Before the adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom, there was the rivalry between a plumber and a gorilla
Continuing with the Switch remakes of major titles from its main franchise, Nintendo launched, on February 16th, Mario vs. Donkey Kong — recreation of the 2004 game for Game Boy Advance. A Legion of Heroes received a copy of the game to test and find out if the conflict between these two icons of gaming history deserves your attention. Come with me?
DATASHEET
Title: Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Release date of: February 16, 2024
Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Mode: Single player, multiplayer
Genres: Platform and Puzzle
PT/BR Translation: Yes
Faithful but tepid remake
It’s easy to forget how Nintendo’s main franchises began, after having established themselves as pop culture icons. But, there 1981, Mario’s first appearance was in the original Donkey Kong game, with the mustachioed man in charge of saving a maiden kidnapped by the gorilla. This rivalry was revived by Nintendo in 2004, with Mario vs. Donkey KongGBA game, and this title was chosen for the new remake from the company.
Just like the original, Mario vs Donkey Kong it is a platform/puzzle where you help the plumber track down the escaped gorilla who robbed his doll factory. There are several “worlds” paying homage to scenarios, trails, enemies and mechanics from both franchises, where the objective of the stages is to recover the stolen toys that were left along the way. At the end of each world, there is a bonus phase where you guide the dolls to a chest and, finally, the confrontation between Mario and Kong, always with different mechanics, paying homage to the game that gave rise to both. Simple, right?
Technically, the recreation is flawless. The visuals are sensational, the soundtrack has been revamped to perfection, the gameplay has been improved but still remains faithful to the source, and additions like cutscenes and the cooperative mode – where the second player takes on the role of the Toad – really make the title more fun and modern, without losing its nostalgic charm.
There are, however, small things that could be improved; The game’s difficulty level is very low, even when you unlock an advanced option. Of course, even though it’s not exactly a children’s game, it’s a title aimed at the whole family and younger players. However, Mario and Donkey Kong are franchises that span generations of players and a more challenging alternative would be great.
Furthermore, there are dated GBA legacies in the gameplay and today the player’s behavior no longer works as it did in the portable era. Mario’s jump is much lower than any other recent plumber game, commands to climb and drop objects with a touch of the directional pad are counterintuitive and the plumber’s acrobatics are a fascinating point (to say the least) included in the remake. But these are little things, which do not interfere with the overall experience.
The big con of Mario vs. Donkey Kong, however, is in production on the remake itself. It’s a game that works well for the portable GBA, as well as its sequels for the DS and 3DS. For Switch, it’s just a very, very weak title, which offers a moment of fun, but which you probably won’t revisit. It’s not like Super Mario RPG, a SNES classic that took too long to receive new glories, which has substance for the new generation and is worth the price (high) charged for games currently.
Therefore, it is difficult to really evaluate Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Once again, on a technical level there is nothing wrong with the game, just one or two little things in the gameplay that you get used to as the game progresses.
It’s not a super interesting title, though., which will keep you for hours or make you return. It’s not even a party game, for you to enjoy with friends and family. It’s a simple, sincere and nostalgic adventure, but that’s it.
That way, Mario vs. Donkey Kong take note 6 of the Legion of Heroes. If you’re a super fan of the titular characters, you’ll probably be happy with the remake. If not, maybe it’s better to wait for the next one.
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