Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a strange and striking ode to simpler times

I never played the original Mario vs Donkey KongWhich was released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. So, I bring no nostalgia or previous experience to the new version coming out this week, which feels completely modern in every way except the gameplay. Mario is Limited — He can't run fast, he can't jump very high, and you lose your life with one mistake. Coming from brand new Super Mario Bros Wonder It can cause you serious injury, as there is no great elephant or star power to be found here. But if you don't compare Mario vs Donkey Kong To the more modern plumber adventures, they have some charm of their own to enjoy.

Mario vs Donkey Kong It has a lot in common with the original Donkey Kong More arcade than your typical Mario game. Each level consists of two parts, but they are not extended side adventures. Instead, it's a puzzle that requires specific steps and clever use of enemies and tools scattered throughout. First, you need to get the key, then you need to rescue the cute little Mario toy that Donkey Kong stole and put it in the level. Sometimes, you'll need to throw a timid guy into a pit of spikes and ride him through the danger zone; Other times you activate switches in a specific order to make platforms appear where you need them to advance. As with many of the best Mario games, almost every level introduces a new mechanic, enemy, or gadget that will either hinder or help you finish the game. These levels extend horizontally and vertically, but they are small worlds unto themselves.

As usual, Nintendo's polish is on display here. There are plenty of bouncy orchestral music choices. Mario, DK, and all the villains that appear throughout are lovingly presented and the controls are tight and precise. That is, once you get used to Mario's limitations. I didn't have a problem with Mario being a bit less capable, since it's a completely different play style, but I definitely forgot that Mario didn't have the jumps needed to get over some of the gaps.

There is a surprising amount of content in this game as well. There are eight worlds, two of which are completely new for the 2024 re-release. Each has six stages, plus a bonus stage and a boss battle. Once you've beaten the main campaign, there's a 'Plus' remaster of all those levels available which uses the same general elements and features as the original but with a new, more challenging objective – you need to lead a weak little Mario to the exit, and these games are even less capable than the game. Big Mario. It's a good way to mix up a formula that became very familiar when you completed the first 64 stages.

Finishing the main game also unlocks 16 new professional stages that fully live up to this title. It's very difficult, and since the game doesn't constantly feed you 1-Up mushrooms, it will require some skill to complete (I'm just starting to get into this new challenge). Figuring out the puzzle and executing the solution without ever making a mistake is difficult in some of these later levels, both in the expert and bonus stages.

That's good, because beating the first eight worlds was so easy, I was worried that this game wouldn't have any real value to it. I made it through the first four worlds, and only encountered major challenges in the last one. The Plus worlds, so far, haven't been too difficult either, though I bet that will change. In fact, I got the “perfect” mark in every world two plus in 30 minutes (six stages, plus an extra stage to harvest some 1-Up mushrooms and the final world boss level). It would have taken 20 minutes if I hadn't been challenged with a score of 2-6 and it took me a while to practice. I wish there were more levels like this – as it is, the game seems either too easy or surprisingly difficult, without as much difficulty as I'd like to see. All that said, I'm looking forward to seeing how the Plus worlds continue to progress in difficulty.

Given the simplicity of this game, it's fair to say that its target audience may be younger or less experienced than me. Nintendo has included some features to make the game more accessible as well. There's a “Normal” mode where you can take six hits before losing a life at some point, instead of just one. This also removes the time limit, something that didn't exhaust me in the previous levels but definitely presented a challenge as the game went on. If you are Do Like trying to beat the clock, there is a “Time Attack” mode where you try to beat the target time in the level. Regardless of which playstyle you choose, you can always press Retry to start the level over without losing any lives. Finally, Nintendo has also included local co-op multiplayer, something both experienced and novice players may enjoy.

At first, I felt that way Mario vs Donkey Kong It would be too simple a game to recommend that people spend $50 on it. It starts out cute and clever, but it's too simple and with seemingly little depth. But Nintendo surprised me – although it's definitely a throwback game, there's a solid mix of challenge and depth here. As with many Nintendo games, this game should be fun for players of any age. Just don't expect Mario to have the moves and tricks to do Super Mario Wonder.