Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge is a downloadable game for the Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS systems. It was released in Japan on January 28, 2016, and was released in April 2016 internationally, making it the only installment so far in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series to not be released in North America first. In the United States, it was available for early access between March 25, 2016 and April 27, 2016, with the purchase of any amiibo figure at Amazon, Best Buy, or GameStop. It is the seventh installment in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series and the first to feature amiibo support.[1] New toys are featured in the game, such as Mini Rosalina, Mini Bowser, Mini Bowser Jr., Mini Yoshi, Mini Diddy Kong, and Mini Spek, while returning toys include Mini Mario, Mini Luigi, Mini Donkey Kong, Mini Peach, and Mini Toad.[2][3][4]
Gameplay
The main game is largely similar to previous installments in the series, in that the player controls a Mini Toy trying to reach the end of the stage. By scanning a compatible Mario series-related amiibo, the player can receive the corresponding toy to play as, while the Mini Spek is received by scanning any other amiibo. Each Mini Toy (with the exception of the Mini Spek) has a special ability that allows it to clear stages easier. At the end of each stage, players are given a score based on their performance, and by clearing it with a high enough score, the player earns a Gold Trophy for that stage.
Within certain main stages are amiibo Doors, which can only be accessed by the corresponding character on the door and unlock special stages themed around that character. Some stages also feature amiibo Tokens, which don't work in any other game and can only be obtained by using the abilities of the amiibo on the token.
Characters
Mini Toys
Unlike in previous games, each of the Mini Toys have their own unique special abilities corresponding to them.
| Character | Compatible amiibo | Ability |
|---|---|---|
 Mini Mario |
Mario (Super Smash Bros. series) |
Wall Jump: Jump off a wall upon moving close to one. |
 Mini Luigi |
Luigi (Super Smash Bros. series) |
High Jump: Jump higher than other Mini Toys. |
 Mini Peach |
Peach (Super Smash Bros. series) |
Floating Jump: Float over narrow gaps in the ground. |
 Mini Toad |
Toad (Super Mario series) | Small Crawl: Duck and pass through small openings. |
 Mini Donkey Kong |
Donkey Kong (Super Smash Bros. series) |
Quick Climb: Climb up steep slopes. |
 Mini Bowser (new) |
Bowser (Super Smash Bros. series) |
Bowser Bomb: If Mini Bowser falls from a cliff, he will stomp the ground, destroying any rocks in the way. |
 Mini Bowser Jr. (new) |
Bowser Jr. (Super Smash Bros. series) | Spike Guard: Travel over spikes without getting hurt |
 Mini Diddy Kong (new) |
Diddy Kong (Super Smash Bros. series) Diddy Kong (Super Mario series) |
Ledge Grab: If Mini Diddy Kong walks off a cliff, he will grab on to the ledge, instead of falling, and pull himself back up to safety. This won't work with ledges that are the same height as the fall. |
 Mini Yoshi (new) |
Yoshi (Super Smash Bros. series) |
Eat Enemies: Eat small enemies. |
 Mini Rosalina (new) |
Rosalina & Luma (Super Smash Bros. series) Rosalina (Super Mario series) |
Lunar Launch: Perform an exceptionally high jump next to high walls. |
 Mini Spek (new) |
Any besides those listed above. | None: Mini Spek doesn't have a special ability. |
Enemies
Worlds
In addition to the main stages in the game, there are also worlds themed around each character toy that can be unlocked by clearing certain stages via an amiibo door, which can only be accessed by using the amiibo that corresponds with the character's icon shown on it.[5]
- Barrel Blast Jungle[6]: Mini Donkey Kong's world, based on Donkey Kong Country Returns. Its main mechanic is Barrel Cannons. The music that plays is a cover of the Jungle Hijinxs theme from Donkey Kong Country.
- Mine Cart Cove: Mini Diddy Kong's world, based on the minecart levels in the Donkey Kong Country series. Its main mechanic is minecarts. The music that plays is a cover of the Bonus Area theme from Donkey Kong Country.
- Egg Launch Land: Mini Yoshi's world, based on Yoshi's Woolly World. Its main mechanic is Yoshi Eggs that Mini Yoshi can ride in and can ricochet off walls after launching them. The music that plays is a cover of the main overworld theme from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
- Boost Pad Bonanza: Mini Mario's world, based on New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Its main mechanic is Boost Pads. The music that plays is the same cover of Super Mario Bros. 2's overworld theme heard in previous installments.
- Balloon Float Castle: Mini Peach's world whose mechanic are balloons that fly in the direction of the arrow once Mini Peach grabs onto one. The music that plays is the Peach's castle theme from Super Mario 64.[7]
- Mushroom Hills: Mini Toad's world. The main mechanic of these stages is mushrooms that bounce the Mini Toy. The music that plays is Winding Ravine's music from the previous game.
