Parents' Guide to

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Fun but short puzzle game; a bit pricey.

Game Nintendo Switch 2024
Mario vs. Donkey Kong box shot: Mario holds a key, Donkey Kong holds a Mini Mario.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mario navigates a theme park-themed level.
  • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mario navigates an urban level while standing on his hands.
  • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mario faces off against Donkey Kong in a boss battle.

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What’s It About?

MARIO VS. DONKEY KONG for Switch is a remake of the 2004 game Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Nintendo DS. Players control Mario, the owner of a company that manufacturers an extremely popular wind-up Mini Mario toy. Donkey Kong sees an ad for the toy while channel surfing at home and decides he needs it. He runs to the store only to discover the shelves are empty. So he breaks into Mario's factory and steals all the Minis. Mario is then forced to go on a journey to get them all back. Each world is composed of several small levels that involve finding a key while avoiding (or attacking) enemies, then rescuing a group of Mini Marios. Players need to solve little environment puzzles along the way, hitting switches and climbing ladders in just the right order to progress. Worlds conclude with a quick boss fight against Donkey Kong, who's usually doing things like throwing barrels at Mario in a fit of rage. The remake contains all of the original levels plus a couple of newly designed worlds. It also adds a co-op mode for friends in the same room, as well as a "casual" mode designed to make the game a little more forgiving for younger and inexperienced players.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

This is a great game, but it's overpriced. Tagged at $50, Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Switch can be finished in a weekend, and doesn't have much replay value beyond social gaming with visitors and a time attack mode that comes available upon completing the campaign. While the updated graphics are vibrant and pretty, at the end of the day it's simply a collection of very short side-scrolling levels. Paying just $15 less for this than something like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which provides players with potentially hundreds of hours of play in an enormous and meticulously crafted world, doesn't seem to make much sense.

That said, it's hard to imagine anyone not having fun for the short time they spend with it. The puzzles are challenging without ever becoming off-putting, and the boss battles fondly recall classic Nintendo games of the 1980s, like Donkey Kong, where Mario first faced his longtime simian rival. The handful of new levels fit in perfectly with the originals, and the new casual mode and co-op play should help keep younger players from getting too frustrated. Mario vs. Donkey Kong is definitely worth a play, just maybe not the price.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about diversity in games. Mario vs. Donkey Kong has one, non-customizable human character, which doesn't allow most players to see themselves represented in the game. Would you be in favor of a Mario game that allowed players to customize his appearance, from skin tone and voice to gender and clothes?

  • Talk about how advertising can influence people. Have you, like Donkey Kong, ever seen an ad that made you immediately want to rush out and by something? How would you react if that thing was sold out? Talk about ways advertising influences us.

  • Although Mario has his property stolen, he still shows compassion toward the thieves that took it. Have you every had compassion toward someone who's done something hurtful to you? How can compassion be an important character strength in situations like this?

  • Families can create fun memories but turning this game into a family game night. This game adds a co-op mode for friends and family in the same room to play together. This is a great idea to use gaming as a way to bond with your kids and learn about the forms of media they enjoy. Use this time playing as a way to open up discussion about the characters in the game, their thought process while playing, and how they create strategy.

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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