Line #11 VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong


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6	[[caption-width-right:350:It's a new way to play an old arcade classic.]]
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8	->''"Hey! Come back here, you big monkey!"''
9	-->-- '''Mario'''
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11	''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' is a series of platform-puzzle video games created by Creator/NintendoSoftwareTechnology. The series started out as a CreatorDrivenSuccessor to the original ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'' arcade game, where [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] was out to catch [[Franchise/DonkeyKong the titular gorilla]] and keep him from causing trouble, but the gameplay soon went in a slightly different direction.
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13	Games in the series:
14	* ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' (2004, Platform/GameBoyAdvance): Originally planned to be a VideoGameRemake of the Platform/GameBoy ''VideoGame/{{Donkey Kong\|94}}'' (itself presented as a remake of the original arcade game for its first four levels), though it ended up being an entirely new game. In short, [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] has had Mini-Mario toys made in his image, but Franchise/DonkeyKong, unable to buy them in stores due to them being sold out, has stolen them from the factory.
15	** ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' (2024, Platform/NintendoSwitch): A remake of the first game, which adds a local two-player co-op mode; one player can control Mario, while the other controls Toad. There are also brand new levels added to the game resulting in more than 130 levels altogether.
16	* ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis'' (2006, Platform/NintendoDS): The first title to have the gameplay that the rest of the series is known for; featuring Mini Mario toys that move around the levels on their own and that the player must keep safe by manipulating the environment[[note]]basically Nintendo's answer to ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}''[[/note]]. Mario is opening a "Super Mini Mario World" amusement park, and Pauline (from the original arcade game) is a guest of honor at the opening ceremonies. DK is instantly smitten with her, but when she shuns his Mini Donkey Kong gift in favor of a Mini Mario, he doesn't take it well and abducts her. This game also introduces a level editor, which would become a major series feature.
17	* ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!'' (2009, Platform/NintendoDS digital-only): DK's in line for the amusement park again, but when tickets sell out he grabs Pauline once again.
18	* ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!'' (2010, Platform/NintendoDS). Mario has made Mini Pauline toys and is giving them away to the first hundred visitors -- but DK is number 10'''1'''. [[HereWeGoAgain You should probably already know what happens next.]]
19	* ''Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move'' (2013, Platform/Nintendo3DS, digital-only): In a change to the usual formula, the game is played from a top-down perspective in a 3D environment instead of from the side. The lack of a VersusTitle is also intentional, as the plot this time is that Mario is hosting a Mini Toy Carnival, and DK and Pauline are running one of the game stalls together.
20	* ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars'' (2015, Platform/Nintendo3DS and Platform/WiiU, digital-only): DK has kidnapped Pauline again, with no reason given this time (until the ending, anyway). While the gameplay is the same as in earlier games, the title comes from the fact that players can hand out stars to other players as tips for their user-created levels... at least until the shutdown of Website/{{Miiverse}} in November 2017.
21	* ''Mini Mario and Friends: Toys/{{amiibo}} Challenge'' (2016, Platform/Nintendo3DS and Platform/WiiU, digital-only): A free-to-start game used to promote Nintendo's Toys/{{amiibo}} toyline. Scanning an amiibo of a Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Bowser, DK, Diddy Kong, Rosalina, or Bowser Jr unlocks that character's Mini-toy and some levels themed around him/her, and each of the ten characters have a unique special ability. (Scanning any other amiibo instead activates a generic Mini-toy with no ability.)
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23	Platform/Nintendo3DS Ambassadors have access to the original game as one of ten free Platform/GameBoyAdvance games; incidentally, this means they can play every game in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series on one system.
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25	The series is notable for being designed by Americans, with its developer being Nintendo Software Technology Corporation (AKA NST), which is based in Redmond, Washington, like Nintendo's main American division.
26	----
27	!!Tropes found in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' sub-series include:
28	* AdaptationalEarlyAppearance: Warp Boxes appear in the remake's new world, Merry Mini-Land, despite not debuting until ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand''.
29	* AdaptationalJerkass: Due to Mario and the Toads getting a pretty huge case of AdaptationalNiceGuy in the remake, Donkey Kong acts significantly crueller and more malicious in the remake. In the original, the scene of him kidnapping the Toads can be justified as him taking revenge on Mario and the Toads for laughing and making fun of him, but since the remake cuts out the part of Mario and the Toads laughing at him, he apparently kidnaps the Toads just to spite Mario as he does it with a sadistic smile on his face as well.
