NEWS
Hooked Gamers Junior Review - Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini Land Mayhem
Everyone’s favourite plumber, Mario and his friend Pauline are celebrating the opening of their new theme park, Mini Land. The first hundred customers through the gates are awarded with a free Pauline doll. Unfortunately, Donkey Kong is guest number 101 and goes bananas when he misses out on a souvenir. So instead, he takes the real Pauline and it’s up to Mario and his mini wind-up Marios to rescue her.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini Land Mayhem is different from recent Mario games in that it is a platform puzzle game. Actually, it is a throwback to Mario’s earlier days as Jumpman. Anyway, after bringing the game home, I was ready to enjoy some Mario goodness, when along came Hooked Gamers’ resident Junior Reviewer, Emily. Upon seeing that it was a Mario game, she immediately wanted to play it. She had previously played New Super Mario Bros on her DS for weeks, trying to get each and every bonus she could. So, being the pushover father I am, it was handed over to Emily to write her thoughts on the game.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong makes you think which way the little mini Marios are going to go. You have to work out how to get them to their little house. Sometimes there are things in your way, like the things from the Mario games like Shy Guy, Plant Monsters, Pipes and Fireballs. Before you start the Mario’s, you have to work out how to get them home and then you press them to start moving.
On the easy levels, all you need to do is put in Magic ladders (actually, they are platforms – Dad) so the little Marios can go across to where they need to go. As the game gets harder, there are other things to use, like Pipes, and jumping buttons and moving platforms and ladders. But at the end of every level there is a Donkey Kong level. Donkey Kong throws down barrels at Mario and can sometimes press a button to move the ladders and other things.
There are lots of characters in the game. So far I have seen Mario and Donkey Kong and Toad and Peach. The game is nice to look at and there are plenty of colours. I also like the mini Marios because they have nice colours and they look cute. I think the sounds and music are great, but not when Donkey Kong screams out “Ooh Ahhh”. It’s a bit too loud sometimes.
The game is sometimes easy, but some of the times I had to try the level again and sometimes Daddy had to help me. The levels where Donkey Kong is at the top are sometimes very hard, because there is a time limit and Donkey Kong can kill the Marios with the barrels, but if I get out, I just try again and I can beat Donkey Kong.
The game is a lot of fun, but sometimes it can be frustrating because I lose. But I just try again and I win so then I am happy again. I also like where you can make your own levels and then play them. I would give the game 10 out of 10.
Although, her rating is not the most technical, I don’t think she’s far off the mark. The game is extremely easy to pick up and play, with simple controls and simple game concepts. It may feel strange that you control the characters without interacting with them, but it works really well. The visuals and audio are typical of a Nintendo title, with bright colours, cute characters and cheerful sound effects.
There are heaps of levels to play through, and even once you complete each level, there are bonuses to collect that open up Bonus Stages. And as Emily briefly mentioned, there is a level editor, known as the Construction Zone. This is a heap of fun, and I think Emily almost spends more time making up new levels than playing through the game.
But of course, despite starting off quite easy, the game could get a little frustrating for the smaller ones when they can’t work out how to get past a certain level. But kids often have a different way of thinking and this can certainly help. On more than one occasion, Emily asked me to help out, and as I was playing through the level, she came up with the solution.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong promotes puzzle solving in the younger generation whilst still giving the adult gamers a challenge. And the Construction Zone lets kids be creative and can certainly increase the replay value of the game. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini Land Mayhem is definitely worth a look for both children and adults. It’s got the Hooked Gamers Junior Reviewer seal of approval.