Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Difference between revisions

Mario vs. Donkey Kong
	; American box art; For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console (3DS, Wii U)
Release date	Game Boy Advance:; May 24, 2004; June 4, 2004; June 10, 2004; November 19, 2004; Virtual Console (3DS) (Ambassador Program Release):; December 15, 2011; December 16, 2011; December 16, 2011; December 16, 2011; Virtual Console (Wii U):; July 23, 2014; September 17, 2015; September 18, 2015; February 9, 2017;
Language(s)	English (United States); French (France); German; Spanish (Spain); Italian; Japanese;
Genre	Puzzle/Action
ESRB:	- Everyone
PEGI:	- Three years and older
CERO:	- All ages
ACB:	- General
USK:	- All ages
Mode(s)	Single Player
Format	Wii U: Digital download Game Boy Advance: Game Pak e-Reader card Nintendo 3DS: Digital download
Input	Wii U: Wii U GamePad Wii Remote (horizontal) Classic Controller Wii U Pro Controller Game Boy Advance: Gamepad Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad
Serial code(s)	AGB-BM5E-USA (USA/Australia); AGB-BM5J-JPN; AGB-BM5P-EUR;

Latest revision as of 19:11, September 27, 2024

This article is about the first game in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. For its Nintendo Switch remake, see Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch). For the series itself, see Mario vs. Donkey Kong (series).

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a game for the Game Boy Advance. It is more or less a spiritual successor to Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, as it features the return of many original elements such as the construction site setting, Mario's athleticism, his rivalrly with Donkey Kong, usage of the hammer, and borrows elements from Super Mario Bros. 2, especially with picking up enemies and items. Despite bringing elements from the previous platformers, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is more of a puzzle platformer; Mario must find the best route to complete the level by hitting switches and interacting with other objects, often in a specific order. This game spawned multiple sequels and became the first installment of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series; this is the only game in the series, however, to feature Mario himself as a playable character, since the later games have the player control Mini-Marios.

The game was re-released as a free downloadable title for the Nintendo 3DS on December 16, 2011. However, it was only available to people who purchased a Nintendo 3DS prior to the August 12, 2011 price drop, meaning that they had to be a part of the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program. It was re-released again on the Wii U's Virtual Console in Japan on July 23, 2014, in Europe on September 17, 2015, in Australia on September 18, 2015 and in the Americas on February 9, 2017.

A remake of the same name was released for the Nintendo Switch on February 16, 2024.

Story[edit]

The following text is taken from page 6 of the North American instruction booklet for the game:

It looks like Donkey Kong is up to his old tricks again!
Over in the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario has become so famous that he's started his own toy company. His new Mini-Mario action figures are all the rage, and this cute li'l wind-up toy is just flying off the shelves.
In fact, these toys are so popular that stores can't even keep them in stock. Donkey Kong just loves these new toys, but when he showed up at the store, they were all gone!
Donkey Kong's not famous for his patience, and he wasn't about to wait for the next shipment, so he just went straight to the factory and started grabbing all the new Mini-Marios for himself. Mario arrived just in time to see Donkey Kong run off with all his inventory!
Now it's up to you to help Mario recover his stolen trinkets and give Donkey Kong a good talking-to for not pre-ordering!

Mario confronting Donkey Kong in Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Mario confronting Donkey Kong for stealing the Mini-Marios

Mario has become so famous and popular in the Mushroom Kingdom that he has decided to establish the Mario Toy Company, which has developed a new toy called the Mini-Mario. In the opening cutscene, as Donkey Kong surfs through the channels of his television set, he sees a commercial for the Mini-Marios. Donkey Kong instantly adores the toys and heads to the Toy Store to buy some, but finds that they are all sold out. Donkey Kong turns around and sees the Mario Toy Company, deciding to loot it of its Mini-Marios.

In the cutscene played when starting a file, the factory where the Mini-Marios are produced is shown to be managed by three Toads. Upon seeing Donkey Kong barge into the factory, the Toads become frightened; they are unable to stop Donkey Kong from stealing the toys, as he collects Mini-Marios encased in crystal balls and places them into a large bag with his emblem, leaving the building afterward. Mario then notices Donkey Kong and starts chasing him.

Cutscene frame after Level 6-DK in Mario vs. Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong kidnapping the Toads employed by the Mario Toy Company

After Mario chases Donkey Kong across six worlds, Donkey Kong checks his bag only to realize that it is empty, as all the Mini-Marios he stole have dropped. Mario, the Mini-Marios, and the three Toads laugh at Donkey Kong for this; enraged, Donkey Kong grabs the three Toads and climbs to the top of a tall building under construction. Mario rescues the three Toads and defeats Donkey Kong, causing him to fall off the building while the end credits roll; however, after this, a truck containing additional Mini-Marios pulls up to the building, which Donkey Kong falls directly onto. The Mini-Marios fall onto the ground and their crystal balls break, leaving them clamoring as they surround Donkey Kong. Mario asks Donkey Kong if he is okay before Donkey Kong immediately steals the Mini-Marios surrounding him, prompting Mario to give chase once again.

After Mario chases Donkey Kong through six more worlds, Donkey Kong checks his bag a second time. Presuming that Donkey Kong's bag is empty, Mario laughs at him until six Mini-Marios drop from the bag, which Donkey Kong grabs as he flees. Finally, Donkey Kong faces Mario in a giant robot holding the Mini-Marios, which Mario promptly frees while fighting Donkey Kong, eventually wrecking the machine and electrocuting Donkey Kong in the process. After this, Mario is about to scold Donkey Kong for what he did, but finds that Donkey Kong is crying in pity and shame. Mario cheers him up by giving him a free Mini-Mario. Donkey Kong gets what he has wanted all along, while Mario and the remaining Mini-Marios celebrate as the true end credits roll.

Gameplay[edit]

Each of the game's six worlds is divided into eight levels, totaling 48 levels altogether. For the first six levels within each world, Mario must find a key and open up a door to the second half of the level, which is a checkpoint. There, Mario will find the Mini-Mario toy that Donkey Kong dropped. If Mario is defeated in the second half of the level, his points reset back to the points he earned in the first half of the level. At the beginning of each level, there is a short sequence of automatic gameplay showing what Mario needs to do or what he may face before playing the level. This sequence also explains what moves Mario needs to use to complete the level, displaying combinations of buttons to press.

Unlike games in the Super Mario series of platformers, Mario always loses a life upon taking damage, and cannot improve his defensive capabilities. Different methods of losing a life cause different animations to play that show Mario being injured, accompanied by three unique musical jingles; these include the standard animation of collapsing onto the ground, being set on fire, electrocuted, squished, and falling from a large height and landing on his head. If the fall is not big enough, Mario may land on his back instead, stunning him and leaving him vulnerable for a short time.

Each level also features a time limit, which acts identically to that of the Super Mario series. If the time limit reaches 30 seconds, Mario exclaims "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" and a warning theme starts to play, which is an arrangement of the theme in the same scenario from Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. If the time limit runs out, Mario will say "Mamma mia, time's up!" and Mario loses a life. When Mario grabs the key and opens a locked door, the remaining time in the first area will be added to the time limit in the second area. In the Japanese and European versions of the game, this is made explicitly clear by the numbers of the time limit being sucked into the door as Mario leaves, whereupon they are shown being added to the second area's time limit with a addition symbol.

