Summary
MarioandDonkey Konghave taken hold of the gaming since ever since they appeared in the 1981 arcade classic,Donkey Kong. The plumber vs. gorilla feud started decades ago, and whilst the two may seem friendly in more recent additions to theSuper Mariofranchise, this rivalry has now extended to a remake ofMario vs. Donkey Kong, showcasing more puzzle elements, and a competitive puzzle nature among the two characters, who originally fought over Mario’s first girlfriend, Pauline.
This rivalry showcases intelligence over brawn, and in many of theMario vs. Donkey Kongentries, players will take a break from stomping on koopas and goombas andstopping Bowser, to navigating through puzzles to beat Donkey Kong himself. Whilst this rivalry does not prevent either from being involved in a friendly party game ofMario KartorMario Party, it does feature a few mainline entries within its own series, so here are thebestMario vs. Donkey Konggamesthat have featured over the past few decades.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Starswas the first to utilize new mechanics thanks to being released on the Wii U, which gave players the ability to use the gamepad to control their movements and planning. This puzzle game tasked players with using the Mini-Marios as they begin at the start of the map, and make their way to the end, navigating traps and obstacles with limited materials to make the journey all the harder to achieve.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Starswas a fun addition to the series, and whilst it didn’t feel it necessary to reinvent itself on the 6th installment, it still provided a sense of fun for players all around, with themeanest gorilla still in actionafter all these years. Even better still, players only needed one copy ofMario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Starsto play with another.
6Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Metascore: 76
Mario vs Donkey Kong 2: March of the Miniscomes in as a long-awaited sequel to the original game, and has Mario use an army of Mini-Marios in order to advance through the stage and navigate through dangers without seeing harm come to them or Mario himself. The gameplay is a tad harder this time, as the Mini-Marios are controlled with specific directions, and will continue to walk their given path unless told otherwise. This could mean that a lack of fear of death will send Mini-Marios swimming into lava to their death.
Despite being a direct sequel,March of the Miniswasn’t received quite as well as the first game, but that doesn’t mean it is not a beloved edition of theMarioseries. It’s a collection of short but addictive stages that are more entertaining than players first expect, and the incorporation of the DS touch-screen capabilities makes it all the more fun.March of the Minisalso had a level construction component that let players edit eight of the levels from the game - an innovative concept that would continue into other games in the series, and later be made intoits own Wii U game,Mario Maker.
Mario vs. Donkey Kongarrives on the Nintendo Switch, the latest and greatest of the Nintendo consoles, featuring great graphics and smooth gameplay for handheld systems. The title was highly anticipated by fans due to being the first in almost a decade, and the first for the Switch itself. There were also new mechanics not found in the classic game that feature here, but as usual,Mario vs. Donkey Kongstuck to its puzzle roots andintroduced a new co-op mode, a mechanic that is typically very popular inMariogames.
Although it doesn’t quite live up to the glory of the original game - few remakes do -Mario vs. Donkey Kongis a very fun and exciting take on the classic puzzle game. Without straying too far from its origins, the game adds a brilliant amount of extra content and abilities that make it fresh, fun, and highly accessible to all kinds of gamers.
4Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move
Metascore: 78
With no physical release and restricted to just the Nintendo eShop,Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis on the Moveis considered a lesser installment due to its smaller scale and reliance on similar mechanics from previous games. However, that does not mean that the fifthMario vs. Donkey Konggame has to lack praise.
One big change inMinis on the Moveis that Donkey Kong is no longer the villain, but rather the co-host of the game. This lowered the narrative stakes of the game and put extra focus on the gameplay.Minis on the Movealso had a levelcreation mechanic, where players could make their own levels and even share them on StreetPass, adding freedom to players' creativity as they share and express new levels to try out.
3Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem
Metascore: 79
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhemtakes a new setting, as this time around, Mario and Donkey Kong battle it out in a theme park, providing for some wacky antics in the eight new areas available, each with their own mechanics that will require a level of thought and genius for players to use whilst navigating the map and helping the Mario-Minis reach their goal.
Unlike its follow-up, Donkey Kong isvery much a villaininMini-Land Mayhemand has once again kidnapped Pauline. This installment also featured a level editor aspect named ‘Construction Zone’ which allowed players to create and share levels, although the online abilities were stopped in 2014. As the third highest-rated game in the series,Mini-Land Mayhembreathed new life into the series with its distinct theme and creatively fun levels, and once again maintained the heart of the franchise while elevating its mechanics.
Mario vs. Donkey Kongwas the very first game in the series and is thought to be a spiritual successor to the 1994Donkey Kongon the Game Boy, which was in turn inspired by the original arcadeDonkey Kong. It was released 10 years afterDonkey Kongand featured a new concept, although it was more loyal to classicMariogames.
Unlike most of its successors,Mario vs. Donkey Kongfeatured both platforming and puzzle-solving components. Players control Mario in various stages as he chases after Donkey Kong, who has stolen lots of his mini-Mario toys. This would form the basis for every other game in the series, although none of them would focus on platforming again.Mario vs. Donkey Kongwas a delightful return to an age-old rivalry that was new and exciting upon release. The game was beloved for its clever incorporation of the puzzle genre and overall providedMariofans with an entertaining new take on the franchise.
1Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again
Metascore: 82
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Againwas the first and only game in the series to be released for the DSi. It is the third installment in the series, and once again focused on controlling the mini-Marios through perilous levels. The story follows Donkey Kong kidnapping Pauline out of frustration when the Mario toys sell out, a plot that would re-appear in later games.
It’s thought to be one of the best games releasedon the DSi, and is narrowly the highest-ratedMario vs. Donkey Konggame on Metacritic. The Construction Zone ofMinis March Againallowed players to edit and share upwards of 100 levels, which gave it immense replayability and creativity. It’s the apex of the series' fun and entertaining nature, and although it didn’t make any substantial changes to the style, it improved upon every aspect of its predecessors.
