Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review Thread
| Game Information |
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Game Title: Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Platforms:
- Nintendo Switch (Feb 16, 2024)
Trailer:
Developer: Nintendo
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 78 average - 79% recommended - 33 reviews
| Critic Reviews |
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Atomix - Alberto Desfassiaux - Spanish - 90 / 100
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.
COGconnected - James Paley - 80 / 100
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Checkpoint Gaming - Edie W-K - 7.5 / 10
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.
Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - Recommended
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.
Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3 / 5
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a fun, if unremarkable way to kill time while you wait for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Digitec Magazine - Domagoj Belancic - German - Unscored
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.
Enternity.gr - Nikitas Kavouklis - Greek - 8.5 / 10
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong will provide hours of entertainment as long as you use your brain.
GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 80%
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God is a Geek - Adam Cook - 7.5 / 10
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.
IGN Italy - Andrea Peduzzi - Italian - 8.5 / 10
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.
IGN Spain - Raquel Morales - Spanish - 8 / 10
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.
Nintendo Life - PJ O’Reilly - 7 / 10
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.
Press Start - James Mitchell - 7.5 / 10
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a great remake – implementing a strong shift in artistic direction, engaging co-op options and well-crafted puzzle and platforming elements. Co-op is an especially clever inclusion, and combined with difficulty options, broadens the appeal of an otherwise niche experience to a wider audience. While hardcore players might be let down by the lack of difficulty, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a sensational update that fans of the series and even newcomers will enjoy.
SECTOR.sk - Matúš Štrba - Slovak - 8.5 / 10
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.
Siliconera - Jenni Lada - 7 / 10
Mario vs Donkey Kong is totally fine on the Switch, with levels and modes for players of all difficulty levels.
Spaziogames - Valentino Cinefra - Italian - 7 / 10
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.
Stevivor - Steve Wright - 8.5 / 10
“Mario vs Donkey Kong… is an absolutely fantastic little puzzler.”
VGC - Andy Robinson - 3 / 5
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.
Video Chums - A.J. Maciejewski - 7.8 / 10
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. 🏭
WellPlayed - Mark Isaacson - 8.5 / 10
Mario vs Donkey Kong remains an enjoyable platform-puzzler as it did back on the Game Boy Advance, freshened up and featuring a small number of modern and welcome additions.