Summary
Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s 2024 remake adds a good portion of new content to spice up the 2004 GBA title. One ofMario vs. Donkey Kong’s new worlds includes a great play on an old trope—one that most platformers struggle with.
In addition to the original game’s content,Mario vs. Donkey Kongcontains two new worlds. These worlds are Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit, each containing six new levels, a mini-guiding level, and a boss stage. Merry Mini-Land is a carnival-themed area with wind-gusts and teleporter blocks worked into its puzzles. Slippery Summit, on the other hand, is an ice world—a very traditional concept for a Mario game.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Does Ice Levels Better Than The Rest
Ice levels make up some of the most frustrating stages in platformer games. Just as water levels often bore players with slow, wading movements, the slippery terrain of ice levels is similarly dreaded. For instance, some of themost frustrating levels inCrash Bandicootinvolve the perils of ice physics.Mariogames have also had this problem, where ice levels can often be more fun than frustrating. Slippery ice can throw off timing and cause deaths that feel unfair. Fortunately,Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s exclusive ice world uses these physics in a way that will make players think rather than rage. It makes ice physics feel like a puzzle element rather than a hazard glazed over the stage to crank up difficulty.
Slippery Summit’s Icy Levels Are Wrapped Into The Puzzles
The first stage in Slippery Summit does a lot to show off how well the world uses ice physics. A present box through a one-block wide gap gets the player’s brain think; there’s no way of moving while crouched in the game, but crouching after sliding just might work. The player then quickly learns that items can slide across the ice too, which is how the level’s key puzzle is solved. This is somethingthe bestMariogames do—presenting a new mechanic in a safe environment, so a player can learn the ropes before expanding on it later on.
The rest of the world’s levels expand on this premise, involving more ofMario vs. Donkey Kong’s parkour elements. Challenges for bonus collectibles involve precise use of these physics, such as a section where Mario must crouch under spikes and slowly slide on ice to get a 1-Up. The mechanic really benefits from the game’s minimalist design; everything in a stage is there for a reason. Ice physics in most Mario games can often feel like a terrain feature rather than its own mechanic, causing it to feel frustrating rather than a problem to be solved.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s Ice Levels Don’t Overstay Their Welcome
The ice levels added toMario vs. Donkey Kong’s remakedraw another benefit from the game’s format. Even with ice physics being made useful to a stage’s puzzle, they could still be frustrating if levels were too long. This happens with many platformer games, where levels can be around five minutes, not including resets from death. Fortunately,Mario vs. Donkey Konghas very short levels, each composed of only two sections. Each section is either a screen or just over a screen.
The best example of this in Slippery Summit is the world’s boss fight. One of the game’snew Donkey Kong fights, the battle on Slippery Summit is tough. Mario will have to struggle to maintain traction, avoiding spiked barrels and picking up regular ones to throw at Donkey Kong. Mario has six hit points while Donkey Kong only has four, so it’s a quick duel. However, those looking to do a perfect run face a worthy challenge avoiding hits in a quick stage.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024)
WHERE TO PLAY
The rivalry reignites! Donkey Kong has stolen all the Mini-Mario toys from the factory, and it’s up to Mario to get them back! Run, jump, and backflip your way to retrieving them across over 130 levels in this puzzle-style twist on classic platforming action. The rivalry that originally heated up on the Game Boy™ Advance system returns on the Nintendo Switch™ system with newly added co-op play, brand-new worlds, updated music and visuals, and other new ways to play.Put your brain to work and figure out the best way to reach the Mini-Mario toys in puzzle-platforming challenges across eight distinct worlds. Watch for enemies, dodge hazards, and use the tools scattered around. See if you’re able to earn a Perfect rating on each level!
