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The game is an evolution of Donkey Kong Plus, a title on display at E3 2002. During the show, Plus had a feature that allowed players to design and save their own levels on the GameCube, then copy them across to the Game Boy Advance using a link cable. It was essentially an updated version of Donkey Kong '94, but the game had disappeared by the following year. It was replaced with the pre-rendered graphics and gameplay additions of Mario vs. Donkey Kong. The Create-a-Level feature was removed from this version (but appears in its sequel.)
The game is one of the few Mario games developed in the US. In international releases of the game, a special effect is added to the timer when Mario goes through and comes out the door.
It is a little known fact that this game has a hidden e-Reader support. Nintendo of Japan had a competition where 1,000 people won cards. However, there is space for twelve levels, and there were only five cards released. They are considered to be among the rarest of e-Cards.
Gameplay
Donkey Kong, sitting in his banana-filled home, sees a television commercial for Mini-Mario toys. The ape is instantly smitten with them, but when he goes out to get one, he finds all the stores are out. So he raids the toy factory and steals several dozens of them, forcing Mario to give chase. The game plays similarly to the Game BoyDonkey Kong game, giving Mario the ability to perform handstands and backflips. There are several different environments, ranging from a lava environment to the classic construction site, and there are five different types; in the first, and most common, Mario has to pick up a key and take it to the locked door. At the second part of the level, Mario had to pick up a Toy Mario at the end of the level. The second type is where Mario must guide the Mini Mario toys to the Toy Box, and protecting them from dangerous environments. The third type is the boss level, where Mario must fight Donkey Kong in order to proceed to the next world. The fourth type is the Master Boss, where Mario must throw barrels at Donkey Kong. The Plus game, which is a repeat of the Main game, is unlocked. In this mode, the story continues from the main game, where Donkey Kong obtains a new batch of Mini-Marios, but with their containers broken because Donkey Kong fell from the roof, into the truck. In each plus level, Mario must activate a Mini-Mario in the level, which is holding a key, and take it to the door. The fifth type of level is the Expert levels. In this mode, Mario must get the key and lead it to the door in a very hard level. Getting through the door beats the level in Plus and Expert modes, rather than sending Mario to a 2nd part.
The game was generally well-received by critics. GameSpot said it does a good job "both on its own and as a tribute to Mario's legacy". IGN praised the gameplay, calling it an evolution of the classic original style of Donkey Kong with "new levels and challenges that fit the handheld platform wonderfully." Complaints center around a lack of content, the untraditional art style and Mario's voice being heard too much throughout the game.
Limited re-release
On July 28, 2011, Nintendo announced that Mario vs. Donkey Kong, as well as nine other Game Boy Advance games, will be available to limited Nintendo 3DS owners, via Virtual Console, to whom will participate in an upcoming Ambassador program after Nintendo officially issues a price-cut to the Nintendo 3DS starting August 11, 2011. This offer is available in all territories, and only to those who became eligible in the Ambassador program (by accessing the Nintendo eShop before the date of the price-cut). Nintendo currently has no plans to release this game, or any other Game Boy Advance game, to the general public in paid form.
North American box art
