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Mario Vs. Donkey Kong Review
Written by Modojo Staff on Monday, January 31, 2005
Tons of great puzzles to solve. Boss battles, too!
Graphics are pixelated and about average.
...Continued From Page 1 The 'mini-Mario' stages are one of the most unique (and difficult) aspects of the title. The 6 Mario dolls rescued in the previous 6 stages follow Mario around throughout the stage, forming a great trail. Not only do gamers have to keep the Marios out of harm's way on their way to the stage's end, but they also have to collect the letters T-O-Y along the way. These letters are often stuck in tight spots that only the mini-Marios can reach. These stages are among the trickiest to figure out, largely because the trailing mini-Marios aren't used elsewhere in the game (until later, but more on that in a bit). These levels help break up the gameplay, so it isn't just the same thing over and over.
Despite a rather startling difficulty increase in worlds 5 and 6, the initial six worlds can be cleared in just a few days of regular playing. Thankfully, the game isn't nearly as brief as it initially seems. Six entirely new worlds, with six new stages a piece, are unlocked after clearing the first set. These stages mix the 'mini-Mario' elements and the standard elements into one brain-busting package. Each stage has one mini Mario who must be reached, and then led safely through the level to the goal, through the use of brains, and skill.
Also included are a handful of Expert Stages which are more than worthy of that title. Unlocking them is hard enough, and clearing them is even harder. Most gamers probably won't see more than 2 or 3 of the expert stages, but for the hardcore, they're a wonderful extra.
Overall, there's very little negative to say about Mario vs. Donkey Kong. As soon as I got the game my GBA began staring at me, telling me to clear just one more level (or 10). The gameplay will be too puzzle-oriented for some, but gamers looking for a new quality GBA title could do a lot worse.