30	* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Every instance of Mario and the Toads acting mean-spirited towards Donkey Kong is scrubbed out of the remake.
31	** In the original version, Mario, the Toads and even the Mini Marios laugh at DK when he realizes the toys have fallen from his bag, and this happens at least twice, including one before the final boss battle. They don't laugh at his expense in the remake, so it ends up looking like DK takes the Toads as hostages just to cause Mario more trouble.
32	** The GBA game's (first) final boss ended with DK hanging on a ledge, and the Toads that Mario freed stomped on his hand to make him fall off the roof, though Mario does show concern for him after he landed on a truck. This was seemingly considered too mean-spirited, as the Switch remake changed that so that DK would fall off after losing his grip and Mario and the Toads react with more concern for his safety.
33	** In the original game's ending, Mario angrily berates Donkey Kong for the trouble he caused earlier and his scolding DeterioratesIntoGibberish. When the defeated ape sobs with puppy eyes at him, Mario calms down and makes peace with DK by offering a Mini Mario. In the remake, DK is just sitting frustrated and sulking in a corner when Mario offers him the toy out of the kindness in his heart, without scolding him earlier. DK does, however, sulk and bang his fist against the ground after being defeated, just like in the original.
34	* AdaptationExpansion: The original GBA game had six worlds each for the main game and the Plus variations. The 2024 Switch remake expands the count to eight worlds each, with the new worlds being [[AmusementPark Merry Mini-Land]] and [[SlippySlideyIceWorld Slippery Summit]].
35	* AllThereInTheManual: The plot of the fifth game is spelled out exclusively on the first page of the digital manual included with it.
36	* AllTheWorldsAreAStage: The Star World levels in ''amiibo Challenge'' combine aspects of the various character-specific levels, such as including both Toad's bouncing mushrooms and DK's barrels.
37	* {{Antepiece}}: In the first game, while the cutscene preceding level 6-1 shows how lasers work, the beginning of the level also showcases them in a simple area - a short corridor with a red laser, a blue laser, and a yellow laser with gaps between them. This shows both the order they activate in, and how long they remain active, before forcing the player to contend with more complicated setups involving the hazard.
38	* AntiVillain: Donkey Kong mainly acts on impulse rather than actual malice throughout the series, either being frustrated at not being able to buy a Mini Mario toy or just wanting to give Pauline a bunch of presents as a show of affection. His overall lack of ill intentions makes it easy for [[AllLovingHero Mario]] to make amends with him at the end of each game.
39	* ArtEvolution: The remake of the original game brings the character models, backgrounds, and general art style more in-line with modern ''Mario'' and ''Donkey Kong'' games, particularly the Nintendo Switch ports of ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze''.
40	* BigBad: Donkey Kong serves as this in most games by either kidnapping Pauline or stealing the Mini Mario toys. That being said, he's still just an AntiVillain at worst, and he always makes amends with Mario at the end of each game.
41	* BonusStage:
42	** The GBA original has two, accessed by collecting all three presents in the level and completing it. After the score screen, you get taken to a screen that shows you three presents and things entering them: a Donkey Kong head worth a 0-Up, a green 1-Up, and another mushroom of varying colors and extra life counts (a pink 2-Up, a blue 3-Up, and a gold 5-Up). The one with a pink background is a roulette where you press A to make an arrow begin slowing down, and the present it stops on is what you get. The one with a blue background is a minigame where Donkey Kong will smash two of the presents from offscreen, but he'll also try to fake you out by pulling his punches. You control Mario, who can swap the positions of two adjacent presents in an attempt to keep the one with the best prize safe - the last present standing is the one you'll take home.
43	** ''March of the Minis'' has Shy Guy Smash!, a minigame awarded for collecting all of the Mini Mario Cards on the floor. In this minigame, toy Shy Guys pop out of pipes and you have to tap them with the Stylus - but be careful of Bob-ombs, who debut in the second-floor version of the minigame and will take away five points if tapped. Completing these awards bonus Construction Kits for the LevelEditor.
44	** The Nintendo Switch remake of the first game has a different platforming based bonus stage, where players have to grab a key and then bring it back to the locked treasure chest before time runs out. There are usually three extra lives in the stage to collect, with five being awarded upon opening the chest. This stage appears every fifth level cleared in a single world.
