Apart from the arrival of the Smash Bros. Sora amiibo this week, Nintendo has also revived Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Switch.
This one is a bit different to the average new release because it's a remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance title with a few new worlds, co-op mode and a new casual difficulty setting. We rather enjoyed the Switch version, but we're now curious to know if our community will be picking it up.
So vote in our poll and leave a comment below.
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Will you be getting Mario vs. Donkey Kong for Switch? (3,852 votes)
- I've already got it!
- As soon as possible
- Yes, but not right away
- I'm still thinking about it
- The demo was enough
- I'll stick with the original GBA game
- I'm busy with other games
- No, I'm not interested
Comments 99
Value proposition might be reason not to buy for some..
Not at that price
Eventually, but I will be splashing put on Nintendo’s Home Collection. Only Nintendo (and dragon quest) can make me excited to buy new dishes for my kitchen. I will buy games next month lol.
I'll wait for a sale. It's a good game but it has to be a GREAT game for me to pay full price these days.
Not having played any other MvDK game in the franchise, this “new” one has my attention.
But I love Mario and puzzle games so I’ll grab it eventually.
If It gets down to $20-25 I'll grab it.
Maybe on sale down the line but definitely not for $50.
I was about to write how a drawback to the Switch taking up both Nintendo's home and handheld games is that games that made sense at a handheld price are going for the higher home price, but then I pulled up an inflation calculator. It turns out that $50 in 2024 equals $30.62 in 2004, roughly GBA games' retail price. With that perspective, I'm leaning a little more towards getting it than I was a few minutes ago, but I'm still not sure. I liked the original, but it was just something I played a few minutes at a time waiting for classes to start.
No im not gonna buy remaster and remakes unless its early fire emblem games. I guess ill be playing my backlog until new harsware arrives
Nope wont be getting it.
Not even when the price drops, love the original tho, but just not this one.
Maybe sometime in the future but I have no plans currently. I liked the original on the GBA but it just feels like an odd game to remake, at least for the asking price. There are simply too many other games I'm currently playing through to warrant picking anything up at the moment unless it's something I'm dying to play.
I'm much more excited for Peach's Showtime, Luigi's Mansion 2, and Paper Mario TTYD.
My copy's arriving a day late. Guess that's the price I had to pay for opting to preorder from Best Buy so I could shave the MSRP down with a $10 PayPal credit
I already have it. Having a great time with it. The 2 new worlds are very well made.
I will be buying it within the next couple of weeks. 😊
@SpinEnDash I have been thinking the same thing. $30 in 2004 was twenty years ago. You need to factor in inflation. 😬
I did think that Link’s Awakening should have been in the $50 range, not $60. However, Breath of the Wild is an excellent deal at $60.
So tried the demo and thought it was a great game. Brought the game at reasonable price i think after shopping and i was not dissapointed with this game at all. It plays really well the graphics are on point. I never got round to playing the orignal version but i did have the mini mario version the ds. But overall very pleased with the game
While I think it's a fun game, I have the original so I don't have a need for it.
eventually i'll buy it
I'm down with a cold and this game is pretty much what I needed right now, pleasant to look at, chill, just enough puzzleyness. Sometimes in life, you get the game you need, not the game you want.
But... Wish this was a collection that included game boy DK 1994 shakes weary fist
Have it already on the gba, so the price is not worth it to me. Maybe sometime down the line!
I'd prefer a new Donkey Kong game. Not some lazy rehash of a GBA game i already played decades ago. I'd really prefer a new DKC game but apparently Retro studios is too busy with Metroid prime 4 which will likely never make it to switch at this point.
I played the Demo, it's not my type of game.
if it was a $20 eshop title i'd get it, but at $70 aud i'm almost certainly sticking with the original
Already have it. It's interesting it seems to be full price in most regions (from comments reading) while it's cheaper than almost all other first party Switch games in the UK. At Argos it's only £31.99.
Even on eShop it's £39.99 which is £10 cheaper than other 1st party Switch games. I'm surprised Nintendo's selling it full price elsewhere.
It's cute, but not $50USD cute.
Plus the GBA original is easily playable on the high seas.
This was a missed opportunity for a full remake of Donkey Kong 1994, which would have been much more compelling, and a nice 30th anniversary.
@Clyde_Radcliffe It’s a lower priced game in other regions as well. 50USD in the US so 10 bucks less than their standard price.
@Ryu_Niiyama How much can it be brought for in physical in USD? Same price as online everywhere or do stores tend to sell the games cheaper still like they do here? I brought mine for £31 physical so equivalent of about $39
Nah it felt like a budget game when I bought it on gba when it came out. If they were going to do another gb/gbc/gba remake I'd rather Super Mario Land 2 or Minish Cap.
