With the arrival of February, the beginning of Nintendo’s actual 2024 starts. By that, we mean that the exclusive titles of the Nintendo Switch will start arriving! Yes, a few 3rd party games came out in January, but February is the start of the “first-party glory” that many hope to bank on and enjoy. But what starts it off? That would be the remake of Mario vs Donkey Kong. This was the Game Boy Advance title that saw the iconic characters going at it, and now, it’s being completely remade from top to bottom, with all sorts of new things attached to it.
The story is as follows. Donkey Kong is chilling in his place when he sees a commercial for special Mini-Mario toys. Entranced, he decides to go to a store to get some. But, wouldn’t you know it? They’re sold out! We totally don’t know that feeling regarding things like Amiibo, right Nintendo? Anyway, DK is ticked, so he goes to the nearby factory that makes the Mini-Mario figures, steals them all, and flees! Mario catches him in the act and gives chase, and that’s where your fun begins!
To celebrate the game’s imminent release, Nintendo dropped a new Mario vs Donkey Kong trailer, focusing on the gameplay elements and how you’ll try to save the various toys. You’ll go from world to world and work around the environment, puzzles, and enemies to return each toy! It won’t be easy, as each world has unique puzzles and obstacles to overcome. Thankfully, Mario can use the environment to his advantage to get around or use his own talents to tip the scales and get through each level.
Plus, there will be some levels where you’re not just finding the Mini-Marios but actually leading them to the exit! Oh, and true to its namesake, you’ll sometimes get to square off against Donkey Kong himself, re-enacting the battles from the classic arcade games but with a new style and feel.
Despite it being a remake of a GBA title, it’s robust. Nintendo added new worlds to the title, meaning there are over 130 levels for you to beat! That’s not all they added, though. To help players out, they added a “Casual Mode” to lighten the burden of harder levels. They also put in a time attack mode and can play with others!
Oh, and if that’s not enough? The game has a demo out right now that you can play!