Mario can perform additional moves besides jumping, such as handstands and backflips. To defeat enemies, Mario must pick up objects and throw them at enemies, reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 2. Throughout the level, there are some collectibles that Mario can collect. Three are pivotal in earning a high score, which are different colored presents. Earning a high enough score, beating the default score, earns a star for that level. The stars later are used to unlock Expert levels.

Once Mario completes a level and collects enough presents, he can play a short bonus game^[3] to earn extra lives. One present may have a 1-Up Mushroom, one may have a 2 UP, another may have a 3 UP, or a 5 UP, and one present may have a Donkey Kong head that gives zero lives; this is shown at the beginning of the bonus game. One bonus game is stopping a scrolling arrow on top of the desired present while the other has Mario swapping presents so Donkey Kong's fist squashes an undesired present.

The seventh level in each world is a Mini-Mario level. Mario leads the six Mini-Mario toys he collected back to their toy box; however, he must make sure they avoid obstacles along the way. This leads into a battle with Donkey Kong, with each Mini-Mario saved becoming a health point.^[4] For example, if Mario saves all six of the Mini-Mario toys, he will be able to be hit six times by Donkey Kong before losing a life. If Mario runs out of time or loses all of his health points, the player will lose a life and must restart the battle with Donkey Kong. If the player does not complete the Mini-Mario level before entering the boss battle, Mario will start the fight with four health points, and getting a Game Over will require Mario to replay the Mini-Mario level.

After Mario has beaten the six worlds and defeated Donkey Kong, six "Plus" Worlds are unlocked, numbered 1+, 2+, and so on. There are six standard levels and one boss level in each Plus World, and there are no Mini-Mario levels. Mario must get to a Mini-Mario holding a key and lead it to the exit doorway. If either Mario or Mini-Mario is defeated, the player loses a life and must restart the level. There is only one part per level in the Plus Worlds, and they are designed to be more difficult than the main worlds. There are still Donkey Kong boss levels in the Plus Worlds. In those levels, the player always starts with six health points and has 120 seconds to defeat Donkey Kong except in Donkey Kong Plus, where they have 300 seconds.

For the "Expert" levels, a certain number of stars collected by beating high scores are required to unlock levels. There are twelve Expert levels. Additionally, if the player leaves or restarts the level in any mode before they clear the level for the first time, they lose a life. If the level is already complete, the player will not lose a life when choosing to exit the level. However, the player will still lose a life if they retry the level, even if it is completed. In the "Card-e+" levels, Mario starts off with infinite lives. There is no bonus game for collecting all the presents in either the Expert or Card-e+ levels.

Mario performing a Handstand Jump, followed by a Double Jump

Controls[edit]

- Jump
- Picks up item
- Moves Mario
/ - Selects between worlds
- Pauses and continues game.

Mario's moves[edit]

Jump ()
Handstand (Down + )
Handstand Jump ( while handstanding)
Handstand Double Jump ( after touching the ground from a Handstand Jump)
Backflip (while facing right) (Left + )

Worlds[edit]

Main worlds
	World 1 Mario Toy Company The first world, where Donkey Kong stole the Mini-Mario toys. This world features Garbage Cans, Shy Guys, and a few other gimmicks. Levels 1-1 • 1-2 • 1-3 • 1-4 • 1-5 • 1-6 • 1-mm • 1-DK
	World 2 Donkey Kong Jungle Donkey Kong's next stop, featuring ropes, Monchees, Snapjaws, and more. Levels 2-1 • 2-2 • 2-3 • 2-4 • 2-5 • 2-6 • 2-mm • 2-DK
	World 3 Fire Mountain An area with high volcanic activity, featuring Podoboos, fire birds, and Shy Guys equipped with flamethrowers. Levels 3-1 • 3-2 • 3-3 • 3-4 • 3-5 • 3-6 • 3-mm • 3-DK
	World 4 Spooky House A haunted mansion, featuring Boos, Polterguys, Thwomps, and others. Levels 4-1 • 4-2 • 4-3 • 4-4 • 4-5 • 4-6 • 4-mm • 4-DK
	World 5 Mystic Forest A forest world featuring mechanical elements such as Bob-ombs, Conveyor Belts, and other gimmicks. Levels 5-1 • 5-2 • 5-3 • 5-4 • 5-5 • 5-6 • 5-mm • 5-DK
	World 6 Twilight City An ultramodern city featuring robotic Monchees and lasers. Levels 6-1 • 6-2 • 6-3 • 6-4 • 6-5 • 6-6 • 6-mm • 6-DK
	World DK Donkey Kong The final boss stage in the main part of the game, set apart from other worlds.
Plus worlds
	World 1+ Mario Toy Factory Levels 1-1+ • 1-2+ • 1-3+ • 1-4+ • 1-5+ • 1-6+ • 1-DK+
	World 2+ Donkey Kong Jungle Plus Levels 2-1+ • 2-2+ • 2-3+ • 2-4+ • 2-5+ • 2-6+ • 2-DK+
	World 3+ Fire Mountain Plus Levels 3-1+ • 3-2+ • 3-3+ • 3-4+ • 3-5+ • 3-6+ • 3-DK+
	World 4+ Spooky House Plus Levels 4-1+ • 4-2+ • 4-3+ • 4-4+ • 4-5+ • 4-6+ • 4-DK+
	World 5+ Mystic Forest Plus Levels 5-1+ • 5-2+ • 5-3+ • 5-4+ • 5-5+ • 5-6+ • 5-DK+
	World 6+ Twilight City Plus Levels 6-1+ • 6-2+ • 6-3+ • 6-4+ • 6-5+ • 6-6+ • 6-DK+
	World DK+ Donkey Kong Plus The final boss stage of the game, where Mario confronts a mech-piloting Donkey Kong.

Expert[edit]

The Expert levels are a group of twelve levels that test the player's skills. In order to beat them, the player must find a key and go through the door. These levels (save for boss levels and the regular worlds' final boss) are the only levels that don't involve Mini-Marios. They are first unlocked by beating the true final boss then by stars obtained. There are no set high scores for these levels and collecting all three Presents in a level does not let the player play one of the bonus games. The music that plays during the Expert levels is at a faster tempo, and gradually increases in tempo as the time limit decrements.

Card-e+[edit]

The title of this section is official, but it comes from a non-English source. If an acceptable English source is found, then the section should be changed to its appropriate title.

The first Card-e+ card

The set of Card-e+ cards distributed by CoroCoro Comic

Card-e+ (カードe+)^[5] is a game mode exclusive to the Japanese version of the game, allowing e-Reader cards to be loaded containing new levels. The mode is hidden by default, but it can be enabled by connecting a second Game Boy Advance with a link cable and following the prompts that appear upon doing so. The cards are very rare due to their limited distribution. The first card was given to attendees of the 20th Next Generation World Hobby Fair in June 2004.^[6] The next five cards were given out as a set in a sweepstakes by CoroCoro Comic, which hosts the Super Mario-kun manga, in August 2004. Only 1,000 of these sets were ever released.^[7]

Remnants in the game's code reveal that this mode exists in the North American release, where it is named e World; however, no corresponding e-Reader cards for the region were released, meaning that the mode can only be accessed by hacking the game. The preloaded North American levels all appear to be prototypes of the levels available in the Japanese release, as the game was developed and released in North America before its release in Japan. Most of the differences are minor, with a few levels having major differences between regions. The six e-Reader card levels are identical to the preloaded levels hidden in the Japanese release. The last two digits of the card's ID number denotes its place among the 14 preloaded levels.

