Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)

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Mario vs. Donkey Kong
North American prerelease box art For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo Switch
Release date	Template:Release[?]
Language(s)	English (United Kingdom) English (United States) French (France) French (Canada) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Dutch Japanese Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Korean
Genre	Puzzle/Action
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Three years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: - General USK: - All ages GRAC: - All ages GSRR: - Six years and older
Mode(s)	Single-player, local multiplayer
Input	Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

Template:Quote2 Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a Nintendo Switch remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance game of the same name. It was first announced during the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, and was released worldwide on February 16, 2024. It is the first Mario vs. Donkey Kong game for Nintendo Switch and also the first one in general since Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars, released almost nine years prior. As a remake of the first game, it is also the first time the gameplay style of the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong has been revisited since the original's release. Unlike the original version's pre-rendered visuals and the rest of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series opting for a plastic, cartoony look with outlines, the remake adopts a standard modern art style, taking many cues from Super Mario 3D World and its appearance as a theme in Super Mario Maker 2 in particular. Additionally, the game debuts a redesigned logo for the Donkey Kong series. Despite Charles Martinet retiring from his role as Mario, his voice clips are reused in this game.

A free demo of the game was released on the Nintendo eShop on January 31, 2024.

Differences

Gameplay changes

• Casual Mode has been added, with bubbles acting as additional hit points and an infinite time limit.
• Two new worlds, Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit, have been introduced as this version of the game's fourth and sixth worlds respectively, with each incorporating all-new obstacles.
  • As such, the order of worlds has been rearranged slightly to accommodate the new worlds, bringing the total number of worlds to eight instead of six:
    • Mario Toy Company
    • Donkey Kong Jungle
    • Fire Mountain
    • Merry Mini-Land
    • Spooky House
    • Slippery Summit
    • Mystic Forest (changed from a cyan theme color to orange to distinguish itself from Slippery Summit)
    • Twilight City
• Multiplayer is added, with Toad as the second playable character.
• A Time Attack mode has been added.
• The locations of the red and yellow platforms in Level 1-DK have been swapped.
• The bonus Present minigames have been replaced with various new bonus stages. In these stages, the player must catch a floating key that opens a treasure box before the time runs out, earning 5 1-Ups in the process.
• Scoring has been removed.
• Mario and Toad's fall damage from heights has been removed.
• The right stick can be used to control the camera in large-scaled levels.
• Retrying a level or exiting a level that hasn't been cleared yet no longer costs the player a life.
• Clearing the first level in a world will unlock every remaining level in it except for the Mini Mario levels and Donkey Kong boss fights.
• There are extra platforms added to Level 3-DK+.

Text changes and localization

• The game has been translated to Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Dutch, and Korean, three languages that the original was not available in.
  • Additionally, the game features Canadian French and Latin American Spanish translations.
• The worlds now are translated in the French, Italian, German and Spanish versions while in the original they were left in English in those versions.

Graphical changes

• The game now uses full 3D models rather than pre-rendered sprites.
• The cutscenes are now fully animated, instead of swapping between different static frames.
• Donkey Kong no longer makes heart eyes when seeing the Mini Mario; instead, it reflects off of his eyes.
  • Additionally, the title screen now has Mario and Donkey Kong with more movements than just their eyes blinking like in the original.
• Tane Pakkun are redesigned into mechanical Fire Piranha Plants.
• The toy Ninjis are now black with red buttons, similar to the regular Ninjis' current design.
• Brickmen are given a pair of movable bricks over their eyes to act as expressive eyebrows.
• Katakata Kaen Heihō are redesigned into blue Snifits.
• Thwomps and Thwimps are redesigned to be mechanical, with a face that slides to change expressions.
• Katakata Yarihō emits Zs when it is sleeping.
• Boos are replaced with their toy counterparts.
• Bob-ombs are redesigned to be slightly more mechanical and toy-like. They are also no longer pink.
• Mario's normal and fire death animations now resemble the ones commonly used in modern mainline Super Mario games, rather than showing him recoil and collapse on the floor, and he's no longer charred when he dies from touching fire.
  • In the full game, Mario's fire death animation features a burning sound and a smoke effect while in the demo it doesn't.
• There is a blue variant of Fireball that appears in Slippery Summit.
• Mario is no longer seen using the elevator after Donkey Kong kidnaps the Toads.
• After Donkey Kong sees Mini-Marios, he immediately puts them in the sack bag rather than hearing Mario saying "Hey Donkey Kong, are you OK?" before that.
  • Mario saying "Hey Donkey Kong, are you OK?" is also absent.
• Mario, the Mini Marios and the Toads no longer laugh at Donkey Kong before the first final boss. Mario also doesn't laugh at Donkey Kong before the true final boss.
• The Toads no longer make Donkey Kong fall off the building by stepping on his hand, and both them and Mario look in concern when he falls.
• Instead of sobbing, Donkey Kong is shown sulking after his defeat in the final cutscene and Mario doesn't scold him before giving him the Mini Mario. However, he does sob after getting defeated in-game.

