Mario vs. Donkey Kong : la traque des Mini-Mario

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Mario Mayhem

1336 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

Mario vs. Donkey Kong — a title that Nintendo France keeps as is in English — is the 2004 puzzle-platformer that reignited gaming's oldest rivalry: the plumber versus the gorilla.

Between key hunts and retrieving Mini-Mario toys, this Game Boy Advance game spawned an entire sub-series before being reborn in a 2024 Switch remake.

Summary

A True Heir to 1994's Donkey Kong

Mario vs. Donkey Kong was released in 2004 on Game Boy Advance. It was developed by Nintendo Software Technology (NST), one of Nintendo's rare American studios, giving it a somewhat unique Super Mario DNA.

The game positions itself as a spiritual successor to the 1994 Donkey Kong released on Game Boy. The latter, often dubbed "Donkey Kong '94," had already reinvented the 1981 arcade game by grafting on a hundred levels mixing platforming and puzzles. NST adopted this recipe and gave it a fresh identity.

From this ancestor, the title inherited a particularly acrobatic Mario: he performs handstands, string of somersaults, hangs from cables, and most importantly, grabs and throws objects and enemies. The construction site setting and the famous hammer also return. The press praised the result — GameSpot named it the best Game Boy Advance game of May 2004 — and the title sold approximately 1.37 million copies worldwide.

The Pitch: Donkey Kong Raids the Toy Factory

It all begins in front of a television screen. Donkey Kong sees an advertisement for Mini-Marios, those small wind-up mechanical toys resembling the plumber, and wants one at all costs.

The gorilla rushes to the store... only to discover that the figures are out of stock. Furious, he then spots the Mario Toy Company (name kept in English), the factory that makes them, and steals all its Mini-Mario stock.

It is this raid that triggers the chase announced by the title: Mario sets off after his old rival through the factory, over rooftops, and soon entire worlds, with a simple objective — to recover each stolen toy, level after level. The "vs." in the title is therefore not just a stance: it structures the entire adventure.

Key, Door, Toy: The Mechanics of Each Level

The core of the game lies in a two-part loop, repeated in each stage. Mario must first find a key and carry it to the locked door; this opens the second half of the level, where the Mini-Mario toy to be retrieved awaits.

In between, the environment transforms into a small puzzle: conveyor belts, colored switches, retractable ladders, levers, and enemies to bypass require both thinking and jumping. This balance between fast-paced platforming and puzzles is the series' signature.

Progression follows a regular structure world after world:

  • Several classic levels centered on the key + toy duo.
  • A Mini-Mario level where you escort a line of toys to a gift box.
  • A boss fight against Donkey Kong, whom you must defeat by sending his projectiles back at him, to conclude the world.

An Entire Sub-Series Born from Mini-Marios

The concept was so popular that it spawned an entire sub-series, this time focused not on Mario but on the Mini-Marios themselves, which the player controls only indirectly.

  • March of the Minis (2006, Nintendo DS): the first spin-off, entirely playable with the stylus.
  • Minis March Again! (2009, DSiWare): the first DSiWare game with a shareable level editor.
  • Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010, Nintendo DS): the last Super Mario game released on the console.

These episodes (titles kept in English) abandon direct action for a path-tracing and management logic: you arrange walkways, conveyors, and ramps to guide the little automatons to the exit. The sub-series thus emphasizes the pure puzzle aspect already present in the original episode.

The 2024 Switch Remake: Bigger and More Accessible

On February 16, 2024, Nintendo re-released the game on Nintendo Switch in a remake entrusted to NST: fully re-rendered 3D graphics, re-orchestrated music, and a modernized interface, resulting in a much more colorful look than the GBA version.

The content is expanded with two new worlds: Merry Mini-Land, an amusement park, and Slippery Summit, a snowy and slippery peak (names kept in English). They introduce new obstacles—fans, portable springs, teleport boxes, icy ground—and, with their variations, bring the total to over 130 levels spread across eight worlds.

The big new feature is a local co-op mode: a second player controls Toad alongside Mario. The levels are then redesigned and require two keys, only one of which can be carried at a time, forcing coordination. In terms of difficulty, you can choose between a Classic mode, timed and faithful to the original, and a Relaxed mode, with no time limit and multiple health points.

The commercial bet paid off: the remake sold approximately 1.12 million copies by March 31, 2024, proving that the foundational rivalry between Mario and Donkey Kong has lost none of its appeal twenty years later.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong in brief

Title (VF) Mario vs. Donkey Kong (kept in English)
Original Release 2004 (Game Boy Advance)
Developer Nintendo Software Technology
Genre Puzzle-platformer
Original Game Donkey Kong (1994, Game Boy)
Switch Remake February 16, 2024
New Worlds (remake) Merry Mini-Land, Slippery Summit
Remake Sales ≈ 1.12 million (as of March 31, 2024)

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FAQ

  • Which console was Mario vs. Donkey Kong originally released on?
    On Game Boy Advance, in 2004. The game was developed by the American team Nintendo Software Technology, as a direct heir to 1994's Donkey Kong on Game Boy.
  • Why does Donkey Kong attack Mario?
    Jealous that he couldn't buy a Mini-Mario toy, which were out of stock, Donkey Kong raids the Mario Toy Company. Mario then pursues him to recover the stolen toys.
  • What is the goal in each level?
    Find a key to open a door, then reach the Mini-Mario toy left by Donkey Kong. The game combines platforming and puzzles, with boss fights at the end of each world.
  • What does the 2024 Switch remake add?
    3D graphics, two new worlds (Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit), a two-player co-op mode with Toad, and a choice between Classic mode and Relaxed mode, for over 130 levels.
  • Did the game have sequels?
    Yes, a sub-series focused on Mini-Marios: March of the Minis (2006), Minis March Again! (2009), and Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010), all released on Nintendo DS consoles.
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