Preloaded Japanese level	Corresponding US prototype	Notes
1. Tobiori chūi! 「とびおりちゅうい！」 "Jump Down with Caution!"	12. Climb and Fall	Released at the World Hobby Fair on card ID 18-M001
2. Revenge 「リベンジ」	1. Revenge
3. Naga~i michinori 「なが～いみちのり」 "The Looong Way"	2. The Long Way	Released through CoroCoro Comic sweepstakes on card ID 18-M003
4. Athletic 「アスレチック」	3. One Shot Blue	Released in the same sweepstakes on card ID 18-M004
5. Tamago Panic! 「たまごパニック！」 "Egg Panic!"	4. Egg Attack
6. Kamitsuki Wani no su 「かみつきワニのす」 "Snapjaws' Den"	5. Later Gator
7. Fumikoete susume! 「ふみこえてすすめ！」 "You Should Cross Over!"	6. Hot Feet	Very different layout
8. Dossun no toride 「ドッスンのとりで」 "Thwomp's Fortress"	8. The Thwamplet	Finished version has more spaces between Thwomps; sweepstakes card ID 18-M008
9. Rōsoku ni chūi! 「ローソクにちゅうい！」 "Beware of the Candle!"	9. A Tricky Candle	Prototype is missing presents
10. Dangerous Flowers 「デンジャラスフラワー」	11. Danger Flowers	Finished version replaced most ladders with trampolines; sweepstakes card ID 18-M010
11. Laser Panic! 「レーザーパニック！」	None	Sweepstakes card ID 18-M011
12. Hitasura kawase! 「ひたすらかわせ！」 "Let's Do It!"	None
13. Osarete susume! 「おされてすすめ！」 "You Should Shove!"	None
14. Teresa wo kawase! 「テレサをかわせ！」 "Let's Move the Boo!"	7. Boo in a Box
None	10. Key to the Key
None	13. DUMMY2	Testing level, it is an empty stage with just the presents, the key, and the door

Items and objects[edit]

Item	About
Key	Keys are found in the first half of every regular level of the game. They must be taken to locked doors in order to open the second half. In the Plus levels, each Mini-Mario is holding the key needed to unlock the level's door.
Mini-Mario	Mini-Marios are the objective of the second half of the normal levels, where they must be rescued from crystal balls. They follow Mario in Mini-Mario levels. In the Plus levels, there is one Mini-Mario per stage, which must be rescued and brought to the door to beat the level.
1-Up Mushroom	1-Up Mushrooms give Mario an extra life.
Switch	Switches are found in three variations: red, yellow, and blue. As the main effect, the switch that is active makes platforms, blocks, and ladders of the same color available to use.
Spring	Springs help Mario to jump higher. They can also be used by Mini-Marios.
Conveyor Belt	Conveyor Belts appear in mass in some levels. They are used to transport keys and to help Mario through narrow areas. Their direction can be changed with a Direction Switch.
Donut Block	Donut Blocks are platforms that fall down if Mario or Mini-Mario stays too long on them.
Elevator	Elevators are found moving on lines. Their directions can be changed with a switch.
Garbage Can Barrel	These items can be carried and thrown by Mario. He can use them to defeat certain enemies, or as auxiliary platforms to reach other platforms or to pass long gaps with spikes.
Hammer	Hammers are found floating on platforms. Mario can use them to defeat enemies, such as the Oil. The can be thrown upwards and grabbed again while in the air.
Present	Presents are found in red, yellow, and blue varieties. When all three are collected in a level, they are used in a bonus game where the player can win extra lives.
Letter	The letters T-O-Y are found in Mini-Mario levels. They must be collected by Mini-Marios to open the toy box.
Toy box	Toy boxes are the goal of the Mini-Mario levels. If the letters T-O-Y are collected, it opens and allows Mario to drop off his Mini-Marios.
Sand block	Blocks that crumble into dust when stood on.
Help Box	Help Boxes appear in several levels. When touched, it reminds the player how to perform one of Mario's moves.

Enemies and obstacles[edit]

Enemy / obstacle	About	First appearance	Last appearance
Bat	Bats are enemies that, once released, fly horizontally through the stage. If they touch Mario, they latch on to him, stunning him and causing him to fall from the rope he is climbing.	Level 5-4	Hitasura kawase!
Bird	Small birds that fly horizontally once they leave their nests. They also drop polka-dotted eggs at Mario.	Level 2-3	Egg Attack
Bob-omb	Bob-ombs are dropped out of dispensers. They light their fuses when Mario is near and explode moments later. They can be used to destroy blocks to progress.	Level 5-3	Level x-12
Boo	Boos appear in Spooky House. They chase Mario when he is not looking at them, and remain still while being watched.	Level 4-4	Boo in a Box
Brickman	Brickmen are placed on platforms. They throw three lines of bricks under them, forcing Mario to handstand to avoid being hit.	Level 1-6	Level 6-2+
Bucket Man	Bucket Men hide inside Garbage Cans to confuse the player. They reveal themselves if Mario hops on them, they will start walking. Mario cannot grab and throw them as ordinary Garbage Cans, but rather use them as moving platforms during their motion to get past spike pits. These creatures can be defeated by throwing another object at them.	Level 1-4	The Long Way
Candle	Candles appear in Spooky House, where they float up and down.	Level 4-2	A Tricky Candle
Cannon and Cannonball	Cannons tilt up and down, shooting cannonballs.	Level 5-4	Hitasura kawase!
Falling spike	Falling spikes fall from ceilings when Mario gets near them. When they get stuck on the ground, they act as temporary platforms for the player.	Level 4-3	Level 4-DK+
Fire bird	Flaming birds that appear in Fire Mountain. They also drop burning eggs at Mario.	Level 3-2	Level x-9
Fire Shy Guy	Fire Shy Guys are found in Fire Mountain. Besides walking from side to side, they also shoot fire that can harm Mario.	Level 3-3	Hot Feet
Fireball	Fireballs walk from side to side on an area. They burn Mario once they touch him.	Level 1-2	The Long Way
Lava Geyser	Lava Geysers rise out of pits of lava and cause platforms to float on top of them, allowing Mario to reach higher ground.	Level 3-1	Level 3-4
Monchee	Monchees are mechanical monkeys with long tails that hang below the platforms they are on. Mario can use these tails as ropes without getting harmed. However, he still loses an extra life if he touches a Monchee's body.	Level 2-3	One Shot Blue
Ninji	Simple enemies that jump up and down, which can help Mario to reach higher areas. They are invincible.	Level 3-1	Hot Feet
Oil	Oil is found in cans with "OIL" written on their sides and fire coming out of them. They move up and down and burn Mario if he touches them.	Level 1-2	Level 1-3+
Podoboo	Podoboos are found jumping out from lava. They can burn Mario in one touch, and cannot be defeated.	Level 3-3	Level x-3
Polterguy	Polterguys move from side to side. There are three variations of this species: blue, red, and yellow. If a switch of their respective color is pressed, they turn into safe, stationary blocks.	Level 4-3	Level x-10
RamRam	RamRams are found in jungle levels. Despite being enemies, they are used as platforms a few times. They can be defeated by fruit or by collapsing with another enemy or with an object.	Level 2-2	One Shot Blue
Robo Kikki	Robots that act similar to Monchees, but move faster.	Level 6-3	Laser Panic!
Shy Guy	Simple enemies that move side to side continuously.	Level 1-1	Level x-7
Sir Shovalot	Sir Shovalots, stubby knight-like enemies, are firstly seen walking calmly on the ground. But once they spot Mario, they quickly move towards him and use their front armor to shove him. This can be harmful if Mario finds himself between the armor and a wall, but it also helps him go through narrow places. Sir Shovalots cannot be defeated in any manner.	Level 4-2	Boo in a Box
Snapjaw	Snapjaws are seen climbing ropes in forest levels. They can be only defeated by falling fruit.	Level 2-5	Later Gator
Spear Guy	Spear Guys are first found sleeping. Once Mario gets near them, they wake up and start running after him. They go back to sleep if they touch a platform's edge.	Level 5-2	Level 5-5+
Tane Pakkun	Tane Pakkun are found stationary on platforms, usually near ropes. They spit seeds to harm Mario.	Level 2-1	Hitasura kawase!
Thwimp	Thwimps jump from side to side, trying to crush Mario. They are invulnerable.	Level 4-1	Level x-4
Thwomp	Thwomps watch the ground and try to crush Mario if he walks under them. Switch-controlled blocks can be used to prevent them from reaching the player. If Mario touches them in any way, including standing on top of them, he will lose a life.	Level 4-1	The Thwamplet
Thwomp Platform	Thwomp Platforms fall from the ceiling, just like normal Thwomps. However, they keep rising and falling in a set pattern even if Mario is not near. They can be used as platforms.	Level 3-2	Level x-9
Wire Trap	Balls of electrical energy that move across wires.	Level 1-4	Level 6-6
Wrench Shy Guy	Wrench Shy Guys appear in Twilight City. When they spot Mario, they gasp and attack by throwing wrenches horizontally.	Level 6-1	Level 6-4+
Donkey Kong	Donkey Kong is the only boss of the game, fought in every world. In each of his fights, he attacks Mario in a different manner.	Level 1-DK	Donkey Kong Plus

