This article is about theGame Boy Advance game. For other uses, seeMario vs. Donkey Kong (disambiguation).

Mario vs. Donkey Kong
American box art For alternate box art, see therelated gallery.
Developer	Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
Publisher	Nintendo
Platforms	Game Boy Advance,Virtual Console (3DS,Wii U)
Release dates	Game Boy Advance: May 24, 2004[1] June 4, 2004[2] June 10, 2004[3] November 19, 2004[4] Virtual Console (3DS) (Ambassador Program Release): December 15, 2011[?] December 16, 2011[?] December 16, 2011[?] December 16, 2011[?] Virtual Console (Wii U): July 23, 2014[5] September 17, 2015[4] September 18, 2015[?] February 9, 2017[6]
Languages	English Japanese French (Europe) German Italian Spanish (Europe)
Genres	Puzzle/Action
Ratings	ESRB: - Everyone[7] CERO: - All ages[8] PEGI: - Three years and older[9] USK: - All ages[10] ACB: - General[11]
Mode	Single Player
Format	Wii U: Digital download Game Boy Advance: Game Pak e-Reader card Nintendo 3DS: Digital download
Input	Wii U: Wii U GamePad Wii Remote (horizontal) Classic Controller Wii U Pro Controller Game Boy Advance: Gamepad Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad
Serial codes	AGB-BM5E-USA AGB-BM5J-JPN AGB-BM5P-EUR AGB-BM5U-AUS

“It looks like Donkey Kong is up to his old tricks again!”

—North American instruction manual

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is apuzzleplatformer for theGame Boy Advance. Its gameplay and scenario are heavily inspired byDonkey Kong for theGame Boy, as it features the return of many elements from that game, such as the primary setting of a construction site, Mario's athleticism, his usage of thehammer, and his rivalry withDonkey Kong. It also borrows elements fromSuper Mario Bros. 2, especially in terms of Mario's more complex movement mechanics and how he can pick up and throw enemies and items. The level design ofMario vs. Donkey Kong is more puzzle-focused than previous platformers in the franchise; Mario must find the best route to complete the level by hitting switches and interacting with other objects, often in a specific order to reach the goal. This game spawned multiple sequels and became the first installment of theMario vs. Donkey Kong series; this is the only game in the series, however, to feature Mario himself as a playable character, since the later games have the player controlMini-Marios.

The game was re-released as a free downloadable title for theNintendo 3DS on December 16, 2011. However, it was only available to people who purchased a Nintendo 3DS prior to the August 12, 2011 price drop, meaning that they had to be a part of theNintendo 3DS Ambassador Program. It was re-released again on theWii U'sVirtual Console in Japan on July 23, 2014, in Europe on September 17, 2015, in Australia on September 18, 2015, and in the Americas on February 9, 2017.

Aremake of the same name was released for theNintendo Switch on February 16, 2024.

Story[edit]

The following text is taken from page 6 of the North American instruction booklet for the game:

It looks likeDonkey Kong is up to his old tricks again!

Over in theMushroom Kingdom,Mario has become so famous that he's started his owntoy company. His newMini-Mario action figures are all the rage, and this cute li'l wind-up toy is just flying off the shelves.

In fact, these toys are so popular that stores can't even keep them in stock. Donkey Kong just loves these new toys, but when he showed up at the store, they were all gone!

Donkey Kong's not famous for his patience, and he wasn't about to wait for the next shipment, so he just went straight to thefactory and started grabbing all the new Mini-Marios for himself. Mario arrived just in time to see Donkey Kong run off with all his inventory!

Now it's up to you to help Mario recover his stolen trinkets and give Donkey Kong a good talking-to for not pre-ordering!

Mario confronting Donkey Kong for stealing the Mini-Marios

Mario has become so famous and popular in the Mushroom Kingdom that he has decided to establish theMario Toy Company, which has developed a new toy called the Mini-Mario. In the opening cutscene, as Donkey Kong surfs through the channels of his television set, he sees a commercial for the Mini-Marios. Donkey Kong instantly adores the toys and heads to the Toy Store to buy some, but finds that they are all sold out. Donkey Kong turns around and sees the Mario Toy Company, deciding to loot it of its Mini-Marios.

In the cutscene played when starting a file, the factory where the Mini-Marios are produced is shown to be managed by threeToads. Upon seeing Donkey Kong barge into the factory, the Toads become frightened; they are unable to stop Donkey Kong from stealing the toys, as he collects Mini-Marios encased incrystal balls and places them into a large bag with hisemblem, leaving the building afterward. Mario then notices Donkey Kong and starts chasing him.

