Mario vs. Donkey Kong

"Action Games, we don't need no stinkin' action games."

There are times that when a company remakes a great game, and you know the remake has got to be good, otherwise... there will be a mutiny. Luckily, Nintendo did not disappoint us with this game.

For those who never played any of the originals, Donkey Kong was a simple platformer. It was 4 levels long, and you had to try to rescue your girlfriend in each level while dodging barrels and flame things. (If you're wondering, it was 3 get to the girl, and 1 knock out all the supports to KO DK) Luckilly your mighty hammer was there to help you. And then some how it got released for GB...and really nothing's ever been the same for me since.

DK for GB (AKA DK'94) started the same way, but instead of the happy little ending that we had in the arcade....DK got up, took your girl and proceeded to engage upon what seemed to be a never ending romp of 100 levels through the city, forest, in and on an Artic-bound airplane, thorugh a rocky valley and ended up witha classic showdown on a tower, that's been emulated in games since. (Notably Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons has a final battle in the same flair).

DK is a special game for me. One of the most enjoyable games I've ever played, as well as one of the most satisfying. Also one of my early favorites, and it got me hooked on gaming.

Anyway, Nintendo did make a remake, and while they made some changes, they we're not that significant.

Anyway...

Graphics: 10/10

The graphics are crisp and clean. Its easy to distinguish every obect on the screen, and for a game like this, thats important. Backgrounds are nicely rendered, and don't interfere with the foreground.

Music+Sounds: 10/10
Again, nothing truly gets in the middle of the gameplay. Boss music can get you pumped up, while there is a little "HURRY THE HELL UP OR KISS A LIFE GOOD BYE" theme that plays after the clock hits 20. I always love that theme.

Story: N/A
Its a puzzle game, there isn't much of a story needed. Its goes something like this. Mario, ever monopolizing the Mushrrom Kingdom with his goods, though to himself "Heya, I canna get the little kids to lika me more if I make a doll!". So comes the Mini-Mario dolls. DK sees these on TV is smitten with them. Unfortunately he didn't get a presale, and they're all gone by the time he gets to the toy store. So what does he do? He steals them from the factory, conviently located right accross the street. And then we're off on another fun-filled romp through more classic Mario-esque venues.

Gameplay: (A BIG FAT) 10/10

The gameplay is remarkably unchanged from DK'94. Yes, that's right. A remake that doesn't change around the gameplay. Why? Because the first was so damn good. There are a few tricks that Mario can pull off with the press of a couple easy to remember button combinations, and you use these to get yourself through a few different types of missions. The first is get the key to the door, the mainstay gameplay of DK'94. Then you're put into the second room of a level and have to rescue the Mini-Mario doll somewhere in the room. The third (and always seventh in the chain) is the Mini-Mario missions, which require you to move all of the dolls you collected into a toybin. It should be said that these levels are far more complex then what it sounds like. You need to use switches a lot, and its a good puzzle adventure. Also, if you collect the three presents in a level you go on to a bonus room for a chacne to win extra lives. Finally the fourth level is a battle with DK (last in the chain), and if you beat it, you move on to the next world.

I mean, I'm a little ticked from moving away from DK'94's 4 level system (3 levels of getting to DK followed by a battle with him, after which you get a cutscene and move onto the next 4 levels.), but...I'm not pissed. Its a good arrangement, and it provides a lot of fun. I'm a seasoned veteran of DK'94 and I was shocked when I actually had something to do after getting the key to the door.

I'm also a little steamed about the bonus games. I really liked the slots and roulette from DK'94, but the replacements are alright. Not the best, but alright.

Replay: 10/10
Beating the game once earns you a new set of worlds to work on. Getting all the hi-scores for a level lets you play the expert levels as well. There's 100 levels in the gmae, so it really doesn't get stale.

I mean, i do have some problems with it, but they don't affect gamplay on the least bit, so I really don't mind it.

Get it, its a good game for a trip. I should end with saying that as I write, my 2 gamepaks are making sweet sweet love to eachother. (Yes I'm still playing DK'94, yesterday as a matter of fact) Nothign else other to say, this is a great puzzler, and requires some thinking on how to get through. Seeya.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/31/04, Updated 06/01/04