Development[edit]

Main article: List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong pre-release and unused content

Donkey Kong Plus, an updated version of the Game Boy Donkey Kong, was initially planned. The only known difference between the original and Plus, aside from the graphics, was the addition of a level designer to be used through the Nintendo GameCube for players to create their own levels with. However, the game vanished the following year in favor of Mario vs. Donkey Kong, with the level editor gone and the graphics replaced with pre-rendered graphics. The game's sequel, Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, reintroduced this feature and made use of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Staff[edit]

Main article: List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong staff

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is one of the few Super Mario games to be developed by an American team, Nintendo Software Technology Corporation (NST). In NST's team, Shigeki Yamashiro is the producer while Yukimi Shimura is the director. Wing S. Cho designed the game and Yoonjoon Lee is the engineering director.

Reception[edit]

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is generally well-received by critics, aggregating an average of 81/100 on Metacritic^[8] and 79.07% on GameRankings.^[9] Craig Harris of IGN gave the game an 8.5/10, "Great".^[10] Harris praised the game for having "faithfully retained the Donkey Kong arcade game's look and feel". His reaction is mild about the Donkey Kong boss levels, calling them "the ones with the least amount of creativity". He criticized the presentation, calling the sprites "awkward but admittedly well-animated 3D rendered" while the voice-overs from Mario and Donkey Kong are unnecessary, although not distracting. Despite these, he praises the game's faithfulness of the Game Boy Advance Donkey Kong games, with its fantastic level design and lasting appeal.

Marcel van Duyn of Nintendolife has echoed some of IGN's statements, deeming the game to be "a worthy successor", giving the game an 8/10.^[11] As in the IGN review, Duyn criticized the game's pre-rendered sprites, saying that it "although it actually looks pretty good, it's a bit strange to see this style in a Nintendo title again after all this time." Duyn is disappointed that "the series has only had Lemmings-esque installments since", believing "the original formula is perfectly worthy of another day in the limelight."

In a more critical review, Stephen Carvell of VideoGamer praises the game's visuals, but criticizes the game's level design, calling the reliance on the color-coded switches "tedious" and the later levels for using the same puzzles. He also criticized the Mini-Mario levels for having "appalling level design that smacks of a lack of ideas." He gave the game a 6/10.^[12]

Reviews
Release	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Game Boy Advance	Craig Harris, IGN	8.5/10	"All of the well-established gameplay elements of the original have returned in new and fun platformer challenges with a decidedly different theme and flavor, taking advantage of the more powerful GBA platform. Strangely, Nintendo has seemingly ignored the game's roots instead of simply embracing them, playing off this game as a separate and "new" franchise instead of positioning it as what it really is: a continuation of one of the best, most recommended Game Boy titles in the system's library. Because the new design takes such a drastically different approach in its art style and presentation it feels just a little awkward to those who enjoyed the original Game Boy Donkey Kong and its faithful retroness. Beyond that element, though, there's a lot to enjoy in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and its new production is still a can't-miss action title for the Game Boy Advance."
Game Boy Advance	Tom Bramwell, Eurogamer	8/10	"It won't come as anything new or inspiring to anybody who's tackled a DK title before, but it engages the brain in ways that we enjoy being probed, and for all its age the formula is still as sound as ever. Meanwhile, it's a new thrill for a younger generation of handheld owners, and has the potential to be a fantastic stocking filler for anybody who likes to haul out the console on a train or bus to school. It's not the most imaginative, it won't last forever, and we're not particularly sold on the pre-rendered visual approach (give us something from Yoshi's Island any day), but it's hard to argue with any game where every level feels like slotting in the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle."
Game Boy Advance	Jeff Gerstmann, GameSpot	8/10	"Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a standout game that fans of portable puzzles will have a good time with. It also plays the nostalgia card very well, making references all over the place. The music will occasionally go all the way back to the original Donkey Kong, including the classic "I've got a hammer" music. The game also includes vines and droppable fruit like in Donkey Kong Jr., acrobatic moves that are reminiscent of Super Mario 64, and the ability to stand on, pick up, and toss enemies just like in Super Mario Bros. 2. Both on its own and as a tribute to Mario's legacy, Mario vs. Donkey Kong does a great job."
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		81
GameRankings		79.07%

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Mario holding a key
Mario climbing ropes
Mario breaking a Mini-Mario's crystal ball
Donkey Kong holding a barrel
Donkey Kong holding a Mini-Mario sack

Glitches[edit]

Game softlock[edit]

In the second room of Level 3-3, Mario must go near the spring on the far right side of the screen. When the bottommost red Polterguy is close to the invisible wall on the right side of the screen, but is not touching the wall, Mario must press the red switch to turn the Polterguy into a stationary block. If the space in between the Polterguy and the wall is roughly equivalent to the width of Mario's sprite, Mario must perform a high jump on the spring while moving to the right. If performed correctly, Mario will not collide with the invisible wall, causing him to fly off screen, where he falls briefly until taking damage. At this point, Mario would normally lose a life and the room would be restarted; however, instead, all elements of the level continue to move indefinitely without the timer decrementing, putting the game in an unwinnable state, where the only action the player can take is to reset the system.