Donkey Kong kidnapping the Toads employed by the Mario Toy Company

After Mario chases Donkey Kong across six worlds, Donkey Kong checks his bag only to realize that it is empty, as all the Mini-Marios he stole have dropped. Mario, the Mini-Marios, and the three Toads laugh at Donkey Kong for this; enraged, Donkey Kong grabs the three Toads and climbs to the top ofa tall building under construction. Mario rescues the three Toads and defeats Donkey Kong, causing him to fall off the building while the end credits roll; however, after this, a truck containing additional Mini-Marios pulls up to the building, which Donkey Kong falls directly onto. The Mini-Marios fall onto the ground and their crystal balls break, leaving them clamoring as they surround Donkey Kong. Mario asks Donkey Kong if he is okay before Donkey Kong immediately steals the Mini-Marios surrounding him, prompting Mario to give chase once again.

After Mario chases Donkey Kong through six more worlds, Donkey Kong checks his bag a second time. Presuming that Donkey Kong's bag is empty, Mario laughs at him until six Mini-Marios drop from the bag, which Donkey Kong grabs as he flees. Finally, Donkey Kong faces Mario in agiant robot holding the Mini-Marios, which Mario promptly frees while fighting Donkey Kong, eventually wrecking the machine and electrocuting Donkey Kong in the process. After this, Mario is about to scold Donkey Kong for what he did, but finds that Donkey Kong is crying in pity and shame. Mario cheers him up by giving him a free Mini-Mario. Donkey Kong gets what he has wanted all along, while Mario and the remaining Mini-Marios celebrate as the true end credits roll.

Gameplay[edit]

The second area ofLevel 1-2. Mario must reach the crystal ball to free the Mini-Mario.

Each of the game's six worlds is divided into eight levels, totaling 48 levels altogether. For the first six levels within each world, Mario must find a key and open up a door to the second half of the level, which is acheckpoint. There, Mario will find the Mini-Mario toy that Donkey Kong dropped. Mario must pick up and shatter thecrystal ball that the Mini-Mario is trapped in to complete the level. If Mario is defeated in the second half of the level, his points reset back to the points he earned in the first half of the level. At the beginning of each level, there is a short sequence of automatic gameplay showing what Mario needs to do or what he may face before playing the level. This sequence also explains what moves Mario needs to use to complete the level, displaying combinations of buttons to press.

Unlike games in theSuper Mario series of platformers, Mario always loses alife upon taking damage, and cannot improve his defensive capabilities. Different methods of losing a life cause different animations to play that show Mario being injured, accompanied by three unique musical jingles; these include the standard animation of collapsing onto the ground, being set on fire, electrocuted, squished, and falling from a large height and landing on his head. If the fall is not big enough, Mario may land on his back instead, stunning him and leaving him vulnerable for a short time.

Each level also features atime limit, which acts identically to that of theSuper Mario series. If the time limit reaches 30 seconds, Mario exclaims "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" and a warning theme starts to play, which is an arrangement of the theme in the same scenario fromDonkey Kong for the Game Boy. If the time limit runs out, Mario will say "Mamma mia, time's up!" and he loses a life. When Mario grabs the key and opens a locked door, the remaining time in the first area will be added to the time limit in the second area. In the Japanese and European versions of the game, this is made explicitly clear by the numbers of the time limit being sucked into the door as Mario leaves, whereupon they are shown being added to the second area's time limit with a addition symbol.

Mario can perform additional moves besidesjumping, such ashandstands andbackflips. To defeat enemies, Mario must pick up objects and throw them at enemies, reminiscent ofSuper Mario Bros. 2. Throughout the level, there are some collectibles that Mario can collect. Collecting the threepresents in each level are pivotal in earning a high score. Earning a high enough score to beat the default score earns a star for that level. The stars are later used to unlock Expert levels.

Once Mario completes a level and collects enough presents, he can play a shortbonus game^[12] to earn extra lives. One present may have a1-Up Mushroom, one may have a2 UP, another may have a3 UP or a5 UP, and one present may have a Donkey Kong head that gives zero lives; the contents of each present are shown at the beginning of the bonus game. One bonus game has the player stop a scrolling arrow by pressing when the arrow is directly on top of their desired present, while the other has Mario quickly swapping presents so that Donkey Kong's fist squashes undesired presents.

