Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch): Difference between revisions

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*The bonus [[Present (Mario vs. Donkey Kong)|Present]] minigames have been replaced with various new bonus stages.<ref>https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1751334271384474083</ref> In these stages, the player must catch a floating key that opens a treasure box before the time runs out, earning 5 [[1-Up|1-Ups]] in the process.<ref>https://youtu.be/jVtkoc7mRSA?si=z6Kip2wtIzLaX6v0&t=112</ref>
*The bonus [[Present (Mario vs. Donkey Kong)|Present]] minigames have been replaced with various new bonus stages.<ref>https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1751334271384474083</ref> In these stages, the player must catch a floating key that opens a treasure box before the time runs out, earning 5 [[1-Up|1-Ups]] in the process.<ref>https://youtu.be/jVtkoc7mRSA?si=z6Kip2wtIzLaX6v0&t=112</ref>
*Scoring has been removed.
*Scoring has been removed.
*Mario's fall damage from heights has been greatly reduced.<ref>https://twitter.com/MaroWeeb/status/1752881130494149104</ref>
*Mario and Toad's fall damage from heights has been removed.<ref>https://twitter.com/MaroWeeb/status/1752881130494149104</ref>
*The right stick can be used to control the camera in large-scaled levels.
*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.
*Retrying a level or exiting a level that hasn't been cleared yet no longer costs the player a life.

Revision as of 22:36, February 16, 2024

This article is about a game that has just been released on February 16, 2024. Major changes should be made by a contributor who has a reliable source. This notice should be removed after a month has passed since the game was first released.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Box art for Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Nintendo Switch
North American prerelease box art
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer Nintendo Software Technology Corporation[1]
Publisher Nintendo
Platform(s) Nintendo Switch
Release date Japan February 16, 2024[2]
USA February 16, 2024[3]
Mexico February 16, 2024[4]
Brazil February 16, 2024[5]
Europe February 16, 2024[6]
Australia February 16, 2024[7]
South Korea February 16, 2024[8]
HK February 16, 2024[9]
Language(s) Deutsch
English (United Kingdom)
English (United States)
Español (España)
Español (Latinoamérica)
Français (Canada)
Français (France)
Italiano
Nederlands
한국어
日本語
简体中文
繁體中文
Genre Puzzle/Action
Rating(s)
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:3 - Three years and older
CERO:A - All ages
ACB:G - General
USK:0 - All ages
DEJUS:L - General audience
GRAC:All - All ages
GSRR:P - Six years and older
Mode(s) Single-player, local multiplayer
Media
Nintendo Switch:
Game Card
Digital download
Input
Nintendo Switch:
“The rivalry reignites.”
Advertisement tagline for Mario vs. Donkey Kong

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.[3] 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.[10]

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,[11] with each incorporating all-new obstacles.[12]
  • Multiplayer is added, with Toad as the second playable character.
  • A Time Attack mode has been added.[13]
  • 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.[14] 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.[15]
  • Scoring has been removed.
  • Mario and Toad's fall damage from heights has been removed.[16]
  • 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.[2]
  • Thwomps and Thwimps are redesigned to be mechanical, with a face that slides to change expressions.[2]
  • 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.[17]
    • 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 in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Nintendo Switch
Mario[3]
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 holding a bag full of Mini Marios in Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Nintendo Switch.
Donkey Kong[3]
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.
Artwork of Toad for Mario Party Superstars (also used for Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Nintendo Switch)
Toad[3]
A playable character who can be used in co-op mode alongside Mario.
A Mini Mario in Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Nintendo Switch.
Mini-Marios[3]
Wind-up toys resembling Mario who were kidnapped by Donkey Kong.

