Trivia / Mario vs. Donkey Kong

• Creator-Driven Successor:
  • The first game, being a puzzle platformer in which you must make acrobatics, climb ladders, bounce on springs, get rid of enemies with hammers, and bring a key to unlock a door to proceed, can be considered a Remade and Improved version of Donkey Kong '94. Its pre-rendered 3D models are also reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country. In fact, it was initially intended to be an Updated Re-release of Donkey Kong '94 before becoming its own thing.
  • The latter titles, in which you must interact with the environment instead of controlling a character, can be considered this to Mario & Wario.
  • Mini-Land Mayhem! uses each of the world building/tearing mechanics seen throughout all of Donkey Kong '94 (Road, Ladder, Spring, and the Hammer as one of two methods of destroying certain blocks) and more.
• Franchise Killer: Tipping Stars and Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, which received poor sales and reception (due to significant unoriginality and due to mandatory amiibo requirements respectively), seemed to be this for the entire sub-series. After the release of amiibo Challenge, there wasn't a new Mario vs. Donkey Kong game for roughly eight years. One of the last things associated with the sub-series was a Mini Mario spirit appearing in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that could be enhanced into its artwork of it wielding hammers (equipping the spirit increases a character's Hammer and Golden Hammer's swing speed). In addition, Mini Toads appear in Ribbon Road in Mario Kart 8. It wasn't until 2023 that Nintendo would announce a new game, which was a remake of the GBA original for the Nintendo Switch. However, March of the Minis follow-ups remain on hiatus for the time being for the previously mentioned reasons.
• Hey, It's That Sound!: Notice the sound effect that plays when DK changes channels in the intro? It's the same sound effect that's used for turning lamps on and off in the first Animal Crossing game.
• Meme Acknowledgment: The January 15, 2024 Switch in-system Nintendo News article about the remake of the first game opens and closes with the memetic "mmm ... bananas" line from the game's intro.
• Milestone Celebration: The updated remake of the original Mario vs. Donkey Kong releases on Switch just in time for the 20th anniversary of the series and the original game.
• Keep Circulating the Tapes: With the shutdown of the DSi shop in 2016 and the shutdown of the 3DS eShop in 2023, Minis March Again!, which is digital only, is mostly this^note Although there are some DSi system bundles that have the game pre-installed.
• No Port For You: Minis March Again! has not been released on a physical medium. This is a problem because of the shutdown of the DSi shop in 2016 and the shutdown of the 3DS eShop in 2023^note However, the game is still able to be played if it has already been downloaded (unless it has been removed), and it is also included on DSi system bundles that have the game pre-installed.
• The Original Darrin:
  • The Nintendo Switch remake of Mario vs. Donkey Kong is the first game to feature Charles Martinet as the voice of Mario after he announced his retirement from voicing him in new games in 2023, though it's mostly recycled (and now uncompressed) voice clips.
  • The remake also features a couple archival clips from Jen Taylor as Toad in one of the opening cutscenes.
• The Other Darrin: The original GBA game recycled Grant Kirkhope's voice clips for Donkey Kong from Donkey Kong 64. For the Nintendo Switch remake, Donkey Kong's regular voice actor since 2004, Takashi Nagasako, will be playing the big ape, though Nagasako did do Donkey Kong in a Japanese commercial for the game.
• What Could Have Been: The first game was supposed to be an Updated Re-release of Donkey Kong '94 with the addition of a level editor, hence why the first game plays just like that game unlike the Lemmings-style gameplay of the later games.

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