View source for Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

==Gameplay==
===Main Game===
Unlike in ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'', Mario is not a playable character in this game, as he has only a supporting role. Instead, Mini Mario toys appear as playable characters in each level. The objective of each level is to control the Mini Marios, as well as manipulate the environment around them, in order to direct each Mini Mario to [[Goal Door (Mario vs. Donkey Kong series)|the exit]], a portal-like doorway with a red "M" on top. This focus on controlling Minis laid the foundation for future games in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series. Each standard level contains a minimum of two Mini Marios and a maximum of eight. There are 240 Mini Marios in total.

[[File:Motmscreenshot1.png|frame|right|The two sets of Pink Blocks shown here protect the Mini Marios from the [[Fire Piranha Plant|Piranha Plant]]s in [[Room 1-3 (Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis)|Room 1-3]]. Additionally, a Gold Mini Mario bonus and a perfect Chain Goal bonus are set up.]]
The player can scroll around each level using the {{button|ds|Pad}} or the {{button|ds|A}} {{button|ds|B}} {{button|ds|X}} {{button|ds|Y}} buttons. Aside from this, gameplay uses only the {{button|ds|Stylus}} [[Nintendo_DS#Stylus|stylus]] and Touch Screen:
*Tapping a Mini activates it.
*Tapping a moving Mini causes it to halt.
*Minis automatically change direction when hitting a wall or another Mini.
*If a moving Mini touches a stationary Mini, it will start moving.
*Swiping a Mini left or right moves it in that direction or switches its direction.
*Swiping in the same direction across multiple Minis changes the direction of all of them.
*Swiping up makes a Mini jump.
*If a [[Warp Pipe]] is directly below a Mini, swiping down on the Mini makes it enter the Warp Pipe. Minis can also enter a Warp Pipe directly above them by jumping into them.
*A Mini hesitates and makes a warning noise if it is about to fall into spikes or another danger that can break it, including large heights.
To guide the Minis to the exit, the player must manipulate elements of the level itself as well as the Minis, so they can reach the exit without being destroyed. Level elements that appear frequently throughout the game include [[Color Block (Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis)|Color Block]]s, which can be placed if the player has a sufficient number of them stored, as shown in the inventory on the Top Screen. For example, in [[Room 1-1 (Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis)|Room 1-1]], a wall of [[Pink Block]]s can be picked up and placed elsewhere to form a floor, allowing Minis to cross and reach the level's [[Mini Mario Card]]. Other examples of level elements include [[elevator]]s, which can be moved up and down with two separate buttons, and [[conveyor belt]]s, which can be reversed using a conveyor switch.
At any point during the game, if the player enters the Nintendo DS's Sleep Mode by closing their system, Mario says one of four lines:
*"Hey! Come back here, you!"
*"Hey, come back here, you big-a monkey!"
*"Not again!"
*"I love this game!"
Mario says different lines if the player exits Sleep Mode by opening their system:
*"What's up?"
*"Okey-dokey!"
*"Here we go again!"
*"Let's play again!"
This feature was reimplemented in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!]]'' and ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!]]''.
====Time limit====
[[File:MvDK2 Time Is Up.png|thumb|The "Time Is Up!" message immediately preceding a Game Over. Note how the "Time Bonus" text normally displayed on the Top Screen has turned blue and changed to "Time Left".]]
Each level features a [[Time Limit|time limit]], which does not start counting down until either Color Blocks are picked up or a Mini is activated. The player can scroll around the level before starting its timer, in order to plan their actions.

A level's timer starts at 300 seconds of a Time Bonus. If this Time Bonus exceeds 0 after the level has been completed, it will be multiplied by 10 and added to the player's score on the results screen. However, if this Time Bonus reaches 0 and the level is still being played, the time counter on the Top Screen turns blue, and its text changes from "Time Bonus" to "Time Left". The counter then resets to 300 seconds and continues to count down. If the Time Left counter reaches 0 and the level is still being played, the game displays a "Time Is Up!" message, Mario exclaims "Mama mia, time's up!" and the [[Game Over|game is over]], regardless of how many Minis entered the goal. Therefore, the player has 300 seconds to earn a Time Bonus, and 600 seconds in total to complete the level.