Mario floats in midair while crushed[edit]

In Level x-3, if Mario gets crushed by a Thwomp Platform while standing on a lift platform, Mario will be flattened and lose a life, but as the animation of him floating to the ground is played, he will still follow the movements of the platform. This can cause Mario to continuously float in the air, and can also cause him to float upwards.

Stopped voice clips[edit]

At any time when the player is opening a locked door, they can press and at the same time to activate the map scrolling mode. When this mode is exited, the music jingle at the end of a level and the door's sound effects will still play, but Mario's sound effects will not. In the PLUS levels, the Mini-Mario's sound effects will also not play.

Media[edit]

For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong media.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong - Title screen theme	File infoMedia:MVDK-Title Screen Theme.oga 0:30

Mario vs. Donkey Kong - Mario: Ah, that Charles Martinet! Nice Italian boy.	File infoMedia:MvsDK Mario CharlesMartinet.oga 0:03

Mario vs. Donkey Kong - Mario: Oh yeah, don't forget to thank Mr. Miyamoto.	File infoMedia:MvsDK Mario Miyamoto.oga 0:02

Help:Media • Having trouble playing?

Quotes[edit]

Main article: List of Mario vs. Donkey Kong quotes

Mario[edit]

"Come back here, you big-a monkey!"
"Ah, that Charles Martinet. Nice Italian boy!"
"Oh yeah, don't forget to thank Mr. Miyamoto!"
"Let's-a go, little guys!"

References to other games[edit]

Donkey Kong (Arcade/NES game): The boot up song when starting a new game is briefly heard in the intro to the game, and the beginning of every boss fight.
Donkey Kong (Game Boy): The game uses all gameplay elements from this game, although it has a very different story. Even the final battle is a recreation of that in Donkey Kong.
Super Mario 64: Several of Mario's voice clips are recycled.
Donkey Kong 64: Several of Donkey Kong's voice clips are recycled.
Mario Tennis: Several of Toad's voice clips are recycled.
Super Smash Bros. Melee: Several of Mario and Donkey Kong's voice clips are recycled.
Super Mario Sunshine: Several of Toads' voice clips are recycled.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	マリオvs.ブイエスドンキーコング^[?] Mario buiesu Donkī Kongu	Mario vs. Donkey Kong

Trivia[edit]

While Donkey Kong's voice uses recycled clips of Grant Kirkhope's voice from Donkey Kong 64 in all versions of the game, the Japanese commercial for the game features Donkey Kong being voiced by Donkey Kong's current voice actor Takashi Nagasako. However, in the Nintendo Switch remake, all of Donkey Kong's voice clips are from Nagasako.
The title screen in the Japanese version was redone to feature the Mini-Marios rather than feature Mario and Donkey Kong as is the case in the American and European versions. The Japanese style of the title screen has been used in all future games in the series, even in international releases.

References[edit]

^ May 4, 2004. More Information on Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Nintendo World Report (American English). Retrieved July 29, 2024.
^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Nintendo of UK (British English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ "When you collect all three presents in a level, you get a chance to play one of two bonus games and maybe even win some extra lives." – 2004. Mario vs. Donkey Kong instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 26.
^ "For each Mini-Mario you rescue in that world's Mini-Mario level, you get an extra health point for your fight with Donkey Kong." – 2004. Mario vs. Donkey Kong instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 20.
^ upaluppa (January 4, 2010). Mario vs. Donkey Kong (MVSDK, GBA) - e-Reader World e Level e-1 (World-e). YouTube. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ カードe+＞マリオvs.ドンキーコングカードe+「とびおりちゅうい！」. ALL SUPER MARIO (Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ カードe+＞マリオvs.ドンキーコングカードe+ コロコロコミック特製カードe+5枚セット. ALL SUPER MARIO (Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Metacritic (English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong. GameRankings. Archived December 9, 2019, 01:23:47 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ Harris, Craig (May 24, 2004). Mario vs. Donkey Kong. IGN (American English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ van Duyn, Marcel (January 10, 2012). Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review. Nintendo Life (English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.
^ Carvell, Stephen (February 8, 2005). Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review for GBA. VideoGamer.com (English). Archived September 8, 2013, 14:51:51 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 22, 2024.

External links[edit]

Mario vs. Donkey Kong coverage on other NIWA wikis:

NintendoWiki

StrategyWiki

The Cutting Room Floor has an article on Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Official Mario vs. Donkey Kong Japanese website
- Wii U Virtual Console website

[1] May 4, 2004. More Information on Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Nintendo World Report (American English). Retrieved July 29, 2024.

[2] Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Nintendo of UK (British English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[3] "When you collect all three presents in a level, you get a chance to play one of two bonus games and maybe even win some extra lives." – 2004. Mario vs. Donkey Kong instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 26.

[4] "For each Mini-Mario you rescue in that world's Mini-Mario level, you get an extra health point for your fight with Donkey Kong." – 2004. Mario vs. Donkey Kong instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 20.

[5] upaluppa (January 4, 2010). Mario vs. Donkey Kong (MVSDK, GBA) - e-Reader World e Level e-1 (World-e). YouTube. Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[6] カードe+＞マリオvs.ドンキーコングカードe+「とびおりちゅうい！」. ALL SUPER MARIO (Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[7] カードe+＞マリオvs.ドンキーコングカードe+ コロコロコミック特製カードe+5枚セット. ALL SUPER MARIO (Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[8] Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Metacritic (English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[9] Mario vs. Donkey Kong. GameRankings. Archived December 9, 2019, 01:23:47 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[10] Harris, Craig (May 24, 2004). Mario vs. Donkey Kong. IGN (American English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[11] van Duyn, Marcel (January 10, 2012). Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review. Nintendo Life (English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.

[12] Carvell, Stephen (February 8, 2005). Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review for GBA. VideoGamer.com (English). Archived September 8, 2013, 14:51:51 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 22, 2024.