Level 1-mm. Mini-Mario levels take place in different settings from the base levels.

The seventh level in each world is a Mini-Mario level. Mario leads the six Mini-Mario toys he collected back to theirtoy box; however, he must make sure they avoid obstacles along the way. This leads into a battle with Donkey Kong, with each Mini-Mario saved becoming ahealth point.^[13] For example, if Mario saves all six of the Mini-Mario toys, he will be able to be hit six times by Donkey Kong before losing a life. If Mario runs out of time or loses all of his health points, the player will lose a life and must restart the battle with Donkey Kong. If the player does not complete the Mini-Mario level before entering the boss battle, Mario will start the fight with four health points, and getting aGame Over will require Mario to replay the Mini-Mario level.

After Mario has beaten the six worlds and defeated Donkey Kong, sixPlus Worlds are unlocked, numbered 1+, 2+, and so on. There are six standard levels and one boss level in each Plus World, and there are no Mini-Mario levels. Mario must get to a Mini-Mario holding a key and lead it to the door. If either Mario or Mini-Mario is defeated, the player loses a life and must restart the level. There is only one part per level in the Plus Worlds, and they are designed to be more difficult than the main worlds. There are still Donkey Kong boss levels in the Plus Worlds. In those levels, the player always starts with six health points and has 120 seconds to defeat Donkey Kong except inDonkey Kong Plus, where they have 300 seconds.

For the Expert levels, a certain number of stars collected by beating high scores are required to unlock levels. There are twelve Expert levels. Additionally, if the player leaves or restarts the level in any mode before they clear the level for the first time, they lose a life. If the level is already complete, the player will not lose a life when choosing to exit the level. However, the player will still lose a life if they retry the level, even if it is completed. No bonus game is played after collecting all the presents in the Expert levels.

Mario performing a Handstand Jump, followed by a Double Jump

Controls[edit]

• - Jump
• - Pick up item
• - Move Mario
• / - Select between worlds
• - Pause and continue game

In any level (including boss levels), pressing and at the same time activatesFree Scroll Mode,^[14][15] pausing gameplay and allowing the camera to be moved freely with the D-Pad. Pressing in this mode returns to regular gameplay.

Mario's moves[edit]

• Jump ()
• Handstand (Down +)
• Handstand Jump ( while handstanding)
• Handstand Double Jump ( after touching the ground from a Handstand Jump)
• Backflip (while facing right) (Left +)

Worlds[edit]

#	World	Description
Main worlds
1	Mario Toy Company	The first world, where Donkey Kong stole the Mini-Mario toys. This world featuresGarbage Cans,Shy Guys, and a few other gimmicks. Levels 1-1 •1-2 •1-3 •1-4 •1-5 •1-6 •1-mm •1-DK
2	Donkey Kong Jungle	Donkey Kong's next stop, featuringropes,Monchees,Snapjaws, and more. Levels 2-1 •2-2 •2-3 •2-4 •2-5 •2-6 •2-mm •2-DK
3	Fire Mountain	An area with high volcanic activity, featuringPodoboos,fire birds, andShy Guys equipped with flamethrowers. Levels 3-1 •3-2 •3-3 •3-4 •3-5 •3-6 •3-mm •3-DK
4	Spooky House	A haunted mansion, featuringBoos,Polterguys,Thwomps, and others. Levels 4-1 •4-2 •4-3 •4-4 •4-5 •4-6 •4-mm •4-DK
5	Mystic Forest	A forest world featuring mechanical elements such asBob-ombs,Conveyor Belts, and other gimmicks. Levels 5-1 •5-2 •5-3 •5-4 •5-5 •5-6 •5-mm •5-DK
6	Twilight City	An ultramodern city featuringrobotic Monchees and lasers. Levels 6-1 •6-2 •6-3 •6-4 •6-5 •6-6 •6-mm •6-DK
DK	Donkey Kong	The final boss stage in the main part of the game, set apart from other worlds.
Plus worlds
1+	Mario Toy Factory	Levels 1-1+ •1-2+ •1-3+ •1-4+ •1-5+ •1-6+ •1-DK+
2+	Donkey Kong Jungle Plus	Levels 2-1+ •2-2+ •2-3+ •2-4+ •2-5+ •2-6+ •2-DK+
3+	Fire Mountain Plus	Levels 3-1+ •3-2+ •3-3+ •3-4+ •3-5+ •3-6+ •3-DK+
4+	Spooky House Plus	Levels 4-1+ •4-2+ •4-3+ •4-4+ •4-5+ •4-6+ •4-DK+
5+	Mystic Forest Plus	Levels 5-1+ •5-2+ •5-3+ •5-4+ •5-5+ •5-6+ •5-DK+
6+	Twilight City Plus	Levels 6-1+ •6-2+ •6-3+ •6-4+ •6-5+ •6-6+ •6-DK+
DK+	Donkey Kong Plus	The final boss stage of the game, where Mario confronts a mech-piloting Donkey Kong.