45	* BootstrappedLeitmotif: The music that was exclusive to Mini Mario levels in the first ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' would become their World 1 theme starting with ''March of the Minis''.
46	* BossOnlyLevel:
47	** [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in the first game.
48	*** Clearing the Mini-Mario Levels always leads players to facing Donkey Kong, after the first battle in any given world the Boss Battle itself is freely accessible afterwards, although not going through the MM levels first "punishes" the player with four HitPoints instead of the "usual" six, as they would have if all six Mini Marios are rescued.
49	*** There are also the Donkey Kong World Stages, which only contain boss battles against Donkey Kong. These can be played in the stage select separate from the other six worlds and only contains the fight as a level.
50	** Played straight in the sequels, which have boss levels entirely separate from the puzzle stages.
51	* BreakingOldTrends: ''Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move'' sees a GenreShift from the traditional PuzzlePlatformer and ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}'' style gameplay to a more straightforward puzzle game seemingly inspired by ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' and [[FifteenPuzzle slide puzzles]]. Additionally, Donkey Kong is not the BigBad in this game, hence the removal of the "''vs.''" in the title.
52	* BreakingTheFourthWall: In the true ending of ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'', you can hear Mario speaking throughout the credits.
53	-->'''Mario:''' Well, that was sure fun! I had a great time, hee hee!
54	** He thanks the engineers...
55	--->'''Mario:''' Oh, the engineering. Mamma mia.
56	** He thanks the people who help create the game...
57	--->'''Mario:''' And thanks to all the artists, the music people, everybody!
58	** He also make sure the player to give a special thanks to his creator...
59	--->'''Mario:''' (whispering) Oh yeah, don't forget to thank [[Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto Mr. Miyamoto]]!
60	** And finally, he makes a funny comment about his own voice actor:
61	--->'''Mario:''' Ah, that Creator/CharlesMartinet! Nice Italian boy.
62	* BrutalBonusLevel: Many of the Kaizo-type "expert mode levels" look like they were inspired by ROM hacks, having precarious platforms, temporary places to stand, or lack of platforms in general.
63	* TheBusCameBack: Pauline, who was last seen in ''Donkey Kong '94'', makes her first modern appearance in ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis''. Her repeated appearances in the sub-series would help bump her back to the main ''Mario'' cast in future games and spin-offs.
64	* CharacterSelectForcing: This is much of the point of ''amiibo Challenge''. Particular characters are required to both collect tokens in the main levels and access alternate exits leading to the character's specific levels.
65	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome:
66	** Mini Pauline didn't appear in ''Mini Mario and Friends: Toys/{{amiibo}} Challenge'', as the only mini toy in the series to not have its respective Pauline amiibo.
67	** As the name of ''Mini Mario and Friends'' suggests, the Minis take the spotlight in the game while Mario, Donkey Kong and Pauline are OutOfFocus.
68	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Throughout the series, many stage elements are colored either red, blue, or yellow. These course elements will react to switches of the three colors being pressed, typically activating when their color is pressed and deactivating when one of the other two is pressed.
69	* ConspicuousElectricObstacle: Harmful electric sparks move along the wires.
70	* ContinuityNod:
71	** The first game (and its remake) opens with Donkey Kong sitting at home, surrounded by [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1 a massive banana hoard]].
72	** The final boss fight in the second game is a remake of 25m from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong''. The two secret boss fights after that are remakes of 100m and 75m, respectively.
73	** In the first three games, there's at least one boss encounter that references ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJunior'' where either Mario or Donkey Kong hang from a series of ropes and the player must drop fruit onto DK's head while avoiding Snapjaws.
74	** Whenever Pauline gets kidnapped by Donkey Kong, Mario grabs for her but only catches the hem of her dress, tearing it in the same way as [[IconicOutfit the original]] ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong''.
75	** The remake adds a couple more:
76	*** The Toads working in the toy factory at the beginning are now [[VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2 Builder Toads]].
77	*** Thanks to the remake's ArtEvolution, Donkey Kong Jungle now looks awfully similar to Donkey Kong Island in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''.
78	* ConvectionSchmonvection: Mario and the minis can survive in lava-filled rooms, and even stand on platforms that are actively being lifted by lava.
79	* CoOpMultiplayer: The 2024 ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' Switch remake adds this feature; one player controls Mario, and the other controls Toad, both characters having the same moveset.
80	* CraniumRide: Can be done in the first three games.
81	* CuteMachines: The mini-toys. No wonder Donkey Kong stole them in the first game!