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[Edit] Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA) / Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
Characters	Donkey Kong • Mario • Mini-Mario • Toad^b
Worlds	Regular worlds: Mario Toy Company • Donkey Kong Jungle • Fire Mountain • Merry Mini-Land^b • Spooky House • Slippery Summit^b • Mystic Forest • Twilight City • vs. Donkey Kong Plus worlds: Mario Toy Factory • Donkey Kong Jungle Plus • Fire Mountain Plus • Merry Mini-Land Plus^b • Spooky House Plus • Slippery Summit Plus^b • Mystic Forest Plus • Twilight City Plus • vs. Donkey Kong Plus Extra worlds: Expert
Enemies and obstacles	Bat • Bird • Bob-omb • Bob-omb Block • Boo • Brickman • Bucket Man • Candle • Cannon • Falling spike • Fire bird • Fire Shy Guy • Fireball • Ice Block^b • Icicle^b • Lava Geyser • Monchee • Ninji • Oil • Podoboo • Polterguy • RamRam • Robo Kikki • Shy Guy • Sir Shovalot • Snapjaw • Spear Guy • Spike • Spiked Barrel • Tane Pakkun • Thwimp • Thwomp • Thwomp Platform • Wire Trap • Wrench Shy Guy
Abilities	Crouch • Handstand / Handstand Jump • Jump • Backflip • Wire Spin • Spring Jump
Items and objects	1-Up Mushroom • 2 UP^a • 3 UP^a • 5 UP^a • Barrel • Bird Nest • Checkpoint Flag^b • Conveyor Belt • Direction Switch • Donut Block • Door • Elevator • Flower Fan^b • Flying key^b • Garbage Can • Girder • Hammer • Help Box • Key • Ladder • Letter Block • Present • Sand block • Spring • Rope • Color Switch • Toy box • Warp Box^b • Wire
Other	Mini-Mario Factory Game! • Gallery (GBA · Switch) • Pre-release and unused content • Quotes • Staff (GBA · Switch) • Time Attack^b
^a Exclusive to Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Game Boy Advance ^b Exclusive to Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Nintendo Switch