Expert[edit]

Main article:Expert (world)

The Expert level selection screen

The Expert levels are a group of twelve levels that test the player's skills. The level set is first unlocked by defeating the true final boss, with each level in the set being progressively unlocked based on the number of stars the player has collected throughout the game. Each of these levels are contained in a single room, and to beat them, the player must find the key in the level to go through the door. With the exception of boss levels, these are the only levels in the game that do not involve Mini-Marios. There are no set high scores for these levels, and collecting all three presents in a level does not let the player play one of the bonus games. The music that plays during the Expert levels is at a faster tempo, and gradually increases in tempo as the time limit decrements.

• Level x-1
• Level x-2
• Level x-3
• Level x-4
• Level x-5
• Level x-6
• Level x-7
• Level x-8
• Level x-9
• Level x-10
• Level x-11
• Level x-12

Mario vs. Donkey Kong-e[edit]

Main article:Mario vs. Donkey Kong-e

Gameplay of Laser Panic!, one of the e-Reader levels

A game mode withe-Reader support can be enabled by connecting aGame Link Cable to the Game Boy Advance. This mode utilizes e-Reader cards to allow new levels to be played, where Mario is given unlimitedlives. The e-Reader levels follow the same format as the Expert levels, featuring a single room with a key and the door, and they likewise do not have a set high score or a bonus game. A total of six e-Reader cards for the game were released in Japan; however, additionalunused levels exist in the game's code. Although this mode is also present in the North American release, no e-Reader cards for the game were distributed in that region, leaving the entire mode unused.

The following levels have corresponding e-Reader cards that were officially distributed in Japan:

• Climb and Fall
• The Long Way
• One Shot Blue
• The Thwamplet
• Danger Flowers
• Laser Panic!

Items and objects[edit]

Image	Name	Description
	Key	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. In the Plus levels, each Mini-Mario is holding the key needed to unlock the level's door.
	Mini-Mario	Mini-Marios are the objective of the second half of the normal levels, where they must be rescued fromcrystal balls. They follow Mario in Mini-Mario levels. In the Plus levels, there is one Mini-Mario per stage, which must be rescued and brought to the door to beat the level.
	1-Up Mushroom	1-Up Mushrooms give Mario anextra life.
	Color Switch	Color Switches are found in three variations: red, yellow, and blue. As its main effect, the switch that is active makes platforms, Color Blocks, and ladders of the same color available to use.
	Color Block	Color Blocks can be active or inactive to create walls or platforms, depending on which Color Switch is currently active.
	Spring	Springs help Mario jump higher. They can also be used by Mini-Marios.
	Conveyor Belt	Conveyor Belts appear in large groups in some levels. They are used to transport keys and to help Mario through narrow areas. Their direction can be changed with aDirection Switch.
	Donut Block	Donut Blocks are platforms that fall down if Mario or Mini-Mario stays on them for too long.
	Elevator	Elevators are found moving on lines. Their directions can be changed with a Direction Switch.
	Wire	Metal bars that Mario can grab onto to move across gaps or swing upwards.
	Ladder	Ladders can be climbed to reach higher places. Some ladders are activated by Color Switches.
	Rope	Objects that hang from ceilings. Mario can climb or descend them, and he can also grab two ropes at the same time.
	Chain	Chains function identically to ropes, replacing them in worlds such asFire Mountain andTwilight City.
	Crumble Block	Blocks that crumble into dust when stood on.
	Garbage Can	These items can be carried and thrown by Mario. He can use them to defeat certain enemies, as auxiliary platforms to reach other platforms, or to move across long gaps withspikes.
	Barrel
	Hammer	Hammers are found floating on platforms. Mario can use them to defeat enemies, such asOil. They can be thrown upwards and grabbed again while in the air.
	Present	Presents are found in red, yellow, and blue varieties. When all three are collected in a level, they are used in a bonus game where the player can win extra lives.
	Letter	The letters T-O-Y are found in Mini-Mario levels. They must be collected by Mini-Marios to open thetoy box.
	Toy box	Toy boxes are the goal of the Mini-Mario levels. If the letters T-O-Y are collected, it opens and allows Mario to drop off his Mini-Marios.
	Help Box	Help Boxes appear in several levels. When touched, it reminds the player how to perform one of Mario's moves.

