Highlights
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong, a classic handheld puzzle game, is being remade for the Nintendo Switch with updated graphics and co-op support.
- The game combines platforming and puzzle elements as Mario navigates stages to rescue mini-Marios from Donkey Kong's clutches.
- The updated version will feature local co-op, allowing friends to play together as Mario and Toad, and will be released on February 16, 2024.
The classic handheld puzzle title Mario vs. Donkey Kong is coming back on the Nintendo Switch with updated graphics and new co-op support. Mario and Donkey Kong have a shared history together, as both Nintendo mascots made their debut in the original Donkey Kong arcade game in 1981. Since then, the plumber and ape have alternated between friends and rivals in crossover titles like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., and there was even an entire series of portable spin-offs devoted to their legendary feud.
The original Mario vs. Donkey Kong was released on the Game Boy Advance in 2004, and blended platforming and puzzle elements as Mario navigated stages in search of keys to rescue the toy-like mini-Marios from Donkey Kong’s clutches. Many Mario vs. Donkey Kong sequels have been released since, with the most recent one being Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars for the Wii U in 2015.
Now the original Mario vs. Donkey Kong is being remade for the Nintendo Switch on February 16, 2024. This was one of the first announcements made during today’s Nintendo Direct livestream, with a colorful trailer showing off Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s plot and platformer/puzzle gameplay. After Donkey Kong steals the mini-Mario toys, the real Mario springs into action to get them back by running and jumping his way through several puzzle-like courses.
The trailer goes on to demonstrate how players use observation to solve the various dilemmas Mario comes across in his journey. For example, Mario needs to clear a chasm of spikes to reach the key on the other side at one point, which he does by grabbing hold of a wind-up money’s tail to carry him across the gap. Mario can also use Handstand Jumps and backflips to jump higher, trigger structures with switches, and bounce off of enemies to collect mini-Marios and clear stages.
As a bonus, this updated version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong will feature local co-op, allowing friends to take on the game’s challenges together as Mario and Toad. The original Mario vs. Donkey Kong games are considered to be underrated gems of the Game Boy Advance era, and now fans will be able to dive into the fabled rivalry either for the first time or all over again when this Switch update is released in February.
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong launches on the Nintendo Switch on February 16, 2024.
