Mario vs. Donkey Kong Reviews
Mario vs. Donkey Kong has a lot of exciting puzzles to explore, and fans of the original will find excitement in the remake. With a welcoming difficulty curve, reworked graphics, and expanded gameplay, Mario vs. Donkey Kong kicks off the Switch's seventh year with a bang.
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong will provide hours of entertainment as long as you use your brain.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Mario vs. Donkey Kong offers a notable step up in visual quality from its 20-year-old source material, but the same can't be said for the gameplay mechanics, which remain largely unchanged. While it will no doubt appeal to purists who loved the GBA original, those discovering it for the first time may find it too easy and not up to the same standards as modern, similarly priced Mario releases.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong has been remade nearly perfectly, and it's certainly great for any forgotten title to get an update and a facelift. The platforming is still tight, but the simple truth is that puzzle games as a genre have moved on in the twenty years since the original. That means nothing about it really stands out, either as a puzzle game or a Mario game. Still, that doesn't mean you won't have fun with it as you wait for Nintendo's next main-line Mario.
Mario vs Donkey Kong is totally fine on the Switch, with levels and modes for players of all difficulty levels.
The puzzles in this game are clever, well-constructed, and satisfying to solve. At the same time, the platforming can be frustrating. The jump mechanics take some getting used to, and the controls don’t have that Mario feel. But this too is a sort of puzzle to solve. You’ve got to learn the basics all over again, in a way. Once I accepted this, Mario vs Donkey Kong really opened up for me. I took my failures in stride. I pushed for perfection whenever possible. Soon enough I was having a great time. For longtime Mario fans new to this series, this new paradigm might take some adjustment. But I assure you, this investment of time and effort is worth it.
Mario vs Donkey Kong serves up a slick return to the 2004 GBA adventure that finds fresh fun in cooperative play. Yep, the new co-op mode really is the star of the show this time out and, alongside two new worlds, 'Plus' versions of each level, a Time Attack mode, and fancy new looks and sounds, there's plenty to dig into and enjoy with a core puzzle/platforming setup that has aged quite well. Just be aware that, if you're a more seasoned player looking for platforming challenges, this game finds its strengths as an experience for younger gamers or as a co-op title to enjoy with your kids. Taken as such, it absolutely earns a recommendation.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a worthwhile remake of a GBA classic. For the price, however, I would have expected more additional content or a more impressive visual presentation. Regardless of the price, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a fun and addictive puzzle game. In the later levels, the game suffers from its imprecise controls and strange collision detection. At least these shortcomings can be counteracted with the new casual and co-op modes. I'm definitely hooked and hope that Nintendo will continue the series with a "real" sequel after the remake.
Review in German | Read full review
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is more than a simple remake of the GBA original. Beside the fine modernized graphics there are more worlds and levels, a new co-op and dye speedrun mode. If you love the original or just a great combination of classic platformer and puzzle game, this remake should make its way to your Switch.
Review in German | Read full review
Mario vs. Donkey Kong, while a good game, comes too late in the Nintendo Switch's lifecycle to stand out in the vast array of puzzle platformers, although the multiplayer adds an unexpected value.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A great return for a great GBA game. The number of new things and quality of life improvements makes this remake of Mario vs. Donkey Kong a must have.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mario Vs Donkey Kong is a nice time for all, but those seeking major challenge or wholesale changes to the original might not find what they need here.
Starting with a video game released in 2004 and intended for the handheld market, Nintendo has done an excellent job, producing an intriguing and incredibly rich remake that provides hours of entertainment.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mario vs Donkey Kong for Switch is the perfect example of what 2D Mario means. A game that feels current despite already being 20 years old thanks to a completely renewed version graphically and with elements that favor its replayability. More strategic and fun puzzles that look better than ever.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The gameplay is really good and the levels are perfectly designed for players of all ages. There's also no shortage of content, and 130 levels is a nice portion, although you could probably do with a few dozen more. The audio-visual design matches the game nicely. However, there are a few minor flaws and the price is quite high.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a fun, if unremarkable way to kill time while you wait for the Nintendo Switch 2.
I'm very happy that Mario vs. Donkey Kong was remade, especially considering just how darn cute it all is. Seeing as the core gameplay has held-up as well as it has and that there are a lot of challenges to overcome, it's one impressive package. 🏭
Not a platformer but a puzzle-platformer dating back to the now distant Game Boy Advance era, polished on Switch. This time, Mario will take you on a slightly different adventure, one that will test your jumping skills as much as your intuition and speed of execution. Over 130 levels (some of them unpublished) with secret challenges and direct clashes with Donkey Kong, an unmissable challenge for Nintendo fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Throughout 130 levels, Nintendo's puzzle-filled platforming game has just the right amount of increase in challenge as the game goes on, and plenty of surprises for players to discover. The variety of game mechanics and ways to solve puzzles are engaging and fun, and the game is incredibly difficult to put down as it is too easy to want to try just one more level. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong is a must-play for puzzle lovers, and is a perfect example of what a remake should be.
Cute, fun, head-scratching stuff.