which is also the case with this new product. In two you can only play locally, and that's just a shame.
Regarding the technical status of Mario vs. I can't say a bad word about Donkey Kong. The polished graphics were a hit. In addition to the graphics, the music also got a complete makeover. As you progress through the levels, you will be accompanied by relaxing melodies that change with each new world you visit. The polished gameplay is also excellent. The original version was basically well done, because in short it didn't invent anything revolutionary and it's all built on assembled basic mechanics that work great together.
The only issue I've had a few times while playing is that Mario won't jump on top of any enemy's head unless they're the same height or taller than him. Sometimes you need to cross the floor with the spikes on the villain's shoulders. But it is enough for him to stand on a slightly higher platform and by jumping on his head you will go back to the beginning of the level, even though Mario's model is clearly above the enemy. It's a small thing, but I've lost a few lives because of it. At least it's not a tragedy in this case, because after running out of lives you can return to the beginning of the level at most. And if you don't want to worry about them at all, you can choose the Casual setting, with which after a bad jump you will return to the beginning of the level in a bubble several times before losing a single life.
I will not forgive the reminder about the vibrations. I was a bit surprised that there is no settings menu in the game. I was looking for it because Nintendo went a little overboard this time with vibrating the controller during gameplay. I usually don't mind the whine of HD Rumble, but when playing Mario vs. Donkey Kong The Switch vibrated really constantly in my hands. Every impact on the ground, every interaction and every movement in the menus means more and more vibrations. You don't even have to move with Mario. All you have to do is find an enemy throwing bricks and the console won't stop. As they say, too much of everything is bad, and this is a prime example.
But I wouldn't make a big tragedy out of it. mario vs. Donkey Kong is, despite the few mentioned problems, an excellent thing for a break or playing in cooperation with a non-player or a younger player. Although you will have it completed in a few evenings with everything, but since Nintendo does not sell it at full price, even the shorter playing time is a little more digestible.
Verdict
A relaxing puzzle game that everyone can enjoy, regardless of age or gaming experience. mario vs. Donkey Kong combines easy-to-understand mechanics and nicely crafted gameplay. Compared to the original from 2004, it adds a few more worlds that fit into the whole so perfectly that you won't even notice that they weren't originally part of it. Sometimes, however, it is too simple to the point that it is primarily about solving logic puzzles. And it would be time for Nintendo to think about online play in addition to local cooperation.