Audio changes

• The music has been rearranged like other remakes.
  • Fire Mountain and Twilight City had their music completely replaced. The music for all bosses except 1-DK, 4-DK and Donkey Kong Plus and both sets of credits were also replaced.
• The same music plays throughout an entire stage, and is not interrupted by a jingle when the player enters a door.
• One of the channels heard (the audio of an announcer counting in Spanish exactly) on Donkey Kong's television in the intro is changed to a clip of the music for Donkey Kong Plus from the original game.
  • Nate Bihldorff's voice clips of Shy Guy are heard instead of the fast-talking gibberish when Donkey Kong switches channels to a news broadcast.
  • The last "Buy them all!" from the TV announcer is slowed down a bit.
• Several archival voice clips of Charles Martinet as Mario and the Mini Marios are repurposed here, though some of these clips are not present in the original game.
  • Contrarily, Donkey Kong now uses voice clips by his current voice actor, Takashi Nagasako, as opposed to Grant Kirkhope's performance in the original game, which features audio repurposed from Donkey Kong 64. He also no longer speaks full sentences as he did in the original game.
  • Samantha Kelly, in addition to voicing Toad (who does not appear in the original game) through archival voice clips, also voices most of the other Toads throughout the remake in the same way, instead of Jen Taylor's performance from the original game (one clip of Taylor's is retained in the opening cutscenes, however).
• The Mini Mario no longer calls Donkey Kong "Monkey Man!" in the final cutscene.

Characters

Main characters

Character	Description
Mario	The titular main protagonist of Mario vs. Donkey Kong. He uses a wide range of moves and abilities as he sets out to rescue the Mini-Marios from Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong	The titular main antagonist of Mario vs. Donkey Kong. After robbing the Mario Toy Company and stealing all of the Mini-Mario toys, he faces off against Mario to stop him from retrieving them.
Toad	A playable character who can be used in co-op mode alongside Mario.
Mini-Marios	Wind-up toys resembling Mario who were kidnapped by Donkey Kong.

Items and collectibles

Enemy	Description
File:KeyMVDK.png Key	Keys are found in the first half of every regular level of the game. They must be taken to locked doors in order to open the second half.
1-Up Mushroom	Green mushrooms that grant the player(s) an extra life.
Hammer	Items that can be grabbed by Mario and used to defeat enemies.
File:MvsDK NS Letter T.pngFile:MvsDK NS Letter O.pngFile:MvsDK NS Letter Y.png Letter Blocks	Letters that spell out the word "TOY" appearing exclusively in Mini-Mario levels that must be collected to complete the level. They can only be collected by the Mini-Marios.
Toy box	Objects that serve as the goal in Mini-Mario levels and can be opened by collecting all three Letter Blocks in the level.

