Platform power!
Mario vs. Donkey Kong swings onto Switch consoles.
Mario and Donkey Kong have been starring in games together for 43 years now, having first met in the 1981 game Donkey Kong. They show no signs of stopping, either: their latest game has just come out for Nintendo’s Switch console.
It’s called Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and it’s an all-new version of a game that was originally released in 2004 for one of the Switch’s ancestors: the Game Boy Advance. The graphics have been improved a lot for Nintendo’s latest device. There are also new levels, a two-player “co-op” (play together) mode and a “casual style” mode that makes the game easier and more relaxing. Like many of Mario and Donkey Kong’s famous games, this is all about platforms: running along them, jumping on and off them and using them to bounce on monsters, while avoiding spikes and traps.
There are also puzzles to solve, for example flicking switches to make platforms appear and disappear, or creating bridges to get across gaps between platforms. You also have to find three presents in each level, as well as keys to unlock doors.
In some levels you lead a group of “Mini Mario” characters through the level, while others are “boss battles” where you fight against Donkey Kong himself – a powerful gorilla who keeps you on your toes with special attacks.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a great game for playing at your own pace, either trying to complete levels as fast as you can in “speedruns”, if you like that challenge, or working slowly to solve the puzzles and have fun. The co-op mode is fun too. In co-op mode you can play with a friend or family member – or even some adults who might remember the original game from all those years ago.