[Edit] Super Mario games
Platformers	Super Mario series	Main	Super Mario Bros. (1985, NES) • Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, NES) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES) • Super Mario Land (1989, GB) • Super Mario World (1990, SNES) • Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992, GB) • Super Mario 64 (1996, N64) • Super Mario Sunshine (2002, GCN) • New Super Mario Bros. (2006, DS) • Super Mario Galaxy (2007, Wii) • New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Wii) • Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Wii) • Super Mario 3D Land (2011, 3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012, 3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. U (2012, Wii U) • Super Mario 3D World (2013, Wii U) • Super Mario Maker (2015, Wii U) • Super Mario Run (2016, iOS/iPadOS/Android) • Super Mario Odyssey (2017, Switch) • Super Mario Maker 2 (2019, Switch) • Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023, Switch)
		Reissues	VS. Super Mario Bros. (1986, VS) • Super Mario Bros. (1986, G&W) • All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros. (1986, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. (1989, NGW) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990, NGW) • Super Mario World (1991, NGW) • Super Mario All-Stars (1993, SNES) • Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World (1994, SNES) • BS Super Mario USA (1996, SNES) • BS Super Mario Collection (1997, SNES) • Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (1999, GBC) • Super Mario Advance (2001, GBA) • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2001, GBA) • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003, GBA) • Classic NES Series (2004-2005, GBA) • Super Mario 64 DS (2004, DS) • Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition (2010, Wii) • Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (2016, 3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019, Switch) • Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020, Switch) • Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. (2020, G&W) • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021, Switch)
		Related games	Super Mario Bros. Special (1986, computer) • Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994, GB) • Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995, SNES) • New Super Luigi U (2013, Wii U) • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2014, Wii U) • Super Mario Bros. 35 (2020, Switch) • Bowser's Fury (2021, Switch)
		Canceled games	Super Mario's Wacky Worlds (CD-i) • Mario Takes America (CD-i) • VB Mario Land (VB) • Super Mario 64 2 (N64DD)
	Donkey Kong series		Donkey Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong (1994, GB)
	Mario vs. Donkey Kong series		Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006, DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009, DSiWare) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010, DS) • Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013, 3DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015, 3DS/Wii U) • Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (2016, 3DS/Wii U)
	Mario Bros. series		Mario Bros. (1983, arcade) • Mario Bros. Special (1984, computer) • Punch Ball Mario Bros. (1984, computer) • Mario Clash (1995, VB)
	Wrecking Crew series		VS. Wrecking Crew (1984, VS) • Wrecking Crew (1985, NES) • Wrecking Crew '98 (1998, SFC)
	Other		Mario Bros. (1983, G&W) • Mario's Cement Factory (1983, G&W) • Mario & Wario (1993, SNES) • Hotel Mario (1994, CD-i) • Super Princess Peach (2005, DS) • Princess Peach: Showtime! (2024, Switch)
	Reissues		Crazy Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong (1982, G&W) • Mario Bros. have returned (1988, FDS) • Donkey Kong (1994, NGW) • Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2002, GBA) • Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Junior/Mario Bros. (2004, arcade) • Virtual Console (2006-2016, Wii/3DS/Wii U) • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2018, Switch/3DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024, Switch)
	Tech demos		Super Mario 128 (2000, GCN) • New Super Mario Bros. Mii (2011, Wii U)
Mario Kart series	Main		Super Mario Kart (1992, SNES) • Mario Kart 64 (1996, N64) • Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001, GBA) • Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003, GCN) • Mario Kart DS (2005, DS) • Mario Kart Wii (2008, Wii) • Mario Kart 7 (2011, 3DS) • Mario Kart 8 (2014, Wii U) • Mario Kart Tour (2019, iOS/iPadOS/Android)
	Arcade		Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005, arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (2007, arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP DX (2013, arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP VR (2017, arcade)
	Other		Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020, Switch)
	Ports		Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017, Switch)
Mario Party series	Main		Mario Party (1998, N64) • Mario Party 2 (1999, N64) • Mario Party 3 (2000, N64) • Mario Party 4 (2002, GCN) • Mario Party 5 (2003, GCN) • Mario Party 6 (2004, GCN) • Mario Party 7 (2005, GCN) • Mario Party 8 (2007, Wii) • Mario Party 9 (2012, Wii) • Mario Party 10 (2015, Wii U) • Super Mario Party (2018, Switch) • Mario Party Superstars (2021, Switch) • Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024, Switch)
	Handheld		Mario Party Advance (2005, GBA) • Mario Party DS (2007, DS) • Mario Party: Island Tour (2013, 3DS) • Mario Party: Star Rush (2016, 3DS) • Mario Party: The Top 100 (2017, 3DS)
	Arcade		Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party (2004, arcade) • Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party 2 (2005, arcade) • Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher (2009, arcade) • Mario Party Kurukuru Carnival (2012, arcade) • Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher 2 (2013, arcade) • Mario Party Challenge World (2016, arcade)
	Other		Mario Party 4 (2002, Adobe Flash) • Mario Party-e (2003, GBA)
Sports games	Mario Golf series		Golf (1984, NES) • Stroke & Match Golf (1984, VS. System) • Golf: Japan Course (1987, FDS) • Golf: U.S. Course (1987, FDS) • Golf (1989, GB) • NES Open Tournament Golf (1991, NES) • Mario Golf (1999, N64) • Mario Golf (1999, GBC) • Mobile Golf (2001, GBC) • Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (2003, GCN) • Mario Golf: Advance Tour (2004, GBA) • Mario Golf: World Tour (2014, 3DS) • Mario Golf: Super Rush (2021, Switch)
	Mario Tennis series		Mario's Tennis (1995, VB) • Mario Tennis (2000, N64) • Mario Tennis (2000, GBC) • Mario Power Tennis (2004, GCN) • Mario Tennis: Power Tour (2005, GBA) (Bicep Pump [Unknown, Adobe Flash] • Reflex Rally [Unknown, Adobe Flash]) • Mario Tennis Open (2012, 3DS) • Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash (2015, Wii U) • Mario Tennis Aces (2018, Switch)
	Super Mario Stadium series		Mario Superstar Baseball (2005, GCN) • Mario Super Sluggers (2008, Wii)
	Mario Strikers series		Super Mario Strikers (2005, GCN) • Mario Strikers Charged (2007, Wii) • Mario Strikers: Battle League (2022, Switch)
	Famicom Grand Prix series		Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race (1987, FDS) • Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (1988, FDS)
	Other		Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, G&W) • Baseball (1989, GB) • Super Mario Race (1992, GwB) • Easy Racer (1996, SNES) • Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (2006, DS) • Mario Sports Mix (2010, Wii) • Mario Sports Superstars (2017, 3DS) • LEGO Super Mario Goal (2024, Sky Italia)
	Canceled games		Super Mario Spikers (Wii)
Role-playing games	Paper Mario series		Paper Mario (2000, N64) • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004, GCN) • Super Paper Mario (2007, Wii) • Paper Mario: Sticker Star (2012, 3DS) • Paper Mario: Color Splash (2016, Wii U) • Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020, Switch)
	Mario & Luigi series		Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003, GBA) • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005, DS) • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009, DS) • Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2013, 3DS) • Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (2015, 3DS) • Mario & Luigi: Brothership (2024, Switch)
	Other		Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996, SNES)
	Remakes		Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions (2017, 3DS) • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018, 3DS) • Super Mario RPG (2023, Switch) • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024, Switch)
Dr. Mario series	Main		Dr. Mario (1990, NES/GB) • Dr. Mario 64 (2001, N64) • Dr. Mario Online Rx (2008, WiiWare) • Dr. Mario Express (2008, DSiWare) • Dr. Luigi (2013, Wii U) • Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure (2015, 3DS) • Dr. Mario World (2019, iOS/iPadOS/Android)
	Other		Dr. Mario (1993, GwB)
	Remakes		Tetris & Dr. Mario (1994, SNES) • Nintendo Puzzle Collection (2003, GCN) • Dr. Mario & Puzzle League (2005, GBA)
Luigi's Mansion series	Main		Luigi's Mansion (2001, GCN) • Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (2013, 3DS) • Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019, Switch)
	Arcade		Luigi's Mansion Arcade (2015, arcade)
	Remakes		Luigi's Mansion (2018, 3DS) • Luigi's Mansion 2 HD (2024, Switch)
Educational games	Mario Discovery Series		Mario is Missing! (1992, MS-DOS) • Mario is Missing! (1993, SNES) • Mario is Missing! (1993, NES) • Mario's Time Machine (1993, MS-DOS) • Mario's Time Machine (1993, SNES) • Mario's Time Machine (1994, NES) • Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters (1993, MS-DOS/SNES) • Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers (1994, MS-DOS/SNES) • Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun (1994, MS-DOS/SNES)
	Mario Teaches Typing series		Mario Teaches Typing (1991, MS-DOS) • Mario Teaches Typing 2 (1996, MS-DOS)
	Other		Family BASIC (1984, FC) • Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up (1991, MS-DOS)
	Ports		Mario's Early Years! CD-ROM Collection (1995, MS-DOS)
Art utilities	Mario Artist series		Mario Artist: Paint Studio (1999, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Talent Studio (2000, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Communication Kit (2000, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Polygon Studio (2000, N64DD)
Art utilities	Other		I am a teacher: Super Mario Sweater (1986, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. Print World (1991, MS-DOS) • Mario Paint (1992, SNES) • Super Mario Collection Screen Saver (1997, PC) • Mario no Photopi (1998, N64) • Mario Family (2001, GBC)
Miscellaneous	Picross series		Mario's Picross (1995, GB) • Mario's Super Picross (1995, SFC) • Picross 2 (1996, GB) • Picross NP Vol. 6 (2000, SFC)
	LCD handhelds		Mario's Bombs Away (1983, G&W) • Mario's Egg Catch (1990, SMBW) • Luigi's Hammer Toss (1990, SMBW) • Princess Toadstool's Castle Run (1990, SMBW) • Mario the Juggler (1991, G&W)
	Pinball		Pinball (1984, NES) • Super Mario Bros. (1992, arcade) • Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World (1992, arcade) • Mario Pinball Land (2004, GBA)
	Arcade		Mario Roulette (1991, arcade) • Piccadilly Circus: Super Mario Bros. 3 (1991, arcade) • Mario World (1991, arcade) • Terebi Denwa: Super Mario World (1992, arcade) • Super Mario World Popcorn (1992, arcade) • Pika Pika Mario (1992, arcade) • Janken Fukubiki: Super Mario World (1992, arcade) • Koopa Taiji (1993, arcade) • Būbū Mario (1993, arcade) • Mario Undōkai (1993, arcade) • Super Mario World (1993, arcade) • Super Mario Kart: Doki Doki Race (1994, arcade) • Mario Bowl (1995, arcade) • Super Mario Attack (1996, arcade) • Super Donkey Kong 2 Swanky no Bonus Slot (1996, arcade) • Donkey Kong (1996, arcade) • Mario Kart 64 (1996, arcade) • Super Mario 64 (1997, arcade) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (Unknown, arcade) • Super Mario World (Unknown, arcade) • Guru Guru Mario (Unknown, arcade) • Dokidoki Mario Chance! (2003, arcade) • Super Mario Fushigi no Janjan Land (2003, arcade) • New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World (2011, arcade)
	Browser		Mario Net Quest (1997, Adobe Shockwave) • Mario's Memory Madness (1998, Adobe Shockwave) • Crazy Counting (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Dinky Rinky (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Goodness Rakes (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Melon Mayhem (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Nomiss (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Wario's Whack Attack (1998, Adobe Shockwave) • The Lab (The Bookshelf • The Drafting Table • PolterCue • Ask Madame Clairvoya) (2001, Adobe Flash) • Mario Trivia (Unknown, Adobe Flash) • Mario Memory (Unknown, Adobe Flash) • Virus Attack! (Unknown, Adobe Flash) • Mini-Mario Factory Game! (2004, Adobe Flash) • Bill Bounce (2004, Adobe Flash) • Mario Party 7 Bon Voyage Quiz (2005, Adobe Flash) • Super Mario Strikers (2005, Adobe Flash) • Dr. Mario Vitamin Toss (2005, Adobe Flash) • Bowser's Lair Hockey (2005, Adobe Flash) • Heads-Up (2005, Adobe Flash) • Parasol Fall (2005, Adobe Flash) • Dribble Skillz (2006, Adobe Flash) • Superstar Shootout (2006, Adobe Flash) • Cannon Kaos (2006, Adobe Flash) • 1-Up Hunt! (2006, Adobe Flash) • Super Paper Mario Memory Match (2007, Adobe Flash) • Are You Smarter Than Mario? (2008, Adobe Flash) • Play Nintendo activities (2014–present)
	DSiWare applications		Mario Calculator (2009, DSiWare) • Mario Clock (2009, DSiWare)
	Other games		Alleyway (1989, GB) • Yoshi's Safari (1993, SNES) • UNDAKE30 Same Game (1995, SFC) • Mario's Game Gallery (1995, MS-DOS) • Mario's FUNdamentals (1998, Windows) • Yakuman DS (2005, DS)
	Tech demos		NDDEMO (2001, GCN) • Mario's Face (Unknown, DS)
Crossovers	Game & Watch Gallery series		Game & Watch Gallery (1997, GB) • Game & Watch Gallery 2 (1997, GB) • Game & Watch Gallery 3 (1999, GBC) • Game & Watch Gallery 4 (2002, GBA)
	Super Smash Bros. series		Super Smash Bros. (1999, N64) • Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001, GCN) • Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Wii) • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014, 3DS) • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014, Wii U) • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, Switch)
	Itadaki Street series		Itadaki Street DS (2007, DS) • Fortune Street (2011, Wii)
	Mario & Sonic series		Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2008, DS) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009, DS) • Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2011, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2012, 3DS) • Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (2013, Wii U) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016, Wii U) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016, 3DS) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition (2016, arcade) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019, Switch) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Arcade Edition (2020, arcade)
	NES Remix series	Main	NES Remix (2013, Wii U) • NES Remix 2 (2014, Wii U)
	NES Remix series	Reissues	NES Remix Pack (2014, Wii U) • Ultimate NES Remix (2014, 3DS)
	Mario + Rabbids series		Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017, Switch) • Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022, Switch)
	Other		Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle (1997, SNES) • NBA Street V3 (2005, GCN) • Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (2005, GCN) • SSX on Tour (2005, GCN) • Tetris DS (2006, DS) • Captain Rainbow (2008, Wii) • Art Style: PiCTOBiTS (2009, DSiWare) • Nintendo Land (2012, Wii U) • Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition (2015, 3DS) • Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (2024, Switch)