====Scoring and stars====
Scoring is specific and precise for each level. Small and big coins are spread throughout the levels (worth 50 and 500 points respectively when collected). Collecting the level's [[Mini Mario Card]] is worth 1000 points. If the timer on the Top Screen reads "Time Bonus" instead of "Time Left", each second remaining on the timer is worth an additional 10 points. There are many bonuses that come into effect on the results screen after a level is completed:
*Each Mini that enters the goal is worth 1000 points.
*If all Minis enter the goal, 5000 points are awarded instead of awarding points for each Mini individually.
*Getting Minis into the goal very close to each other is called a '''Chain Goal'''. Starting at 1000, the Chain Goal bonus is doubled for each additional Mini in the chain; for example, 2 Minis in a row is 1000 + 2000 = 3000 points, and 4 minis in a row is 1000 + 2000 + 4000 + 8000 = 15000 points. The bonus increases exponentially. A sparkling effect surrounds the goal to signify the Chain Goal bonus is still active, and it lasts for about three seconds after the last Mini in the chain enters the goal.
**If a perfect Chain Goal is formed (all Minis enter the goal consecutively while it is still sparkling), another bonus of 5000 points is awarded.
**If a Gold Mini Mario is at the back of a perfect Chain Goal, the last bonus is doubled again (for example, 3 Minis = 1000 + 2000 + 8000 = 11000 point bonus).
*Finally, a nonstop bonus is awarded if a Mini is never stopped by the player by tapping on it (stopping at an elevator, on an enemy, or in a [[Warp Pipe]] does not cancel the nonstop bonus). This bonus is 1000 points per Mini; however, if none of the Minis are stopped, a bonus of 7000 points is awarded instead.

By meeting all of the criteria above and earning every possible bonus, the player can earn a [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] gold star for the level. Below it is the [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] silver star and the [[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] bronze star. It is possible not to receive a star after a level is completed, especially if the player loses more than one Mini Mario. Stars are used to unlock extras after completing the main adventure.

The following is a table of the bonuses for the number of Mini Marios that appear in each level, and the minimum scores needed to obtain each type of star. A [[File:Gold Mini MarioS.png]] indicates that a Gold Mini Mario is one of the Minis present in the level.
{|align="center"style="text-align:center;width:90%;margin:0 auto"class=wikitable
!width="5%"|# of Minis
!width="15%"|All Non-Stop Bonus
!width="15%"|[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] Bronze, [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] Silver, [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] Gold Star Minimum Scores
|-
|1{{footnote|main|a}}||6000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 7200 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 13200 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 18200 
|-
|2||7000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 9450 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 11450 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 22200
|-
|3||8000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 10700 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 12700 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 27200 
|-
|3 [[File:Gold Mini MarioS.png]]||8000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 10700 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 13700 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 31200
|-
|4||9000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 12200 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 14200 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 36200 
|-
|4 [[File:Gold Mini MarioS.png]]||9000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 13200 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 16200 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 44200 
|-
|5||10000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 13200 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 18200 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 43200
|-
|6{{footnote|main|b}} [[File:Gold Mini MarioS.png]]||11000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 14450 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 20450 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 107200 
|-
|8{{footnote|main|c}} [[File:Gold Mini MarioS.png]]||13000||[[File:Bronze Star.svg|16px]] 17200 [[File:Silver Star.svg|16px]] 45200 [[File:Gold Star.svg|16px]] 395200
|}
{{footnote|note|a|Only in levels made in the [[Construction Zone]]}}
{{footnote|note|b|Only in [[Room 3-3 (Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis)|Room 3-3]] and levels made in the Construction Zone}}
{{footnote|note|c|Only in [[Room 8-3]]}}

====Mini Game====
{{main|Shy Guy Smash!}}
Each of the first nine levels in a floor contains a [[Mini Mario Card]], a card with a letter on one side and a Mini Mario head on the other side. When collected, all of the cards on a single floor spell "MINIMARIO", and appear in that order (i.e. Room 7-3 contains an "N" card).

Finding every Mini Mario Card on a single floor unlocks a minigame (parsed as a '''Mini Game''') for that floor. In the minigame, titled '''Shy Guy Smash!''', the player uses the {{button|ds|Stylus}} stylus to tap Shy Guys that appear from [[Warp Pipes]]. Tapping a Shy Guy breaks it, adding 1 point to the score. Starting in Tropical Island, [[Bob-omb]]s also appear from the Warp Pipes; however, tapping them causes them to explode, subtracting 5 points from the score. The player must earn at least 25 points within 30 seconds to reach the minigame's goal score. If the player exceeds the goal score, it is set to the player's new record.

====Boss battles====
[[File:MvDK2 Room 2-DK.png|thumb|200px|Because Boss Game 2 is on an even-numbered floor, the cannon can only rotate in an arc, making hitting Donkey Kong using a Mini Mario more difficult. Alternatively, a Mini Mario can use coconuts hanging from girders to hit Donkey Kong.]]
Each floor concludes with a boss battle against [[Donkey Kong]], with a time limit of 180 seconds. The player must shoot Mini Marios upward from a cannon to hit Donkey Kong either directly or indirectly. On odd-numbered floors, the cannon can be moved left and right by swiping its '''handle'''<ref name=manual/> with the {{button|ds|Stylus}} stylus, and the cannon only shoots Minis directly upward. On even-numbered floors, the cannon can be rotated in an arc formation by swiping its handle, and can shoot Minis at various angles. To shoot a Mini Mario, the player must tap the '''Attack Button'''<ref name=manual/> labeled "SHOOT". Additionally, the player can hold {{button|ds|L}} or {{button|ds|R}} to activate the '''Boss Cannon Indicator''',<ref name=manual/> a guideline that indicates where a Mini Mario will travel when fired.