82	* DarkerAndEdgier: In the first game, they managed to make ''Donkey Kong'' creepy, [[SlasherSmile as seen in the boxart]] (though the remake's box art tones it down). Then you get to see him in-game, and yes, he's a menacing villain: he growls, he uses a ShadowDiscretionShot to show his ambush on the poor Toads, and so on. ''Then'' [[FromBadToWorse it got worse]] since the game itself, as a whole, is pretty darker than your usual Mario game. [[spoiler:In the real final battle, after you destroy his mecha, he ''shows his pain by screaming at the top of his lungs, resulting in an inhumanly painful-sounding death cry''...[[MoodWhiplash only to jump back up and succumb to childish sobbing afterwards]]]].
83	* DigitizedSprites: The first game features 3D models digitized as sprites in the same vein as the SNES ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' trilogy. This can be seen with Mario, Donkey Kong, the Toads, and the Mini Marios, where they clash against some of the other sprites like the backgrounds, items, and enemies.
84	* DiscOneFinalDungeon: The sixth world of the first game (eighth world in its remake) is followed by a BossOnlyLevel with Donkey Kong, where players fight him atop a skyscaper and save three Toads, with this feasibly being where the game could have its final boss. Once DK's defeated however, he falls off the side of the building, followed by a quick ClosingCredits roll. The cutscene then resumes, where Donkey Kong crashes into a truck carrying Mini Mario toys, steals that supply, and the story continues on with Mario chasing DK through the Plus Worlds.
85	* DownloadableContent: Each of the games have DLC.
86	** The first game has DLC in the form of e-Reader cards. Both the North American and Japanese games have normally inaccessible pre-loaded levels and only 12 levels can be saved at any given time to the e World, which is strange since there are more than 12 pre-loaded levels in either version (13 in the North American version and 14 in the Japanese, although North America's 13 is a dummy level which doesn't exist in the Japanese version). The levels between the North American and Japanese are mostly different, with a few only different in minor ways, most of the levels from the North American version being heavily altered in the Japanese version, and some levels from the North American version being replaced completely. Only five very rare cards were ever released and only in Japan. The e-Reader feature was removed from the European version of the game.
87	** In the sequels, the DLC came in the form of [[LevelEditor Construction Zone]] levels that can be shared between players either locally or via Wi-Fi. Nintendo itself released levels every once in a while (with levels in ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' dropping once a month). In ''March of the Minis'', limitations made it impossible to have more than 8 self-made stages and 24 stages from others, which may explain why Nintendo itself only had 8 levels up at a time despite having developed more. It was also impossible to download more than one level at a time; As soon as one level was downloaded, you'd be disconnected and would have to reconnect to download another. In ''Minis March Again!'' and ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'', both of those were improved, allowing players to not only have far more levels saved at once (160 in ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'', and self-made levels are no longer segregated from others'), but to also download multiple levels without disconnecting and even search for levels in various ways.
88	* DualWielding: Unlike the real Mario, the Mini Marios use two hammers at once.
89	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
90	** The original game actually starred Mario himself over the Mini Marios, and neither Pauline nor the level editor were present. It was also far more action-based (not unlike ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94'') than the ''Lemmings''-type puzzles of the rest of the games, which also use the stylus instead of the buttons. This is owing to the fact that it was supposed to be an UpdatedRerelease of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94''.
91	** In ''March of the Minis'', you can directly control the Minis' actions with the Touch Screen, like making them turn around, stop in place, or WallJump. As early as the very next game, ''Minis March Again!'', the only direct control you have over the toys is activating them; this coincided with the series changing focus from manipulating both the Minis and the objects in the level, to just the latter.
92	* EasilyForgiven: In the first game's ending, [[spoiler:a defeated Donkey Kong cries over the fact he didn't get a single Mini Mario toy after all his effort. Mario begins scolding him (in the original version), since he caused a lot of trouble by stealing all the toys from the factory, chasing and fighting him through several worlds, and kidnapping the Toads. Seeing the poor ape cry however has Mario console him and gives DK one of the toys for free without any ill will. In the remake, Mario sees DK grumpily sulking in the corner, but instead of scolding him, he simply just gives him a Mini Mario. This is more than enough to lift the ape's spirits]].
93	* EasterEgg: In ''March of the Minis'' and ''Minis March Again!'', closing the DS will make Mario speak a random sentence, and so will opening it again. Close it and open it back up repeatedly, and Mario may exclaim "Not again!".
