Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge

Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge is a downloadable game for the Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS systems. It was released in Japan on January 28, 2016, and was released in April 2016 internationally, making it the only installment so far in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series to not be released in North America first. In the United States, it was available for early access between March 25, 2016 and April 27, 2016, with the purchase of any amiibo figure at Amazon, Best Buy, or GameStop. It is the seventh installment in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series and the first to feature amiibo support. New toys are featured in the game, such as Mini Rosalina, Mini Bowser, Mini Bowser Jr., Mini Yoshi, Mini Diddy Kong, and Mini Spek, while returning toys include Mini Mario, Mini Luigi, Mini Donkey Kong, Mini Peach, and Mini Toad. The Wii U version of this title requires 318.6 MB to be installed, and the 3DS version requires 2,338 blocks.

Gameplay
The main game is largely similar to previous installments in the series, in that the player controls a Mini Toy trying to reach the end of the stage. By scanning a compatible Mario series-related amiibo, the player can receive the corresponding toy to play as, while the Mini Spek is received by scanning any other amiibo. Each Mini Toy (with the exception of the Mini Spek) has a special ability that allows it to clear stages easier. At the end of each stage, players are given a score based on their performance, and by clearing it with a high enough score, the player earns a Gold Trophy for that stage. Instead of a regular level selection screen like in previous games, the player now navigates a New Super Mario Bros.-styled map with the chosen Mini figure. Another difference is that the player only has to guide a single Mini to the end of each stage, unlike in other games where multiple had to be managed in order to complete a level.

Within certain main stages are amiibo Doors, which can only be accessed by the corresponding character on the door and unlock special stages themed around that character. Some stages also feature amiibo Tokens, which don't work in any other game and can only be obtained by using the abilities of the amiibo on the token.

Mini Toys
Unlike in previous games, each of the Mini Toys have their own unique special abilities corresponding to them.

Enemies

 * Cannon Kong
 * Circus Kong
 * Fire Piranha Plant
 * Boo
 * Piranha Plant
 * Shy Guy
 * Thwomp

Worlds
In addition to the main stages in the game, there are also worlds themed around each character toy that can be unlocked by clearing certain stages via an amiibo Door, which can only be accessed by using the amiibo that corresponds with the character's icon shown on it.

Help menu
The player can open a help menu by tapping on a question mark icon at the bottom right of the map screen. The help menu serves the same purpose as the Help Mode from previous installments, in that the player can use it to view tips related to gameplay. In addition, the player can access a sequence with the game's credits.

The table below lists all tips offered in the help menu, along with the pictures that accompany them in-game. These tips also appear in this order on loading screens.

References to other games

 * Donkey Kong: Like in past games, the hammer appears, with the classic theme music.
 * Super Mario Bros. 2: Some of Mini Mario's levels use an arrangement of the main level theme from this game. Mini Luigi and Mini Peach's abilities originated in this game.
 * Super Mario Bros. 3: Star Road's level music is an arrangement of the athletic theme from this game. Mini Bowser's ability originated in this game.
 * Super Mario World: The final world is based on the Star World from this game, and features an arrangement of its song on the world map. Mini Yoshi's ability originated in this game.
 * Donkey Kong Country: Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's levels feature arrangements of "DK Island Swing" and the Bonus Area theme as background music, respectively.
 * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: Mini Yoshi's levels are based on this game, and use an arrangement of the game's overworld theme as the background music.
 * Super Mario 64: Mini Peach's levels are based on her castle from this game, and use an arrangement of "Inside the Castle Walls" as the background music. In addition to this, Mini Bowser's levels use an arrangement of his battle theme from this game as the background music. Mini Mario's ability originated in this game. The Warp Pipe sound is the same as this game.
 * Luigi's Mansion: Mini Luigi's levels use an arrangement of this game's main theme as the background music.
 * Super Mario Galaxy: Mini Rosalina's levels are based on this game, and are set in the Comet Observatory. The background music is an arrangement of the observatory and Luma's theme music.
 * New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Mini Mario's levels are based on this game, with the background resembling this game's World 1. Mini Bowser Jr.'s levels are based on this game's airship levels as well, and use an arrangement of Bowser Jr.'s battle theme as the background music. The design of Mini Spek also bears slight resemblance to a Propeller Block.
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!: The music that plays in night-themed main levels (Level 7 onward) is a variation of the music of Area 3-DK from this game.
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns: Mini Donkey Kong and Mini Diddy Kong have levels based on this game, featuring DK's treehouse and mine carts in this game's art style.
 * Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon: Mini Luigi's levels seem to be based outside of Gloomy Manor from this game, since it's seen in the background and on the world map.
 * Yoshi's Woolly World: The background of Mini Yoshi's levels is based on this game.

Promotion
The Play Nintendo website features a skill quiz on the subject of Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge.