Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

"Lets just say these toys weren't "made in China""

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2 is the sequel to the uncanny platformer release nearly three years ago. This game, however, is not even close to being a platformer. Its a wild puzzle game, that will be in your DS for a long, long time.

Gameplay: Your objective is to tap and stroke all the Mini Mario toys to the goal. Thats it, just move them with the stylus and don't let them bump into any unwanted enemies. In MVDK2 there are tons of fun boss battles that actually require skill. I think this game plays a lot like Lemmings, which is a good thing. I was surprised to see Pauline make a comeback in this game. Where the hell was she? Anyway, most of the levels are short and easy. Sometimes the controls are a little unresponsive, but you quickly get used to it. I also have to point out the Wi-fi mode. In the Wi-fi mode, you share the levels you made using the masterful in-game level editor. I'd love to try all your levels!! I've spent hours alone building levels and the online capabilities make this game even better. The main game is pretty easy; you can probably breeze through it in a couple hours.

Graphics: The graphics in this game are nicely animated sprites. What were you expecting? Everything is animated well, but isn't pushing the DS to its limits. Its still all great, I have no reason to complain. You probably won't ( I hope ). You'll find a large array of enemies including the infamous Shy-Guy and Klap-trap, all animated well.

Sound: Yes, the sound. Its also great. All the tunes in this game are either random jingles or remixed Mario tunes. Both are really great to listen to when you come across them. The SFX are pretty good, but could use a little improvement.

Replay: There is tons to do. Complete the single player campaign, make your own levels, and send them to other players across the world. The level editor alone will occupy a lot of time.

But, Rent, or Leave: Buy this fantastic title if you enjoy puzzle games or anything with the world famous plumber in it. Rent it if you would like to kill TONS of time, and leave it if you do not agree, or just think puzzle games are lame.

Conclusion: I've played better DS games, but this is one of the most addicting puzzlers in years. I highly recommend you at least give this game a try, its quite the invention. Good job, Nintendo!!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/14/06