94	* EasyLevelsHardBosses: In ''Mini-Land Mayhem'', the Donkey Kong levels can be this, especially in world 5, world 8, and the final battle. ''Especialy'' in Plus Mode. This becomes inverted in Cosmic Adventure where the DK battle is one of the easiest in the game (and perhaps the most fun).
95	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: This series has Mario facing his old enemy from his debut into the gaming world, though this time Mario's name actually appears in the title.
96	* ExcusePlot: The first game had a cutscenes via slideshow and were probably the most elaborate of plots for the entire series. Then once the series began opting for the ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}''-style stylus-centric gameplay for which it's known now, the "excuseness" of the plots became more apparent. It culminated in 2015's ''Tipping Stars'', where the introduction cutscene is composed of only ''one'' screen of "plot", showing DK carrying Pauline off with Mario in pursuit. [[spoiler:The normal ending isn't any better, which is also one screen with sightly animated assets revealing the whole game being a setup for a surprise party for Mario.]]
97	* FakeLongevity: In ''Minis March Again!'', in order to unlock all the stages, you have to get every gold star in the game in order to unlock all of the basement stages (only one is available initially after finishing the game)[[note]]Some of them can be unlocked with bronze and silver stars, but you will eventually have to get every gold star to unlock every basement stage.[[/note]]. To unlock the remaining roof stages (only a few are available after you complete the game), you need to complete the game all over again in [[NewGamePlus "Plus" mode]].
98	* GameBreakingBug: In the end of some levels of the first game, like the second boss fight, the game might not consider your final score a new high score, ''but still records it''. If the player can't get a better score, then it's time to delete the file and start over.
99	* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: Donkey Kong's [[spoiler:HumongousMecha]] in the first game, which attacks very similarly to the [[spoiler:FinalBoss of the Game Boy ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKong94 Donkey Kong]]'']].
100	* GoodAllAlong: Not that he was ever really evil to begin with, but Donkey Kong's kidnapping of Pauline in ''Tipping Stars'' [[spoiler:turns out to be a ploy set up by the two of them to lure Mario to a surprise birthday party]].
101	* GoodVersusGood: Mario is clearly the hero of these games and Donkey Kong is the antagonist, but Donkey Kong has no ill intentions either. He just wants some Mini-Mario toys. In ''Minis March Again!'', [[spoiler:his kidnapping of Pauline was all a ploy by him and her to test the Mini Mario toys]], and in ''Tipping Stars'', [[spoiler:he deliberately kidnaps Pauline (who is also in on the gag) in order to lead Mario to a surprise party]]. The most villainous Donkey Kong has ever been was ''March of the Minis'', where he's just a sympathetic AntiVillain. And even then, [[spoiler:when Mario reaches Pauline, she was surrounded by presents, food, and comfy furniture, and it looked like she didn't even ''mind'' getting kidnapped.]]
102	* HelpfulMook: Some of the enemies throughout the series end up being helpful in some way.
103	** Many enemies are immune to spikes, allowing Mario or the Minis to get a CraniumRide along a path he otherwise couldn't get over.
104	** Sir Shovalot can shove Mario through tight gaps he can't walk through.
105	** Monchees and Robokikkis in the first game, and Cool Kongs in later ones, have grabbable segments that extend through platforms, allowing Mario or the Minis to hitch a ride on them.
106	** Circus Kongs juggle Mini toys, making it impossible to control them - but if there's a {{Directionally Solid Platform\|s}} or dotted-line block above them, then the Circus Kongs will essentially serve only to chuck the Minis to a higher area.
107	* HereWeGoAgain:
108	** In the first game, [[LampshadeHanging Mario quotes the trope word for word]] when chasing Donkey Kong after stealing ''another'' set of Mini Mario toys and opening up the Plus Worlds.
109	--->'''Mario:''' Stop! Not again! Here we go again, wahoo!
110	** And right before the [[spoiler:real]] final boss in the same game, along with starting one of the Plus Worlds:
111	--->'''Mario:''' Here we go again...again.
112	** In the Nintendo Switch remake of the first game, when Mario starts chasing Donkey Kong through the first Plus World, he says a variant on this trope, which is different than what was originally in the game. It's notable that this is the only time he says a different phrase, as any time Mario chases DK through a world, he always says "Stop! Come back!" instead.
113	--->'''Mario:''' [[CharacterCatchphrase Mama mia...]] Here we go again!