[Edit] Donkey Kong games
Platformers		Donkey Kong series	Donkey Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, arcade) • Donkey Kong 3 (1983, arcade) • Donkey Kong Jr. Math (1983, NES) • Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū (1984, computer) • Donkey Kong (1994, GB)
		Donkey Kong Country series	Donkey Kong Country (1994, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010, Wii) • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014, Wii U)
		Donkey Kong Land series	Donkey Kong Land (1995, GB) • Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996, GB) • Donkey Kong Land III (1997, GB)
		Mario vs. Donkey Kong series	Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006, DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009, DSiWare) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010, DS) • Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013, 3DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015, 3DS/Wii U) • Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (2016, 3DS/Wii U)
		DK series	DK: King of Swing (2005, GBA) • DK: Jungle Climber (2007, DS) (Banana Bonanza [Unknown, Adobe Flash] • Rolling Panic [Unknown, Adobe Flash] • Banana Grab [Unknown, Adobe Flash])
		Miscellaneous	Donkey Kong 64 (1999, N64) • Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004, GCN)
Racing games			Diddy Kong Racing (1997, N64) • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (2007, Wii)
Donkey Konga series			Donkey Konga (2003, GC) • Donkey Konga 2 (2004, GC) • Donkey Konga 3 JP (2005, GC)
Other			Donkey Kong Circus (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong (1996, arcade) • Donkey Konk (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Donkey Kong 64 Lore Quiz (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Memory Kong (1999, Windows/Mac OS) • Couic d'or ! (1999, Windows/Mac OS) • Picross NP Vol. 8 (2000, SFC) • Kremling Krushin (2000, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze (2003, Adobe Shockwave) • Mini-Mario Factory Game! (2004, Adobe Flash) • Hurling for Distance (2005, Adobe Flash) • Barrel-Blastapalooza (2005, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong: Jungle Fever (2005, arcade) • Mario vs. DK 2: Cannon Kaos (2006, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong: Banana Kingdom (2006, arcade) • Timber's Balloon Pop (2007, Adobe Flash) • Play Nintendo activities (2014–present)
Reissues			Crazy Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong (1982, G&W) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, G&W) • Donkey Kong II (1983, G&W) • Donkey Kong Jr. + Jr. Sansū Lesson (1983, NES) • Donkey Kong 3 (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong Classics (1988, NES) • Donkey Kong (1994, NGW) • Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge (1994, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country (2000, GBC) • Donkey Kong Country (2003, GBA) • Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Donkey Kong Country 2 (2004, GBA) • Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Junior/Mario Bros. (2004, arcade) • Donkey Kong Country 3 (2005, GBA) • Diddy Kong Racing DS (2007, DS) • New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii, 2008) • Donkey Kong Original Edition (2010, VC) • Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (2013, 3DS) • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2018, Switch) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024, Switch) • Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (2025, Switch)
Tech demos			Unnamed Donkey Kong Country proof-of-concept (Unknown, VB) • puzzle (Unknown, N64) • spritemonkeyEX (Unknown, N64) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong Wii U demo (2014, Wii U)
Pitches / canceled games			Donkey Kong no Ongaku Asobi (FC) • Donkey Kong IV (arcade) • Return of Donkey Kong (NES) • Super Donkey (SNES) • CD-i Donkey Kong game (CD-i) • Donkey Kong vs. Super Wario (SNES) • Donkey Kong and the Golden Bananas (SNES) • D.K.R. DMG (GB) • Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (GBA) • Diddy Kong Pilot (2001/2003) (GBA) • Donkey Kong Racing (GCN) • Donkey Kong Plus (GCN/GBA) • Diddy Kong Racing Adventure (GCN) • Donkey Kong Country 4 (DS) • DK Bongo Blast (GCN) • Freedom (Switch)
Crossovers	Super Smash Bros. series		Super Smash Bros. (1999, N64) • Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001, GCN) • Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Wii) • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014, 3DS) • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014, Wii U) • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, Switch)
	NES Remix series	Main	NES Remix (2013, Wii U)
	NES Remix series	Reissues	NES Remix Pack (2014, Wii U) • Ultimate NES Remix (2014, 3DS)

[Edit] Game Boy Advance games
Super Mario franchise	Super Mario Advance (2001) • Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001) • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2001) • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003) • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003) • Mario Golf: Advance Tour (2004) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004) • Mario Pinball Land (2004) • Mario Party Advance (2005) • Dr. Mario & Puzzle League (2005) • Mario Tennis: Power Tour (2005)
Donkey Kong franchise	Donkey Kong Country (2003) • Donkey Kong Country 2 (2004) • DK: King of Swing (2005) • Donkey Kong Country 3 (2005)
Yoshi franchise	Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2002) • Yoshi Topsy-Turvy (2004)
Wario franchise	Wario Land 4 (2001) • WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (2003) • WarioWare: Twisted! (2004)
Classic NES series	Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong (2004) • Classic NES Series: Super Mario Bros. (2004) • Classic NES Series: Dr. Mario (2004)
Famicom Mini series	Famicom Mini: Mario Bros. (2004) • Famicom Mini: Wrecking Crew (2004) • Famicom Mini: Super Mario Bros. 2 (2004)
e-Reader	Donkey Kong Jr.-e (2002) • Pinball-e (2002) • Donkey Kong-e (2002) • Mario Bros.-e (2002) • Mario Party-e (2003) • Donkey Kong 3-e (2003) • Golf-e (2003)
Other	Game & Watch Gallery 4 (2002) • Densetsu no Starfy 3 (2004) • Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (canceled) • Diddy Kong Pilot (2001/2003) (canceled)