Items and collectibles

Enemy Description
Key MVDK
Key[3]
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
1-Up Mushroom[3]
Green mushrooms that grant the player(s) an extra life.
A Hammer in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Hammer
Items that can be grabbed by Mario and used to defeat enemies.
A Letter T in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey KongA Letter O in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey KongA Letter Y in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong
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.
A Toy box in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong
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 Guy MVSDKNS
Shy Guys[3]
Wind-up Shy Guys that walk throughout the levels, and can be jumped on.
Fire Piranha Plant MVSDKNS
Tane Pakkun[3]
Mechanical plants that spit fireballs, which damages the player(s) upon contact.
RamRam MVSDKNS
RamRams[3]
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.
Monchee MVSDKNS
Monchees[3]
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.
Brickman MVSDKNS
Brickmen[3]
A creature hidden in a pile of bricks. They throw three lines of bricks under them, forcing Mario to handstand to avoid being hit.
Ninji in Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Ninjis[3]
Mechanical enemies wearing black ninja outfits with two red buttons. They jump repeatedly in place, and can be used as platforms to traverse spikes.
Podoboo from Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Lava Bubbles[3]
Enemies that are found jumping repeatedly out of lava, and will burn the player(s) upon touching them.
Snapjaw MVSDKNS
Snapjaws[3]
Crocodile-like enemies that climb ropes. They can only be defeated by falling fruit.
A bird in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch
Birds[2]
Avian enemies that fly around and can drop eggs on the player(s), which can be avoided by performing a handstand.
A Fire Shy Guy in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch
Katakata Kaen Heihōs[2]
Blue Snifits that attack the player(s) with blowtorches.
A Thwimp in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
Thwimps[2]
Enemies that attempt to crush the player(s) when they get close.
A Thwomp in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
Thwomps[2]
Enemies that fall down when the player(s) approach them. Touching one causes an extra life to be lost.
A screenshot of a Fireball in Mario vs. Donkey Kong A blue version of a Fireball in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch
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.
A Bob-omb in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong
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.
A screenshot of a Boo in Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Boos
Wind-up Boos that chase the player(s) when they are not looking and remain still while they are being watched.
Spear Guy snoozing in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch
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.
A fire bird in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch
Firebirds
Flaming avian enemies that fly across the stage and can drop burning eggs on the player(s).
A Bat in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch
Kōmori
Bat enemies that fly horizontally, across the stage, and can cause the player(s) to fall from the rope that they were climbing.
A Polterguy in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch).A Polterguy in block-form in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch).
Polterguys
Wind-up Shy Guy ghost enemies that transform into blocks when the player(s) press a Color Switch.
A Sir Shovalot in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch).
Sir Shovalot
Knight-like enemies that push the player(s) using their shield.

Objects

Blocks

Block Description
Help Block MVDK
Help Blocks[3]
Gray and black variants of ? Blocks that give the player(s) hints and information about the game when hit.
Sand Block MVDK
Sand blocks[3]
Blocks that crumble into dust when stood on.
Dotted-Line Block Red MVDKDotted-Line Block Yellow MVDKDotted-Line Block Blue MVDK
Dotted-Line Blocks[3]
Blocks that become solid once a Color Switch of the same color is activated by the player(s).
A Donut Block in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Donut Blocks
Orange blocks that fall if the player stands on them for too long.
A Red Warp Box in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong.A Yellow Warp Box in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong.A Blue Warp Box in the Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong.
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 MVSDKNS
Spikes[3]
Harmful traps that cause the player(s) to lose a life if touched.
Lift MVDK
Lifts[3]
Platforms that are found traveling along tracks, or being lifted by Lava Geysers.
Ladder MVSDKNS
Ladders[3]
Climbable objects of various colors, lengths, and visual styles.
Rope MVSDKNS
Horizontal Rope MVSDKNS
Ropes[3]
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[3]
Can be jumped off of to reach high platforms.
Lava Geyser MVSDKNS
Lava Geysers[3]
Spouts of lava that rise and cause Lifts to float on top of them, allowing the player(s) to reach higher ground.
Red Switch MVDKYellow Switch MVDKBlue Switch MVDK
Color Switches[3]
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.
Track MVDK
Tracks[3]
Objects that constantly move platforms along a set path.
Semisolid Platform MVDK
Semisolid Platforms[3]
Platforms of varying styles that have solid surfaces, but can be jumped through from below.
Barrel MVDKGarbage Can MVDK
Barrels and Garbage Cans[3]
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.
Thwomp Platform
Kurasshā[3]
Grey and yellow stone blocks that rise when the player(s) stand on them.
Used in case of images missing from a section gallery, table, bestiary box, or certain infoboxes.
Flower Fans[18][19]
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.
A Trampoline in Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Trampoline
Functions the same as springs but can also be picked up and thrown.
A Bird Nest in Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch
Bird Nests[2]
Objects that Birds can spawn from.
A Candle in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
Candles[2]
An obstacle that moves up and down and burn the player(s) on contact. They can be defeated with a Hammer.
Oil in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
Oil[2]
An obstacle that moves up and down and burn the player(s) on contact. They can be defeated with a Hammer.
90x
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