Enemies and obstacles[edit]

Image	Name	Description	Levels
			First	Last
	Bat	Bats are enemies that, once released, fly horizontally through the stage. If they touch Mario, they latch on to him, stunning him and causing him to fall from the rope he is climbing.	Level 5-4	Level 5-5+
	Bird	Small birds that fly horizontally once they leave theirnests. They also drop polka-dottedeggs at Mario.	Level 2-3	Level 2-4+
	Bob-omb	Bob-ombs are dropped out of dispensers. They light their fuses when Mario is near and explode moments later. They can be used to destroyBob-omb Blocks to progress.	Level 5-3	Level x-12
	Boo	Boos appear in Spooky House. They chase Mario when he is not looking at them, and remain still while being watched.	Level 4-4	Level 4-4+
	Brickman	Brickmen are placed on platforms. They throw a line of three bricks underneath them, forcing Mario tohandstand to avoid being hit.	Level 1-6	Level 6-2+
	Bucket Man	Bucket Men hide inside Garbage Cans to confuse the player. They reveal themselves if Mario hops on them, they will start walking. Mario cannot grab and throw them as ordinary Garbage Cans, but rather use them as moving platforms during their motion to get past spike pits. These creatures can be defeated by throwing another object at them.	Level 1-4	The Long Way
	Candle	Candles appear in Spooky House, where they float up and down.	Level 4-2	Level 4-2
	Cannon andCannonball	Cannons tilt up and down, shooting cannonballs.	Level 5-4	Level 5-6+
	Falling spike	Falling spikes fall from ceilings when Mario gets near them. When they get stuck on the ground, they act as temporary platforms for the player.	Level 4-3	Level 4-DK+
	Fire bird	Flaming birds that appear inFire Mountain. They also drop burning eggs at Mario.	Level 3-2	Level x-9
	Fireball	Fireballs walk from side to side on an area. They burn Mario once they touch him.	Level 1-2	The Long Way
	Laser	Beams of energy that fire periodically depending on their color. They electrocute Mario on contact.	Level 6-1	Laser Panic!
	Lava Geyser	Lava Geysers rise out of pits of lava and cause platforms to float on top of them, allowing Mario to reach higher ground.	Level 3-1	Level 3-4
	Monchee	Monchees are mechanical monkeys with long tails that hang below the platforms they are on. Mario can use these tails as ropes without getting harmed. However, he still loses a life if he touches a Monchee's body.	Level 2-3	One Shot Blue
	Ninji	Simple enemies that jump up and down, which can help Mario reach higher areas. They are invincible.	Level 3-1	Level x-9
	Oil	Burning oil cans with "OIL" written on their sides. They move up and down and burn Mario if he touches them.	Level 1-2	Level 1-3+
	Podoboo	Podoboos are found jumping out fromlava. They can burn Mario if he touches them, and they cannot be defeated.	Level 3-3	Level x-3
	RamRam	RamRams are found in jungle levels. Despite being enemies, they are used as platforms occasionally. They can be defeated by colliding with fruit, another enemy, or an object.	Level 2-2	One Shot Blue
	Robo Kikki	Robots that act similar to Monchees, but move faster.	Level 6-3	Laser Panic!
	Shy Guy	Simple enemies that move side to side continuously.	Level 1-1	Level x-7
	Fire Shy Guy	Fire Shy Guys are found in Fire Mountain. Besides walking from side to side, they also shoot fire that can harm Mario.	Level 3-3	Level x-9
	Polterguy	Polterguys move from side to side. There are three variations of this species: blue, red, and yellow. If a Color Switch of their respective color is pressed, they turn into safe, stationary blocks.	Level 4-3	Level x-10
	Spear Guy	Spear Guys 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.	Level 5-2	Level 5-5+
	Wrench Shy Guy	Wrench Shy Guys appear in Twilight City. When they spot Mario, they gasp and attack by throwing wrenches horizontally.	Level 6-1	Level 6-4+
	Sir Shovalot	Stubby knight-like enemies that are first seen moving along the ground. Once they spot Mario, they quickly move towards him and use their front armor to shove him. This can be harmful if Mario is squished between the armor and a wall, but it can also help him go through narrow places if heducks beforehand. Sir Shovalots cannot be defeated in any manner.	Level 4-2	Level 6-5
	Snapjaw	Snapjaws are seen climbing ropes in forest levels. They can be only defeated by falling fruit.	Level 2-5	Level 2-5+
	Spiked Barrel	Donkey Kong throws Spiked Barrels at Mario in one of the boss stages, alongside large barrels with hisemblem. Neither of these barrel types can be stood on, and will instead hurt Mario on contact.	Donkey Kong	Donkey Kong
	Spikes	Hazards that remain in place and are lethal to Mario.	Level 1-3	Laser Panic!
	Tane Pakkun	Tane Pakkun are found stationary on platforms, usually near ropes. They spit seeds to harm Mario.	Level 2-1	Danger Flowers
	Thwomp	Thwomps watch the ground and try to crush Mario if he walks under them. Switch-controlled blocks can be used to prevent them from reaching the player. If Mario touches them in any way, including standing on top of them, he will lose a life.	Level 4-1	The Thwamplet
	Thwomp Platform	Thwomp Platforms fall from the ceiling, just like normalThwomps. However, they keep rising and falling in a set pattern even if Mario is not near. They can be used as platforms.	Level 3-2	Level x-9
	Thwimp	Thwimps jump from side to side, trying to crush Mario. They are invulnerable.	Level 4-1	Level x-4
	Wire Trap	Balls of electrical energy that move acrosswires.	Level 1-4	Level 6-6
	Donkey Kong	Donkey Kong is the only boss of the game, fought in every world. In each of his fights, he attacks Mario in a different manner.	Level 1-DK	Donkey Kong Plus