- Moonlight Mansion: Mini Luigi's world, based on the Luigi's Mansion games. Its main mechanic is candles that can be removed and placed in different spots to stun the Mini Boos and reveal hidden blocks that can be passed through without a torch, but cannot be passed through with one. The music that plays is a cover of the mansion theme of Luigi's Mansion.
- Air Tumble Rumble: Mini Bowser Jr.'s world in which the main gimmick is fans that push the player across gaps, which alternate between turning on and off by tapping them. The music that plays is a cover of Bowser Jr.'s battle theme in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.[8]
- Fire Ride Fortress: Mini Bowser's world, based on Bowser's Castle. Its main mechanic is the Firebars. The music that plays is a cover of Bowser's theme from Super Mario 64.
- Gravity Galaxy: Mini Rosalina's world, a space-themed world, with the Comet Observatory in the background. The music that plays is a cover of both the Comet Observatory and Luma's themes from Super Mario Galaxy. The main mechanic of this world is Pull Stars.[9]
- Star World: The final world, unlocked after clearing all of the main stages. Stages in this world can only be unlocked by collecting amiibo Tokens.
References to other games
- Donkey Kong: Like in past games, the hammer appears, with the classic theme music.
- Super Mario Bros. 2: Some of Mini Mario's levels use a remix of the main level theme from this game. [10] Mini Luigi and Mini Peach's abilities originated in this game.
- Super Mario Bros. 3: Part of Star Road uses a remix of the athletic theme from this game. Mini Bowser's ability originated in this game.
- Super Mario World: The final world is based on Star Road from this game[11], and features a remix of its song on the world map. Mini Yoshi's ability originated in this game.
- Donkey Kong Country: Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's levels feature a remix of "DK Island Swing" and the Bonus Area theme as background music, respectively.
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: Mini Yoshi's levels are based on this game, and use a remix of the game's overworld theme as the background music.
- Super Mario 64: Mini Peach's levels are based on her castle from this game, and use a remix of "Inside the Castle Walls" as the background music. In addition to this, Mini Bowser's levels use a remix of his battle theme from this game as background music. Mini Mario's ability originated in this game. The Warp pipe sound is the same as this game
- Luigi's Mansion: Mini Luigi's levels use a remix of this game's main theme as background music.
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Mini Mario's levels are based on this game, with the background resembling world 1 of said game. Mini Bowser Jr.'s levels are based on the game's airship levels as well, and use a remix of Bowser Jr.'s battle theme as background music.
- Super Mario Galaxy: Mini Rosalina's levels are based on this game, and are set in the Comet Observatory. The background music is a remix of the observatory and Luma's theme music.
- Donkey Kong Country Returns: Mini Donkey Kong and Mini Diddy Kong have levels based on this game, featuring DK's treehouse and mine carts in this game's art style.
- Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon: Mini Luigi's levels seem to be based outside of Gloomy Manor from this game, since it's seen in the background and on the world map.
- Yoshi's Woolly World: The background of Mini Yoshi's levels is based on this game.
Gallery
North American Logo
Staff
- Main article: List of Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge staff
Trivia
- The descriptions of the abilities for Mini Luigi and Mini Rosalina contradict each other's statements relating to their height of jump, with the former stating, "Jump higher than other Mini Toys," and the latter reading, "Perform an exceptionally high jump next to high walls."
References
- ^ https://twitter.com/GameXplain/status/687107258824654848
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ESC_Se-Tmg&t=0m35s
- ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/ap5j/chara/index.html
- ^ http://nintendoeverything.com/mini-mario-friends-amiibo-challenge-coming-to-wii-u-and-3ds/
- ^ NintenDaan. (January 30, 2016). [Mini Mario & Friends: aC] Wii U First Look. YouTube. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ^ Dece Games (March 26, 2016). DONKEY KONG - Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge. YouTube. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
- ^ liaoallen. [1]. Youtube. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ NintenDaan. (February 10, 2016). [Mini Mario & Friends: aC] Bowser Jr. Gameplay. YouTube. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ^ NintenDaan. (February 10, 2016). [Mini Mario & Friends: aC] Rosalina Gameplay. YouTube. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ^ アルス(liaoallen). (February 26th 2016). ミニマリオ＆フレンズ amiiboチャレンジ part4 マリオ編. YouTube. Retrieved February 26th 2016.
- ^ アルス(liaoallen). (March 6, 2016). ミニマリオ＆フレンズ amiiboチャレンジ part11 スターワールド上編. YouTube. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
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