is a sub-series of the ''

Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...

'' and ''

Donkey Kong is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and owned by Nintendo. It follows the adventures of a gorilla named Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong and his clan of other Ape, apes and monkeys. The franchise primarily consists of plat ...

'' series, based on

puzzle video games Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, sequence solving, spatial recognition, and word completion. H ...

, marking the return of Pauline and the rivalry between

and

. ''

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a sub-series of the ''Mario'' and ''Donkey Kong'' series, based on puzzle video games, marking the return of Pauline and the rivalry between Mario and Donkey Kong. '' Mario vs. Donkey Kong'', released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance, was ...

'', released in 2004 for the

Game Boy Advance The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...

, was followed by '' March of the Minis'' for the

Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...

, '' Minis March Again'' on

DSiWare This is a list of games and applications, collectively known as DSiWare, for the Nintendo DSi handheld game console, available for download via the DSi Shop and unplayable on earlier DS models. An update released for the Nintendo 3DS in June 2011 ...

, '' Mini-Land Mayhem'' in 2010 for the DS, '' Minis on the Move'' for the

Nintendo 3DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...

in 2013, '' Tipping Stars'' for the

Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...

and 3DS in 2015. The latest title, a spin-off centering on

Amiibo (, ; officially stylized as amiibo; plural: ''Amiibo'') is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo, which was launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines to the Wii U, Ninten ...

called '' Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge'', was released in 2016.

Development

The history of the series can be traced back to the Game Boy version of the original ''Donkey Kong''. Adding new abilities for Mario and 96 new levels, the game brought new emphasis to the puzzle element of the game's concept. At

E3 2002 E3 (short for Electronic Entertainment Expo or Electronic Entertainment Experience in 2021) is a trade event for the video game industry. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) organizes and presents E3, which many developers, publisher ...

, a title called ''Donkey Kong Plus'' was put on display. During the show, ''Plus'' had a feature that allowed players to design and save their own levels on the

GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...

, then copy them to the

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 A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

). A level editor still exists within the game's programming, and can be enabled through a modification.

Main games

''Mario vs. Donkey Kong''

is a 2004

puzzle A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at th ...

platform game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...

developed by

Nintendo Software Technology Nintendo Software Technology Corporation, doing business as Nintendo Software Technology (NST), is an American video game developer. NST was created by Nintendo as a first-party developer to create games for the North American market, though their ...

and released for the

. The game is the

spiritual successor A spiritual successor (sometimes called a spiritual sequel) is a product or fictional work that is similar to, or directly inspired by, another previous work, but (unlike a traditional prequel or sequel) does not explicitly continue the product lin ...

to ''

'', which was released in 1994 for the

Game Boy The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...

. The game concept revolves around a combination of platform and puzzle elements, challenging

to find keys, reach a locked door, and rescue mini-Marios. ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' was a return to the earlier arcade-style games that incorporated many elements from the Game Boy version. While its style was that of other games, the Rare design for Donkey Kong carried over. Donkey Kong, originally a villain, returns to this role in the game: wanting a Mini Mario clockwork toy, he finds that they are sold out at a local toy store. Enraged, he terrifies the Toads at the factory and steals the toys. This sets up the game's plot, where Mario chases Donkey Kong until he can take the Mini Marios back from Donkey Kong. The game has hidden

e-Reader An e-reader, also called an e-book reader or e-book device, is a mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and periodicals. Any device that can display text on a screen may act as an e-read ...

support. Nintendo held a competition in Japan in which cards were distributed to 1,000 participants. Five level cards were released by

CoroCoro Comic is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan, established on May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school-aged boys, younger than the readers of shōnen manga. Several of its properties, like ''Doraemon'' and the '' Poké ...

and another card was given away at the 20th World Hobby Fair. The game can save up to 12 extra levels.

''March of the Minis!''

is the sequel to the

game ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'', a follow up to the Game Boy

game, though it is more puzzle-oriented, now that the player controls several

Mini Mario (also known as and ) is a platform game series created by Nintendo starring their mascot, Mario. It is the central series of the greater Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. At least one ''Super Mario'' game has been released for every m ...

s with the touch screen instead of Mario himself. The game also features the return of Pauline, whose last appearance was in the 1994 ''

'' game, a

remake of the original ''

''. It features

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC) was an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games. The service included the company's Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop game download ...

. The

DS Download Station Nintendo Zone was a download service and an extension of the DS Download Station. Users could access content, third-party data, and other services from a hotspot or download station. The service had demos of upcoming and currently available gam ...