@KrustyKoopa same reason I won't touch famicom detective club, it's still like $70-$80 aud digital only I believe.
This is a $30 game at most.
@Clyde_Radcliffe I’ve seen it around 45 USD at the cheapest. I will admit since I plan on buying it digitally that I haven’t really looked at physical prices. Walmart is often cheaper in store on Nintendo games though. I think the price is fair but I have other games, soundtracks and items to buy in front of it. So I will likely get it around Black Friday (which is when I do the majority of my game shopping anyway). Like I said I’ll be buying Nintendo dishes this month lol.
Nah, gotta pass on this one. I didn’t really like the original back on the GBA.
I got Tomb Raider and then FF7 Rebirth in a few weeks. Also started playing Kingdom Come Deliverance again(cool its coming to switch for those who have not played)
@NintendoByNature its nintendo. You know it will not happen
It looks a bit too easy and lacking in content but the demo was fun so I may pick it up on a sale later on.
Currentlu enjoying it as a side salad game. So far, doesn't feel as good as the brilliant DS and 3DS titles but good nonetheless
Day 1 for me. £30 in the UK so couldn’t say no. Game play is smoooth and such a chill game.
@Clyde_Radcliffe Yes, it does seem to be cheaper here in the UK. £31.99 in Argos is not bad. I'm waiting however a couple of weeks, hoping to nab a preowned copy on Ebay for £25 - £30.
@Daaan14 Where is it £30, cheapest I've heard is Argos at £31.99.... 🤔 (Thanks)
Lovely game, played through world 1 and 2. Just what I needed at the moment.
Having never played the original I was on the fence but I tried the demo last night and it seems really fun.
£34.99 in Smyth's or £31.99 in Argos seems very reasonable to me so I'll be picking it up at some point today
I found the price a bit high as well for the longevity of this one but I went ahead and ordered off of qvc. There’s a promo they have now with the code HELLO20 and you get it for $30. I thought that was fair.
@BANJO I think it was the Currys offer. Maybe it was 32, as you say.
not really inclined to pay the full price for this one
If it goes for 50% off down the line, definitely, but I mean, otherwise no. The price is too high for what it is. Given I’ve played the original and the demo, I think I can suss out what this one is by those experiences.
No, I am bored just by looking at it.
Far too expensive for what it is and it may be polished up but it still looks like a Wii game or earlier.
@Johnny44 Not to mention the dumbed-down death animations.
I’ll just turn on the Wii U if I get the itch to play it. Playing $50 for a game that originally retailed for $29.99 and was only $7 just a few years ago seems silly.
@Johnny44 It's a GBA game. So.. that's an improvement.
I got the original through the Ambassador system on 3ds, I'm good!
I'm tempted to play the original on the GBA instead which I already own. I just like the game being on the small screen with it's retro sounds.
£40 is a bit steep for what it is, if the price drops I'll considerate later.
@Daaan14 Thanks, still likely the best deal about currently 👍
No....I'm not.
I can't justify paying $70 CDN for a GBA game when I can get several other titles on sale for the same amount of money.
Sorry Nintendo, but these days, I gotta make the dollar go further.
No not now I have the original so I have no need for this. If it goes on Sale then I'll buy it otherwise no.
I've seen some people say this Mario vs DK looks like a mobile game, but that's a crazy take to me. I think some people have been spoiled by the lively animations in Super Mario Wonder; while this game may not reach that level of graphical fidelity, it still looks better than any of the New Super Mario Bros. games--let alone mobile games like Super Mario Run. The texture work is very detailed, the backgrounds are visually striking, and the details in DK's fur look even better here than Tropical Freeze. I think some people need to go back and play a mobile game to remind themselves what that actually looks like.
Personally, I think the graphical overhaul and the amount of content make this game worth the purchase. Yeah, the levels are bite-sized, but with over 130 of them compared to the average Mario platformer having around 70, I think that makes up for it. There's also time attack challenges, and two of the worlds are brand-new. A lot of work went into this game--it wasn't just a quick little cash grab.
Some might say I'm part of the problem, but I've gotten to the point where I really don't care what price Nintendo charges for their games--so long as the quality is there. I would rather pay $50 for a good Mario vs DK game than pay $20 for one of the boring touchscreen games where you play as the Minis. More effort went into this than the Tropical Freeze port or the Skyward Sword "remaster," which were even more expensive than this; I find that to be more egregious than this game being $50.
