Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem (Nintendo DS) (From Daily Echo)

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem (Nintendo DS)

in Game Reviews By Ian Crump

Genre: Puzzle

Platform: Nintendo DS

Publisher: Nintendo

Classification: 7 (PEGI)

Not ever witnessing the joining of this happy couple before, this is my first observation of the marriage that’s spanned the last six years on both the Game Boy Advance and the DS. I’m now happy to be able to say, I find it a match made in heaven.

The plotline, all be it very thin is as bonkers as a sack of rabid ferrets; Mario is the guest of honour at the opening of the new Mini-Land theme park, a duty that he shares with Pauline. The first hundred visitors in the queue to Mini-Land bag themselves a free Pauline toy, but Donkey Kong is in at 101st position. Enraged by not getting a toy, Donkey grabs the real Pauline and runs away with Mario giving chase.

Taking the form of a puzzle game, players must help guide a crew of clockwork Marios from one end of a level to the other. Players will need to think quickly by building bridges, creating walls, grabbing power-ups and generally looking out for the wellbeing of the clockwork Marios.

Gamers who fear puzzles that challenge colossal need not worry too much as the difficulty is ramped up slowly with each and every level played.

To a perfectionist determined to hoover up every morsel of collectible goodness, each of the 100 plus levels contains a Mario star and a trophy to be collected. As Mario stars are accumulated, special levels are unlocked in the process.

In a great effort to expand longevity, there’s a create mode that allows players to not only make their own levels, but share them with others. Players may also play other user created levels and give them a rating.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! is a refreshing puzzle game that packs plenty of levels on the cartridge and a promising chance to experience plenty more online.

SCORE: 7 / 10