114	* InCaseOfBossFightBreakGlass: The FinalBoss of the first game is [[spoiler:a HumongousMecha piloted by Donkey Kong]], which you defeat by chucking barrels at the cockpit to break it.
115	* InconvenientlyPlacedConveyorBelt: In the first game, Mario Factory, Mystic Forest, and Twilight City have conveyor belts: Mystic Forest introduces the Direction Switch, a button which changes the direction of all conveyor belts on the map, and the boss fights of the latter two worlds require a perfect knowledge of this mechanic (and of the time a Bob-Omb explodes after having been triggered).
116	* JustFriends: Mario and Pauline.
117	* TheKindnapper: Despite his kidnappings of Pauline, Donkey Kong never actually tries to hurt her and even showers with gifts, implying that [[ObliviouslyEvil he genuinely doesn't understand that what he's doing even qualifies as kidnapping]].
118	* LargeHam: Pauline's voice in ''Mini-Land Mayhem'' sounds ''very'' exaggerated when she's being kidnapped.
119	* LevelEditor: A headlining feature in every game but the first.
120	** They do have some limitations, however, as it's not possible to do create certain types of levels seen in the main game, such as any having a Multi-Door Magnet level a la Cosmic Adventure in ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' or levels where all Minis are forced to start at once after a 3 second countdown (this limitation can be overcome by having the Minis start off in mid-air, although this doesn't allow players to survey the level beforehand within the level. Luckily, they can do so in the level select screen).
121	** The first game does have a level editor, albeit incomplete and with some limitations of its own (such as not allowing the first level of any world to be edited). Like with the e-Reader levels, it was cut.
122	** The level editor in ''Tipping Stars'' is given bigger focus, as when you rate a level, the person who made it gets stars, which they can use buy more things from the Workshop Store to build better levels. Of course, you can get stars by yourself, but getting them from other players is faster and more rewarding. Due to the shutdown of Miiverse this can no longer be done.
123	* LighterAndSofter: [[{{DownplayedTrope}} Downplayed]], but the Nintendo Switch remake is this compared to the [=GBA=] game but not by much.
124	** In the original, Donkey Kong is presented a lot fiercer, having a primal roar when scaring the Toads or starting a boss fight with him, due to recycled sound effects. The Nintendo Switch remake has him more in-line with the character's current portrayal, being more mischievous and being voiced by Takashi Nagasako, whose pre-fight yell is a lot less intimidating.
125	** The game has a brighter and vibrant color palette in some of the boss levels, taking out some of the original intimidation factor. This is most evident with the final boss of the normal worlds, where the it takes place during sunset, which has a pink and purple hue, while the original was more drenched in purple.
126	** The character portrayals are a lot closer to their current characterizations as opposed to the [=GBA=] game, with more mean-spirited interactions or quips from the original being changed or replaced. Mario is notably less mad about the situation.
127	* TheManyDeathsOfYou: Like ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94'', the first game has a plethora of different death animations for Mario, each with different death jingles and also Mario saying "Mama mia!" in different ways. Downplayed in the Switch remake, where the animations are slight variants of the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' standard "thrown off the screen" with an IrisOut.
128	** The standard death jingle and the typical way for Mario to die (getting hit by an enemy or hazards) ends with him falling over and crying out a pained "Mama ''mia!''"
129	** Touching fire will immediately [[AshFace burn Mario to a crisp]] after he bursts into flames for a brief moment.
130	** Being electrocuted will give Mario XRaySparks before falling back down, singed by the electricity. This and the above share a death jingle and Mario uttering a weak "Mama mia..."
131	** Falling from too great of a height or [[ShmuckBait trying to jump on Donkey Kong during a boss fight]] will end with Mario falling flat on his head.
132	** Getting crushed will have Mario SquashedFlat. This and the above also share a death jingle and Mario saying "Mama ''MIA!''" as if in disbelief.
133	* MarathonLevel: There are only three Giant Jungle levels in ''Minis on the Move'', but it's counteracted by the fact that they take around eight minutes to beat. Most levels take around 10 to 30 seconds.
134	* MeaninglessLives:
135	** The first game has a lives system, but if you Game Over, you'll just restart the level with five more lives and, if you were on the second section of a level, a reset score. Thing is, when you die normally, you lose the time you accumulated from the first section of the level if it was on the second, which defeats any ability to get a high score. Thus, getting a Game Over doesn't punish you any more than dying regularly would. The Switch remake removes the score requirement for getting stars on the levels, making lives even more meaningless there.