Enemies and obstacles

Enemies

Enemy	Description
Shy Guys	Wind-up Shy Guys that walk throughout the levels, and can be jumped on.
Tane Pakkun	Mechanical plants that spit fireballs, which damages the player(s) upon contact.
File:PurpleRinoMVDK.png RamRams	Enemies resembling purple rhinoceroses. They attack by charging at and ramming the player(s). RamRams can be picked up and thrown on to Spikes, allowing them to be used as platforms.
Monchees	Mechanical monkeys with long tails that hang below the platforms they are on. Mario can hang from their tails without getting harmed. However, he still loses an extra life if he touches a Monchee's body.
Brickmen	A creature hidden in a pile of bricks. They throw three lines of bricks under them, forcing Mario to handstand to avoid being hit.
Ninjis	Mechanical enemies wearing black ninja outfits with two red buttons. They jump repeatedly in place, and can be used as platforms to traverse spikes.
Lava Bubbles	Enemies that are found jumping repeatedly out of lava, and will burn the player(s) upon touching them.
Snapjaws	Crocodile-like enemies that climb ropes. They can only be defeated by falling fruit.
Birds	Avian enemies that fly around and can drop eggs on the player(s), which can be avoided by performing a handstand.
Katakata Kaen Heihōs	Blue Snifits that attack the player(s) with blowtorches.
Thwimps	Enemies that attempt to crush the player(s) when they get close.
Thwomps	Enemies that fall down when the player(s) approach them. Touching one causes an extra life to be lost.
Fireballs	Enemies that move from side to side on a platform and can burn Mario if he touches them. There is also a blue variant.
Bob-ombs	Enemies that light their fuses and explode a few seconds after when Mario is near. They can be carried by Mario and used to defeat other enemies.
Boos	Wind-up Boos that chase the player(s) when they are not looking and remain still while they are being watched.
Katakata Yarihō	Enemies that are first found sleeping. Once Mario gets near them, they wake up and start running after him. They go back to sleep if they touch a platform's edge.
Firebirds	Flaming avian enemies that fly across the stage and can drop burning eggs on the player(s).
Kōmori	Bat enemies that fly horizontally, across the stage, and can cause the player(s) to fall from the rope that they were climbing.
Polterguys	Wind-up Shy Guy ghost enemies that transform into blocks when the player(s) press a Color Switch.
Sir Shovalot	Knight-like enemies that push the player(s) using their shield.

Objects

Blocks

Block	Description
Help Blocks	Gray and black variants of ? Blocks that give the player(s) hints and information about the game when hit.
Sand blocks	Blocks that crumble into dust when stood on.
Dotted-Line Blocks	Blocks that become solid once a Color Switch of the same color is activated by the player(s).
Donut Blocks	Orange blocks that fall if the player stands on them for too long.
Warp Boxes	Clear boxes that teleport the player to another box with the corresponding color and are activated by Color Switches.

Obstacles and platforms

Object	Description
Spikes	Harmful traps that cause the player(s) to lose a life if touched.
Lifts	Platforms that are found traveling along tracks, or being lifted by Lava Geysers.
File:LadderMVDK.png Ladders	Climbable objects of various lengths and visual styles. Some can be tuned on and off by color switches.
Ropes	Climbable objects that hang from trees or metal rings. Snapjaws can be found moving along some vertical ropes. Horizontal rope variants can also be found, which the player can grab and swing upwards from.
File:TrampolineMVDK.png Springs	Can be jumped off of to reach high platforms.
Lava Geysers	Spouts of lava that rise and cause Lifts to float on top of them, allowing the player(s) to reach higher ground.
File:RedSwitchMVDK.png Color Switches	Switches are found in three versions: red, yellow, and blue. As the main effect, the switch that is active makes platforms, blocks, and ladders of the same color available to use.
Tracks	Objects that constantly move platforms along a set path.
File:SemisolidPlatformMVDK.png Semisolid Platforms	Platforms of varying styles that have solid surfaces, but can be jumped through from below.
File:GarbageCanMVDK.png Barrels and Garbage Cans	Can be carried and thrown by the player(s). They can be used to defeat certain enemies, or as auxiliary platforms to reach other platforms or to pass wide gaps with Spikes.
Kurasshā	Grey and yellow stone blocks that rise when the player(s) stand on them.
Flower Fans	A floating, fan-like flower that produces a continuous gust, which can carry Mario and various objects in one direction. Flower Fans of a specific color are activated simultaneously by pressing a corresponding Color Switch.
Trampoline	Functions the same as springs but can also be picked up and thrown.
Bird Nests	Objects that Birds can spawn from.
File:CandleMvsDK.png Candles	An obstacle that moves up and down and burn the player(s) on contact. They can be defeated with a Hammer.
File:OilMvsDK.png Oil	An obstacle that moves up and down and burn the player(s) on contact. They can be defeated with a Hammer.
Wire Traps	Indestructible balls of electricity that travel along wires and electrocute Mario upon contact.

