Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! - Review

[pichu]

Before Bowser came and brought his evilness to the Mushroom Kingdom. Donkey Kong did the job of giving Mario a hard time 28 years ago. Jumpman, known today as Mario, climbed up ladders and jumped barrels to rescue a strange girl that the primate has kidnapped. In the end, the big primate is destroyed and the strange girl, Pauline is saved. Today, everyone is back with the help of the little robotic Marios known as Mini Marios to rescue Pauline from the clutches once again of Donkey Kong.


Much of the game’s ideas are taken from the “sequel,” Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis which was released before. With some changes made such as the behaviors of the Mini Marios and doesn’t contain much items as the sequel, Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. The series started during the GBA era with Mario vs. Donkey Kong with Mario doing most of the rescuing and in the later games with the Mini Marios to do Mario’s job.

The game starts with Mario and Pauline on top of a stage surrounded by Toads. Whilst they were there, there was a line of toads and Donkey Kong in it as well to buy tickets for the amusement park. As soon as Donkey Kong reached the booth, the sign said “sold out.” Furious, Donkey Kong leaps onto the stage and kidnaps Pauline, Mario tried to rescue Pauline, but the angry gorilla got away quick with the lady. Then Mario saw the Mini Marios, using the Minis, he will rescue back Pauline.


The story of the game is set up with CGI pictures, one picture of a scene turning into another picture of another scene, with a few voices like Pauline’s Cry or Donkey Kong’s grunts. Most of the storyline’s cut scenes are this way throughout the game. Almost all lasting a few seconds long then continuing to the game. The mission of the game is to rescue back Pauline, with the help of the robotic mini Marios to clear stages and fight off Donkey Kong.

The game starts with a platform 2-dimensional environment. With the usual things you would see in a Platforming Mario game, Spikes, enemies, and a small platform that’s hanging in Mid-air for no apparent reason. To complete a level, the Mini Marios will have to march themselves toward the finish line which is a door. You won’t be able to control the Mini Marios directly, they will walk themselves in any direction they want to and turn when they hit a wall and jump to anything that’s jumpable, as well as going into spikes and enemies. You would have to control the environment in order to succeed a level.

You control the environment by touching the movable pink blocks to where they can be placed and they can either walk on it, jump up if it’s on top of one another, climb up if you make a stairs, or even just stop them and making them turn around when they hit it. These pink blocks can even be used to block the path of an enemy or the dangerous parts that an enemy might spit out. You do all this with the stylus, tap a block to make it disappear, contained someplace separate and tap on an empty pink-outlined block to make it reappear. You can control other items other than blocks, like the position of a rotating pipe and such.



The game takes place in different environment settings per world. After you complete the levels and the boss of a world, you have to play in a different location. You’ll notice a change in the backround per world. The boss also has things that fits to the theme of the world.

Collectables in this game includes cards that spell out MINIMARIO if you collect one card in each level, coins that can be placed anywhere, and extra lives. You’re graded with a gold, silver, or a bronze star. To up your chances of getting a gold star, you would need to collect all the coins and making it to the exit door fast, making some levels that irritable. Sometimes as well a key is necessary to get through the door and the Mini Mario with the key has to be in first.


Not much bad side to this game, except that the main storyline is somewhat short but still good enough for a downloadable Dsi game. It’s well worth the 800 points needed to acquire it.

Where the game really shines is the ability to make your own stages with the construction tools you pick up in the main game when you beat a world. You can place anything anywhere in any setting. Though the number of platformings you can implement is limited. You can test out your world and play them or get someone else’s through Nintendo-Wifi connection. Online, created stages are tradable with friends. You can also download stages that are popular that are in circulation through the server.

The graphics are very nicely done with this game, both the pictured-CGI story and the gameplay. Music is also nicely done, your usual music that you would find in a Mario game, along with the robotic noises from the Mini Marios, the sound of the enemies, and the items noises mixing in the music as well.

The game isn’t very long. It’s easily beatable in just a few hours depending if you’re a good puzzle expert. Only with a few worlds with levels in it, as well as extra worlds with the same environment but more challenging levels.

If you’re looking for a good downloadable game for the Dsi to pass the time away, then this game is just for that, Although if you’ve played Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2, then you might not feel the same “wow” of those that haven’t played it.

Presentation: 9 / 10
Gameplay: 9 / 10
Value: 6 / 10

Final tally: 8.0 / 10

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Thanks Sherlock for the recommendation.

[Kenzomatic]

Cool review I will put it in the review section tonight.

[pichu]

Thanks, Kenzo!

[Mako]

Nice review Pichu, you need a plus for that.

[Don Ramón]

I will steal this review!!!

Bwahahahah

[c03n3nj0]

Nice review, I borowed from a friend a while ago, until I beat it.

[dsister]

Good review

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