136	** ''Minis March Again!'' has lives in it, but what happens when you run out? Well, you're given the option to retry or quit. Retrying gives you 5 lives and puts you back in the level you game overed in. Quitting lets you come back later with five lives. So, in short, nothing happens.
137	* MegatonPunch: In the first game, making contact with Donkey Kong in any of the boss levels where it is possible to do so will result in DK decking Mario and sending the plumber across the level. If Mario still has any hit points, the action will just stun him rather than kill him instantly like in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94''.
138	* {{Minigame}}: The first had a shell game, the second had a Whack-A-Mole type game, and ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' had a sorting game.
139	* MissionPackSequel: The first two games and the 3D-based ''Minis on the Move'' are the only truly original titles - the others are, at their core, custom level arrangements of ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis''. Granted, there ''are'' a few incremental updates to the same formula; ''Minis March Again!'' simplified the gameplay with less control over the minis themselves and more focus on interacting with the levels themselves, ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' changed the DK boss setup and included more minigames, and ''Tipping Stars'' exclusively has Mini Luigi and a Workshop store where you can buy features with your accumulated points, and there are a few minor enhancements to the enemy and obstacle types over time. Subverted with ''Minis on the Move'', which tries to shake it up a bit with new 3D gameplay, only to return the old 2D formula with ''Tipping Stars''.
140	* MusicalNod: All tunes in Coaster Hills in ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' are remixes of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' tunes.
141	* MythologyGag: When a Mini Peach grabs a Fire Flower, her dress turns white and her hair turns red -- just like Peach's color palette in the original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1''.
142	* NewGamePlus: ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' plays this straight, for the most part; the only differences are that the order you get Minis to the goal is important, and bosses and minigames are harder.
143	* OhCrap: In the first game, Mario audibly panics when [[spoiler:the hands of Donkey Kong's mecha grab the last of the Mini Marios in a brief sequence preceding the final boss fight]].
144	* OneHitPointWonder: In the first game, Mario will be defeated if hit by anything in the six main levels and the Mini Mario levels. The exceptions are the bosses - the amount of Mini Marios rescued in the preceding stage equals the amount of health Mario gets, with a minimum of one and a maximum of six. If you play just the boss from the level select, you'll be given four hits. The remake adds an easy mode which grants you Bubbles as health points.
145	* PromotedToPlayable: Mini Donkey Kong, Mini Toad, and Mini Peach are all introduced in the opening of ''March of the Minis'', but are only playable in levels made with Special Kit 3, 1 or 2 respectively. The next game, ''Minis March Again!'', allows you to replace almost all the Mini Marios in the main game (only the ones in Key levels and boss levels remain Marios) with any of the above, or a combination of all three plus Mini Mario.
146	** The Switch remake of the GBA game makes Toad a playable character in the local co-op mode. The original had the Toads as [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] and Mario was the only playable character.
147	* PushyMooks: The fittingly-named Sir Shovalot charges at Mario with its shield as soon as it sees him. While they can be useful to get through tight gaps, if they push Mario against a wall, he'll be SquashedFlat and lose a life.
148	* PuzzlePlatformer: Most of the games qualify as this, as the player has to either control Mario through complex obstacle courses or create platforms for the Mini Marios to guide them to the goal. The only notable aversion is ''Minis on the Move'', which is just a straightforward puzzle game with no platforming elements.
149	* RearrangeTheSong: The music for some of the games' title screens is a combination of the ''Super Mario Bros.'' ground theme and the ''Donkey Kong'' title screen theme.
150	* RegionalBonus: Although there were no major gameplay enhancements, the European localizations, as well as the Japanese translation of the first game added a few graphical tweaks. Unfortunately, Mario's dialogue during the credits were removed from these localizations.
151	* RobotMe: The Mini Marios are basically ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin wind-up toys. [[spoiler:Also, the real final boss of the first game is a HumongousMecha shaped like and piloted by DK]].
152	* RumpRoast: Getting hit by fire or lava in the GBA game lights Mario's rear on fire. When he lands on solid ground, the butt-flames [[ManOnFire engulf]] and [[AshFace char him]].
153	* SirVerbALot: Sir Shovalot, returning from ''Donkey Kong '94'', is a tiny mecha with a shield that it can use to push Mario. This can end with Mario SquashedFlat against a wall, but [[HelpfulMook he can also use them to get pushed through small gaps]].