Reception

Reviews
Release	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Nintendo Switch	Charles Harte, GameInformer	8/10	"Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a simple game, but as is the case with Mario's best titles, there's an elegance to that simplicity. Nintendo has done a stellar job adding features to make it more palatable to a modern audience, but it only comes together because of how well the classic levels hold up. Mario and Donkey Kong have been rivals for over 40 years, and this game admirably carries that legacy forward."
Nintendo Switch	Steve Watts, GameSpot	7/10	"Mario vs. Donkey Kong feels very retro in certain respects. It's designed to be played in short bursts, which can feel anachronistic on a modern handheld hybrid that's perfectly suited for long play sessions. But it's also a throwback in the best ways, recapturing the clever aha moments of puzzle-platforming that made its predecessors so memorable, all while packing distinct visual improvements and quality-of-life tweaks that bring out its charm like never before."
Nintendo Switch	Eric Van Allen, Destructoid	7.5/10	"I could see myself blasting through levels of Mario vs. Donkey Kong while waiting for a flight at the airport, or on the train to work, and that’s the best-case scenario for this package, brimming with bite-sized platforming challenges. It may not contain all the spectacle of others, but there’s enough precise jumping and quick calculations here to satisfy the more hardcore, goal-oriented, score-chasing Mario players around."
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		77

Promotion

The Donkey Kong tin badge

• By pre-ordering the game through Otakara, customers will receive a tin badge depicting Donkey Kong.
• A bundle containing the game, a 40-piece puzzle, and a set of three stickers is sold on the European My Nintendo Store.

References to other media

• Mario vs. Donkey Kong: The final boss theme from the original game plays on Donkey Kong’s TV during the intro, replacing the foreign sounding voice from the original.
• Mario Kart Wii: At least one of Mario's voice clips is reused from this game, as are some of Donkey Kong's voice clips.
• Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!: The background of Merry Mini-Land is seemingly based on Coaster Hills, an attraction from this game.
• Super Mario 3D World: Some of Mario's voice clips are reused from this game. The heads-up display is also somewhat adapted from this game including its font, although the character portraits are rendered 3D models instead of 2D artwork.
• Mario Kart 8: Some of Donkey Kong's voice clips are reused from this game.
• Mario Party: Star Rush: Mario's render for this game is reused for his life icon while Toad's life icon is a recolored variant of other colored Toads' renders.
• Super Mario Maker 2: Builder Toads can be seen working in the Mario Toy Company building's factory.
• Mario Party Superstars: Toad's artwork from this game is repurposed.

Staff

Main article: List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) staff

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch).

• 

  Mario and Toad

• 

  Mario inside a bubble

• 

  Mario using a Hammer

• 

  Donkey Kong

• 

  Donkey Kong

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	マリオvs.ブイエスドンキーコング[?] Mario buiesu Donkī Kongu	Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Chinese (simplified)	马力欧vs.咚奇刚[?] Mǎlì'ōu vs. Dōngqí Gāng	Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Chinese (traditional)	瑪利歐vs.咚奇剛[?] Mǎlì'ōu vs. Dōngqí Gāng	Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Korean	마리오 vs. 동키콩[?] Mario vs. Dongki Kong	Mario vs. Donkey Kong

External links

• Official North American game page
• Official Canadian (French) game page
• Official Latin American game page
• Official Brazilian game page
• Official Japanese game page
• Official Japanese My Nintendo Store page
• Official United Kingdom game page
• Official Belgium (Dutch) game page
• Official Belgium (French) game page
• Official German game page
• Official España game page
• Official French game page
• Official Italian game page
• Official Dutch game page
• Official Austrian game page
• Official Portuguese game page
• Official Swiss (German) game page
• Official Swiss (French) game page
• Official Swiss (Italian) game page
• Official South African game page
• Official Australian game page