Staff[edit]

Main article:List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong staff

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is one of the fewSuper Mario games to be developed by an American team,Nintendo Software Technology Corporation (NST). In NST's team, Shigeki Yamashiro is the producer while Yukimi Shimura is the director. Wing S. Cho designed the game and Yoonjoon Lee is the engineering director.

Development[edit]

This section is about the unreleased game canceled in favor ofMario vs. Donkey Kong. For the world and level inMario vs. Donkey Kong, seevs. Donkey Kong Plus.

Main article:List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong pre-release and unused content

Donkey Kong Plus, an updated version of theGame BoyDonkey Kong, was initially planned. The only known difference between the original andPlus, aside from the graphics, was the addition of a level designer to be used through theNintendo GameCube for players to create their own levels with. However, the game vanished the following year in favor ofMario vs. Donkey Kong, with the level editor gone and the graphics replaced with pre-rendered graphics. The game's sequel,Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, reintroduced the level editor feature in the form of theConstruction Zone, which made use ofNintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Quotes[edit]

Main article:List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong quotes

Mario[edit]

• "Come back here, you big-a monkey!"
• "Ah, thatCharles Martinet. Nice Italian boy!"
• "Oh yeah, don't forget to thankMr. Miyamoto!"
• "Let's-a go, little guys!"

Pre-release and unused content[edit]

Main article:List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong pre-release and unused content

By using hacks, all of the unusede-Reader levels in both the North American and Japanese versions of the game can be accessed. An incomplete level editor also exists in the code of the game's release builds; this idea would later be fully realized as theConstruction Zone mode inMario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis.

Glitches[edit]

Game softlock[edit]

In the second room ofLevel 4-3, Mario must go near the spring on the far right side of the screen. When the bottommost redPolterguy is close to the invisible wall on the right side of the screen, but is not touching the wall, Mario must press the red switch to turn the Polterguy into a stationary block. If the space in between the Polterguy and the wall is roughly equivalent to the width of Mario's sprite, Mario must perform a high jump on the spring while moving to the right. If performed correctly, Mario will not collide with the invisible wall, causing him to fly off screen, where he falls briefly until taking damage. At this point, Mario would normally lose a life and the room would be restarted; however, instead, all elements of the level continue to move indefinitely without the timer decrementing, putting the game in anunwinnable state, where the only action the player can take is to reset the system.^[16]

Mario floats in midair while crushed[edit]