Admittedly, the fact Nintendo just recently added GBA games to the NSO service does sour the deal somewhat. I mean, they could've just thrown this game in for free with all the other dozens of classic games at the same $50 price tag. It would've still been perfectly playable, and there's an argument that could be made that DK '94 was much more deserving of a graphical overhaul. It does feel a little dirty that we'll have to wait several years for the original version to come to NSO, just like Super Mario RPG, because Nintendo doesn't want to cannibalize the sales of the remake. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is.
This is a good game, and I'm thankful to be in a good place financially at this point in my life, so I'm not going to deny myself the pleasure of purchasing a product I want just out of principal. If I want it, I'm going to buy it. I understand not everyone has that luxury, though, and for the people who genuinely do want this game but it is out of their price range, I do hope it goes on sale relatively soon. But if you can afford it, I don't think the price is a ripoff.
@fabiop welp, my money I'll be keeping then
For 40 Bucks I can’t say no, right?
If it ever came down to the $20-25 dollar range I’d probably pick it up. But Nintendo would never discount it below $40, so my backlog will have to do without. I’m fine with this.
Couldn't be less interested in it 😛
Cheap cash grab!
@Clyde_Radcliffe Most stores in the US will have the same price as the eShop price. I haven’t checked yet if Walmart has a lower price at the store.
Of course, if a game doesn’t sell well, stores may choose to lower the price to sell off their inventory.
Saving up for wolf link, sheik and guardian amiibo dropping next month. So no games for me for a bit
I did.
@Lord Oh boy, you haven't seen one.
I just picked this up today, and right now I'm up to Merry Mini-Land. So far, my impressions are mostly positive, but I have some nitpicks.
On the positive side, I really dig the new graphics and cutscenes, as well as the rearranged music, so overall, the presentation is a big step up from the original. I also prefer the new bonus game that you can play for extra 1-ups compared to the two mini-games in the original (although I will miss DK's "Uh-uh!" voice clip).
As for the negatives, the biggest one is probably the removal of the scoring system. While I myself can take it or leave it, it did add an extra layer of challenge that, so far, is absent in this remake, so others have a right to be upset about its removal. Personally, I'm not super bothered about it since it makes boss battles less stressful.
My other gripe is the removal of certain small details and voice clips, most notably Mario's iconic "'Ey, come back here, you beeg monkey!" line. The original MvDK was one of the few games where Mario regularly spoke in full sentences, so it's unfortunate that they toned down his talkativeness in the remake. It's a small thing, but it's sad to see. Still, not enough to ruin my overall experience, and the remake has a bunch of small details of its own!
Grabbed it yesterday! My girlfriend and I beat world 1 together yesterday and she loved it, so big win for me
@Eggolor I doubt that they will do it, but it would be neat to see the scoring system return in a free update.
@Daaan14 @LEGEND_MARIOID @Quarth @NickOfTime90 @Curly41 @StevenH Thanks for the hands-on second opinions! 😊
Picked it up last night. Really enjoying it so far, especially the music! Being a fan of more classic style arcade games this game is a perfect complement to a snowy weekend.
Maybe at some point. Not in a hurry to play it as I've got a ton I'm still working on.
It's good! I love the jazz and orchestra soundtrack. The gameplay is better than I remember. Seems like the controls are improved, easier to get on ladders, for example.
I intended to get it, though things came up. I'll be getting it soon. I loved the original, as the first title in this series is basically a spiritual successor to DK94, while the others are Lemmings in gameplay.
I really want Nintendo to add Super Gameboy support to NSO. A lot of people don't realize that the SGB was capable of more than dynamic colors, and borders. It could also use the SNES spc sound to play sound clips, as well as play GB titles with 16-bit graphics, such as a simplistic game like Space Invaders. Also, whether intentionally at the time, or not, the SGB runs a little faster than the actual GB clock speed.
@Clyde_Radcliffe @Ryu_Niiyama I just checked my local Walmart. Mario vs DK is at $49.94. And Mario RPG is at $59.88. So I don’t think Walmart is doing the discount prices anymore (at least not on newer games).
I gotta be honest, I’m such a huge Mario fan, that any time a new game release, I just get it day one. No questions asked, I just want them to keeping making Mario.
I already have it. It's a nice, laidback game that brings me some serous mid 2000's nostalgia, but I can understand why some think it's overpriced and a little too easy. I'm just in the first half of the game, not the second half when it gets trickier.
The problem is, these £40 Nintendo games only get reduced by 30% in sales after a year and its obviously not worth using the 2 for £84 vouchers on either.
The demo was enjoyable but hardly blew me away. There are loads of games that regularly get reduced to £20 that I'd much prefer.