Series 3 set of games features a short demo of the game. This is the sixth ''Mario'' game for the Nintendo DS.

''Minis March Again!''

is a

puzzle video game Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, sequence solving, spatial recognition, and word completion. H ...

for the

Nintendo DSi The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony In ...

. Announced at

E3 2009 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 (E3 2009) was the 15th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 2, 2009, and ended on June 4, 2009, with 41,000 total attendees. Majo ...

, it is the third game in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series. It was released via the

Nintendo DSiWare This is a list of games and applications, collectively known as DSiWare, for the Nintendo DSi handheld game console, available for download via the DSi Shop and unplayable on earlier DS models. An update released for the Nintendo 3DS in June 201 ...

download service in North America on June 8, 2009, in Europe on August 21, 2009 and in Japan on October 7, 2009. It is the first DSiWare game to feature a

level editor In Video game, video games, a level (also referred to as a map, stage, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively-increasing ...

in which players can create custom-made levels and send them to players on other devices via a wireless Internet connection.

''Mini-Land Mayhem!''

is a

developed by

and published by

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...

for the

. It was announced at

E3 2010 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 (E3 2010) was the 16th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 14, 2010, and ended on June 17, 2010, with 45,600 total attendees. Ther ...

and released in North America on November 14, 2010. It is the fourth game in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series.

''Tipping Stars''

is a

for the

and

and the sixth game in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series. It was released in March 2015 on the

Nintendo eShop The Nintendo eShop is a digital distribution service powered by the Nintendo Network for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, and by a dedicated online infrastructure for the Nintendo Switch. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the eShop was en ...

for all regions, although it was also available at retail in Japan. This is the first Nintendo-published title to support a cross-purchase concept. A possible entry for the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series for the

was displayed as a demo at GDC 2014. It was developed with Nintendo Web Framework to show their capabilities. Like the other entries, the goal of each level is to guide the

s to the exit, creating paths through the positioning of platforms and other interactions with the setting made through the

Wii U GamePad The Wii U GamePad is the standard game controller for Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Incorporating traits from tablet computers, the GamePad has traditional input methods (such as buttons, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad), touchscreen ...

. The first level shows the basic capabilities of the program, but the second has more complex lighting effects and animations. It was later confirmed as a new official entry in the series at

E3 2014 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014 (E3 2014) was the 20th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 10, 2014, and ended on June 12, 2014, with 48,900 total attendees. Ma ...

, to be released as a downloadable Wii U eShop title. in 2015. During a Nintendo Direct on January 14, 2015, it was confirmed the game would also be released for Nintendo 3DS.

Other games

''Minis on the Move''

is a

for the

and is the fifth game in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series. Unlike in previous entries, Donkey Kong no longer has an antagonistic role and instead serves as one of the game's hosts along with Mario and Pauline. Using the touch screen, players must place blocks on a grid to guide the Mini characters to the end of each course. It was released exclusively via the

download service on May 9, 2013, in Europe and North America and July 24 in Japan.

''Amiibo Challenge''

On April 28, 2016, Nintendo released '' Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge'', a free downloadable game for the

and

. This game has similar gameplay to the previous ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong games'', and allows players to unlock various characters—including Mini

, Mini

Luigi is a fictional character featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario, Nintendo's masc ...

, Mini

Peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fu ...

, Mini

Toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...

, Mini

Bowser , or King Koopa, is a fictional character, the primary antagonist in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise, and the arch-nemesis of Mario. In Japan, the character bears the title of . Bowser is the leader of the turtle-like Koopa ...

, Mini

Bowser Jr. in Japan) is a fictional character who appears in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise as an antagonist. He is the son of the series' main antagonist, Bowser. Since his debut in ''Super Mario Sunshine'' in 2002, Bowser Jr. has been a recurring chara ...

, Mini

Diddy Kong is a fictional character who appears in games belonging to the ''Donkey Kong'' and ''Mario'' video game franchises, debuting in the 1994 ''Donkey Kong'' series game, ''Donkey Kong Country''. Nintendo designer Kevin Bayliss commented Diddy Kong wa ...

, Mini

Yoshi Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in ''Super Mario World'' (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the List of Y ...

, and Mini Rosalina—by scanning their respective

figures.

Notes

References

{{Portal bar, Video games Donkey Kong platform games Mario puzzle games Nintendo franchises Fictional rivalries Video game franchises introduced in 2004