InLevel x-3, if Mario gets crushed by aThwomp Platform while standing on alift platform, Mario will be flattened and lose a life, but as the animation of him floating to the ground is played, he will still follow the movements of the platform. This can cause Mario to continuously float in the air, and can also cause him to float upwards.^[17]

Stopped voice clips[edit]

At any time when the player is opening a locked door, they can press and at the same time to activate Free Scroll Mode. When this mode is exited, the music jingle at the end of a level will still play, but the door's sound effects and Mario's sound effects will not, due to being interrupted by the sound effect of Free Scroll Mode being cancelled.^[18]

Reception[edit]

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is generally well-received by critics, aggregating an average of 81/100 on Metacritic^[19] and 79.07% on GameRankings.^[20] Craig Harris of IGN gave the game an 8.5/10, "Great".^[21] Harris praised the game for having "faithfully retained the Donkey Kong arcade game's look and feel". His reaction is mild about the Donkey Kong boss levels, calling them "the ones with the least amount of creativity". He criticized the presentation, calling the sprites "awkward but admittedly well-animated 3D rendered" while the voice-overs from Mario and Donkey Kong are unnecessary, although not distracting. Despite these, he praises the game's faithfulness of the Game Boy AdvanceDonkey Kong games, with its fantastic level design and lasting appeal.

Marcel van Duyn of Nintendo Life has echoed some of IGN's statements, deeming the game to be "a worthy successor", giving the game an 8/10.^[22] As in the IGN review, Duyn criticized the game's pre-rendered sprites, saying that it "although it actually looks pretty good, it's a bit strange to see this style in a Nintendo title again after all this time." Duyn is disappointed that "the series has only had Lemmings-esque installments since", believing "the original formula is perfectly worthy of another day in the limelight."

In a more critical review, Stephen Carvell of VideoGamer praises the game's visuals, but criticizes the game's level design, calling the reliance on the color-coded switches "tedious" and the later levels for using the same puzzles. He also criticized the Mini-Mario levels for having "appalling level design that smacks of a lack of ideas." He gave the game a 6/10.^[23]

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

• 

  Mario holding a key

• 

  Mario climbing ropes

• 

  Mario breaking aMini-Mario's crystal ball

• 

  Donkey Kong holding a barrel

• 

  Donkey Kong holding a Mini-Mario sack

Multimedia[edit]

For the complete list of media files for this subject, seeMultimedia:Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong - Title screen theme

File info 0:30

Mario vs. Donkey Kong - Mario: "Ah, that Charles Martinet. Nice Italian boy!"

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Mario vs. Donkey Kong - Mario: "Oh yeah, don't forget to thank Mr. Miyamoto!"

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References to other games[edit]

Donkey Kong (Arcade/NES)

• "Title BGM" is arranged in the title screen music.
• "Game Start" is arranged in the introductory cutscene's music and the boss music.
• "Hammer BGM" theme plays while using a hammer.
• When being defeated by an enemy or running out of time, the music that plays contains a sequence of descending arpeggios, much like the death fanfare from this game.

Donkey Kong Jr.

• Snapjaws appear as enemies.
• Mario is able to climb faster using two ropes and drop fruit on enemies, like Junior could in this game.

Super Mario Bros.

• TheGround BGM is arranged in the title screen music.

Super Mario Bros. 2

• Shy Guys appear as the first enemies that Mario encounters to illustrate that he must pick up and throw enemies to defeat them, in a similar manner to this game.

Donkey Kong (Game Boy)

• Mario is able to performHandstands, Handstand Jumps,Backflips,Wire Spins, pick up items, and throw items.
• Hammers can be thrown upwards.
• Monchee,Bucket Man,Sir Shovalot, andOil return.
• The battle invs. Donkey Kong Plus is mechanically identical to the battle inStage 9-9.

Names in other languages[edit]

Notes[edit]

• While Donkey Kong's voice uses recycled clips ofGrant Kirkhope's voice fromDonkey Kong 64 in all versions of the game, the Japanese commercial for the game features Donkey Kong being voiced byTakashi Nagasako, the voice actor for Donkey Kong from 2004 to 2025. However, in theNintendo Switchremake, all of Donkey Kong's voice clips are from Nagasako.
• The title screen in the Japanese version was redone to feature the Mini-Marios, rather than feature Mario and Donkey Kong as is the case in the American and European versions. The presentation of the Japanese title screen was reused for the title screens ofMario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis andMario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, even for the international releases.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Mario vs. Donkey Kong coverage on otherNIWA wikis:

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