During the first seven boss battles, Mini Marios can hit Donkey Kong directly to damage him. However, in [[Boss Game 2]], [[Boss Game 4]], and [[Boss Game 6]], Donkey Kong is protected by the spiked platform he is standing on, making it more difficult for a Mini Mario to directly hit Donkey Kong. In [[Boss Game 8]], Donkey Kong punches a Mini Mario if it touches him, causing the Mini Mario to break. Boss battles on even-numbered floors feature objects suspended from platforms at the top of the screen. Mini Marios can land on these platforms with proper timing to cause the objects to fall on Donkey Kong and damage him.

The number of Mini Marios the player has depends on how many Mini Marios they directed to the goal in the floor's first nine levels. A Mini Mario breaks if it touches a projectile. If all of the player's Mini Marios break, the [[Game Over|game is over]].  After Donkey Kong takes six hits in each battle, he is defeated and the level is completed.

The player can also earn a score and a star for each of the first eight boss battles, but the score is calculated differently than in standard levels. The minimum score to receive a gold star is 1,000 multiplied by the total number of Minis on the floor. Each second left on the timer is worth 10 points, and each of the player's remaining Mini Marios is worth 1,000 points. Therefore, to earn a gold star for a boss battle, the player must direct every Mini Mario to the goal in the floor's previous levels, then defeat Donkey Kong without breaking a single Mini Mario. Alternatively, if Donkey Kong is defeated with 100 seconds or more left on the timer, the player can finish the battle with one less Mini Mario and still earn a gold star. Generally, a silver star is earned for retaining 75% of the total number of Mini Marios on the floor, and a bronze star is earned for retaining 50% of the total.
{{br}}

===Construction Zone===
[[File:ConstructionZone.png|thumb|The Construction Zone menu]]
{{main|Construction Zone#Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis}}
''Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis'' introduces a game mode known as '''Construction Zone''', where the player can create and play their own custom levels, as well as share these levels with other players. The player can use the '''Multi-Card''' feature to exchange levels with another player who has a separate Nintendo DS system and game card. Prior to the discontinuation of the [[Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection]] service, players could use the '''Nintendo WFC''' feature of the Construction Zone to send and receive levels online.
{{br}}

===Options===
[[File:MvDK2 Options.png|thumb|The Options menu]]
In addition to the Main Game and Construction Zone modes, the game's title screen also features an '''Options''' menu, where the player can adjust settings and view unlockables. There are six buttons present in the Options menu:
*'''Audio''': The player can adjust the game's audio settings to Stereo, Surround, or Headphones. After completing the main adventure, the player can hear every sound effect and music track in the game. There are 144 sound effects and 77 music tracks in total.
*'''Showroom''': The player can view previously seen movies and images, as well as view the credits and change a cosmetic feature.
**'''Movies''': Players can watch the four real-time movies from the game. However, only one is unlocked at the beginning; the rest must be unlocked by playing through the Main Game mode.
***'''Pre Title''': Unlocked from the beginning.
***'''Introduction''': Unlocked by starting the Main Game mode.
***'''Ending''': Unlocked by defeating Donkey Kong on the [[Roof (Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis)|Roof]].
***'''Musical''': Unlocked by completing B2 in DK's Hideout.
**'''Gallery''': Players can look at eighteen full-screen pictures from the game, which are unlocked as they are shown in the Main Game mode. Eight of the pictures are the intro screens shown before the first eight boss battles, while another eight pictures are the victory screens shown after completing each of the first eight boss battles. The penultimate picture is shown before the final battle on the Roof, and the final picture is unlocked from completing B1 in DK's Hideout.
**'''Credits''': Replays the credits. The player must finish the Main Game at least once to unlock it.
**'''Title''': On the title screen, Mini Marios walk across the bottom of the top screen. This cosmetic feature can be changed to feature other Minis, but stars are required to do so.
***'''Mini Marios''': Unlocked from the beginning.
***'''Mini Toads''': Requires all 80 bronze stars in the game.
***'''Mini Peaches''': Requires all 80 silver stars in the game.
***'''Mini Donkey Kongs''': Requires all 80 gold stars in the game.
*'''Register''': Players can register their name as it appears in the Construction Zone and Wi-Fi Connection here.
*'''Single Card''': A demo version of the game can be sent to another Nintendo DS without the game card.
*'''Erase All''': This deletes all Main Game data and all Construction Zone levels, whether created or received, and it resets the player's friend code.
*'''NintendoWiFi.com Features''': Players could choose to let their statistics be part of Nintendo's official Wi-Fi site.

===Controls===
*{{button|ds|Stylus}} – drag or tap objects; navigate menus
*{{button|ds|Pad}} – scroll around level
*{{button|ds|A}} {{button|ds|B}} {{button|ds|X}} {{button|ds|Y}} - scroll around level
*{{button|ds|Start}} {{button|ds|Select}} - pause game; exit Shy Guy Smash!
*{{button|ds|L}} {{button|ds|R}} - activate Boss Cannon Indicator (during boss battles)