Yeah, I just got to the fifth world and it's a lot of fun. Only other game I've played in the series is Mario vs. Donkey Kong Minis March Again on the DSi, thought that was a great game so decided to give this a shot as well. Had a bunch of rewards points saved up for a coupon at Gamestop and was able to get it for just a little over $35.
I'll play it on my Steam Deck sure..... "getting" the game, as in buying it? No.
Already own it.
It's fun!
Unlike that horrifically broken and awful event they call "Splatfests" in Splatoon 3. The only way anyone ever wins those is by NOT playing those events because they keep shooting themselves in the foot by having the WORST themes imaginable here in North America. It's almost like they're lazy and panic at the last second by picking a last-second panic-theme here in North America and announce it as the official theme. We should be holding them to a higher standard by sending a message that they need to back to TWO idols-
It’s too easy and childish. Kids back then had much harder games to adapt to so I don’t understand why the difficulty keeps getting scaled back on everything. Also, if they wanna remake more DS games- how about just porting Pkmn Heart Gold, Contra 4, or 3DS games like Star Fox, Kid Icarus, … these games are unnecessary filler the resources should be poured elsewhere.
I had preordered it discounted and I ended up receiving my copy one day earlier than the official release date, so far I've played the first three worlds and I'm loving it even more than I did on GBA as it's much smoother in every way!
@Not_Soos I'd say this needed a remake much more than DK '94 as I think traditional sprites look better than prerendered ones, especially on a small screen like the GBA one and even more so when enlarged as they would've been on NSO, but couldn't agree more about everything else you mentioned and let's not forget that $50 is less than the usual starting price and that most games, including Nintendo ones, eventually get discounted if not even even day one in several countries, for example here in Italy I got it for €5 less!
@Captain-N Good point and Super Gameboy would be one of those feature along with Transfer Pak etc. that would help NSO stand out compared to previous retro offerings by Nintendo!
I'd buy it for half the price, but as I know it'll never happen, not on my wishlist
I snagged it from Best Buy during the Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal with two other $50ish dollar games. So at $33, the price was just right for what it is. I never played the GBA original, but I’d rate this a 6.5 or 7 at the highest.
@Znake you make it sound like it's not fun if it isn't difficult. Literally every Kirby game is easy, yet people consider Super Star, Planet Robobot, and Forgotten Land to be some of the best Nintendo games of all time. I mean, does every game Nintendo makes have to be hard? Keep in mind the audience they're appealing to.
@batmanbud2 there's a difference in what games are fun based on difficulty. With Forgotten Land there's a sense of wonder there and exploration and sight seeing. But when a puzzle game has zero challenge...its boring and feels like a chore where you have to go thru the motions. It's like washing dishes.
No. Honestly. Donkey Kong 94 remake would’ve gotten me interested. They should have remasters that one
I don't have time for it. My backlog is massive as it is, and I still bought more games cause they were on sale.
I never played the original GBA game so I picked it up.
Been enjoying my time with it so far, and I've already completed all of the main worlds. Only gave one of the extra levels a try so far and they're definitely designed to be complex
I just don't get why they can't make a true sequel to this game. I was never a fan of the march of the mini games, but this one was perfect. I still have access to this on my 3DS, but seriously.... Can we get a true sequel with a bunch more puzzles? Also, more Captain Toad. We need sequels not remakes!!!!!!!!!
@JohnnyMind I would absolutely love Nintendo to go all-in on emulating the connectivity features of their hardware, such as you mentioned, the N64 Transfer Pak for example. Another would be the Sattellaview.
@Dang_69 makes sense for Mario vs DK. What really bugs me is when people say Wonder is bad because it's easy, which is absolutely not the case.
Definitely not a game for me, but that's okay! The gaming industry is supposed to be big enough for many different genres and options to exist.
With that said, in a world where Nintendo releases only 4~ first-party games in a year, I would hate for this to be one of the four.
@Captain-N Absolutely, that would be even bigger and I'd love to see it, but Super Game Boy and Transfer Pak would already be great and should definitely be easier to implement considering the apps for the systems involved in those are already on NSO!
@batmanbud2 my only issue with Wonder is that is isn't "platformy" enough. Like I wish it made me jump more, lol, don't know how to describe what I mean. But I still REALLY enjoyed it. It was easy BUT you still had to pay attention. Really wish they'd release DLC for it.
@Dang_69 DLC would be nice, especially considering how solid NSMB2s DLC was.
I've played the original on GBA two or three times through, loved it, but this is not a must have. Had I never played it I probably would get it. Maybe if it was $20 or $30.
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