Tin badge for Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
The Donkey Kong tin badge
  • By pre-ordering the game through Otakara, customers will receive a tin badge depicting Donkey Kong.[20]
  • A bundle containing the game, a 40-piece puzzle, and a set of three stickers is sold on the European My Nintendo Store.[21]

References to other media

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).

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
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

References

  1. ^ Initial post about the Instagram story from an NST contractor Instagram story itself
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Nintendo (January 12, 2024). Mario vs. Donkey Kong | Nintendo Switch | Nintendo.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Nintendo of America (September 14, 2023). Nintendo Direct 9.14.2023 - Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  4. ^ Latin American website. Nintendo.com (in Spanish).
  5. ^ Brazilian website. Nintendo.com (in Portuguese).
  6. ^ @NintendoEurope (September 14, 2023). "The toys are back in town! Recover the stolen Mini-Marios in this Game Boy Advance classic updated for #NintendoSwitch. Mario vs. Donkey Kong launches 16/02/2024! #NintendoDirect". Twitter. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  7. ^ NintendoAU (September 14, 2023). Mario vs. Donkey Kong marches onto Nintendo Switch February 16th, 2024. YouTube. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  8. ^ (September 14, 2023). 『프린세스 피치 Showtime!』, 『페이퍼 마리오 1000년의 문』, 『루이지 맨션 2 HD』, 『마리오 vs. 동키콩』 등, Nintendo Switch로 발매되는 타이틀의 최신 정보를 전달! Nintendo Korea. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  9. ^ (September 14, 2023). 《瑪利歐vs.咚奇剛》的最新資訊公開!本作預定於2024年2月16日(五)發售。 Nintendo HK. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  10. ^ https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1752859619943194810>
  11. ^ @NintendoAmerica (January 19, 2024). "Chase Donkey Kong through eight worlds – including two brand-new ones – to recover the Mini-Marios! #MariovsDonkeyKong". X. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  12. ^ https://nintendoeverything.com/mario-vs-donkey-kong-new-details-revealed-pieces-of-the-puzzle-trailer/
  13. ^ https://nintendoeverything.com/mario-vs-donkey-kong-new-details-revealed-pieces-of-the-puzzle-trailer/
  14. ^ https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1751334271384474083
  15. ^ https://youtu.be/jVtkoc7mRSA?si=z6Kip2wtIzLaX6v0&t=112
  16. ^ https://twitter.com/MaroWeeb/status/1752881130494149104
  17. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnkzn62vZd8
  18. ^ Official microsite of Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo Switch. Section 「ワールド」 ("World"). nintendo.com (Japan). Retrieved February 5, 2024. (Archived January 11, 2024, 01:12:02 UTC via Wayback Machine.) 「カラースイッチで作動する風に乗って移動できるフワフワフラワーや、ボムへいを利用して道を切りひらく。」
  19. ^ Nintendo of America (February 16, 2024). Mario vs. Donkey Kong — But Wait...There's a Launch Trailer! — Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  20. ^ 【オリジナル特典】マリオvs.ドンキーコング 予約受付中 Otakarasoko.
  21. ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong + Puzzle + Set of 3 Stickers. store.nintendo.co.uk. Retrieved January 14, 2024. (Archived January 14, 2024, 22:30:06 UTC via archive.today.)
  22. ^ Nintendo of America (January 10, 2024). Mario vs. Donkey Kong — Pieces of the Puzzle — Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved January 10, 2024.