154	* SpaceZone: Cosmic Adventure in ''Miniland Mayhem'' has it in the name but it leans closer to EternalEngine, however Rosalina's levels in ''Mini Mario & Friends Amiibo Challenge'' sticks straight to the theme.
155	* SpellingBonus: ''March of the Minis'', ''Minis March Again!'', and ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' have Mini Mario Cards. There's one in each level of the world, and collecting them all spells out "MINIMARIO". In ''March of the Minis'' they unlock the floor's Shy Guy Smash! minigame, in ''Minis March Again!'' they unlock the world's extra stage, and in ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' they unlock a pachinko-like minigame.
156	* SquashedFlat: A few enemies and hazards, like Thwomps and Sir Shovalots, are capable of flattening Mario or the Minis into a paper-thin form.
157	* SuddenlyVoiced: Mario in the original game (one of the few canon examples of him saying full sentences as opposed to his usual one-liners; most apparent in the ending credits), and Pauline in ''Mini-Land Mayhem!''
158	* TemporaryOnlineContent: Due to Miiverse shutting down in November 2017, players can no longer share their created levels and get extra Stars in ''Tipping Stars'', meaning that the player cannot purchase every single item in the Workshop anymore due to there now being only a fixed number of Stars that can only be obtained in single player.
159	* ThrowABarrelAtIt: Both Mario and Donkey Kong weaponize barrels chucked at each other at various points in the series. In the first game DK uses them in World 3 [[spoiler:and World 3+]]'s boss battles, and several other games have them fall as debris that he causes to rain down. The Donkey Kong BossOnlyLevel after the first six worlds has Donkey Kong use spiked barrels that cannot be picked up, along with a giant barrel that will roll to the bottom of the stage. Mario defeats Donkey Kong by throwing the barrels back at him whenever they appear, including the giant one, thanks to the help of the Toads.
160	* TitleScream: The first game has Mario announce the game's title after the opening movie plays.
161	-->'''Mario:''' Mario versus...Donkey Kong!
162	* TogglingSetpiecePuzzle: In the levels, Mario (as well as the Mini-Marios in all games minus the first) can jump on color-coded switches (red, blue, and yellow) to activate objects (such as blocks, ladders, and bridges) of their corresponding colors. The catch? When you're pressing a switch to toggle on its associated setpieces, those of the other colors are toggled off (for example, pressing the red switch will enable the red objects but disable the blue and yellow ones), so you have to learn how to use each element in the right moment to make your way to the levels' exits.
163	* TwoGirlsToATeam: While ''March of the Minis'' introduced Mini Peach as the first female Mini-toy, ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'' introduced Mini Pauline, the second female Mini-toy. They have been the two only female Minis in each installment since ''Mini-Land Mayhem!'', but in ''amiibo Challenge'', Mini Pauline is replaced with Mini Rosalina.
164	* VersusTitle: ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong''. This is avoided in ''Minis on the Move'', which changes it to ''Mario '''and''' Donkey Kong'' due to the lack of rivalry.
165	* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: More "Video Game Trolling Potential", but putting the DS into Sleep Mode will trigger one of Mario's one-liners calling out the player. Waking the system up will make Mario happy that the player is back, but nothing is stopping the player from closing it again to mess with him. Feel free to open and close your DS over and over, and listen as Mario helplessly urges the player to get back and play the game.
166	* VideoGameRemake: In 2023, Nintendo announced a remake of the first [=GBA=] game, which would add new features and overhauled graphics, which would release in 2024.
167	* WindUpKey: On the Mini Marios and the other toy characters.
168	* WingdingEyes:
169	** In the first game, Donkey Kong gets hearts in his eyes when watching the commercial for the Mini Mario toys. The remake of the first game has this replaced with [[ReflectiveEyes the reflection of the toys in DK's eyes]].
170	** The opening cutscenes of ''March of the Minis'' and ''Minis March Again!'' give Donkey Kong hearts in his eyes when he sees Pauline/the Mini Pauline toy.
171	* AWinnerIsYou: Finishing the main campaign of ''Tipping Stars'' will reward you with a [[LimitedAnimation slightly animated]] cutscene of [[spoiler:DK and Pauline revealing the whole rigmarole of saving her was a setup for a surprise party]]. Said cutscene only lasts for a few seconds.

Context VideoGame / MarioVsDonkeyKong