History YMMV / MarioVsDonkeyKong

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The series in general has some pretty awesome tunes, but one of the composer's favorites seems to be first ghost house theme in the first game, which seems to have ended up being the series' standard ghost house music (''March of the Minis'' in particular has multiple variations on that particular track instead of having more than one unique track like the original). The versions from ''March of the Minis'' return in ''Minis March Again!'' and are joined by a sped-up version of the standard version, with these being used for [[NewGamePlus Plus Mode]]'s version of Magnet Mania in that game.

* BrokenBase: On one hand, you have people who enjoy the Mini-style of Mario VS Donkey Kong games for it's interesting, ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}'' style gameplay and interesting puzzles. On the other hand, you have people who preferred the first game in the series that was more in line with the classic ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong Arcade'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94'' and hate the fact that the Minis ended up hijacking the series.

* DifficultySpike: Teatime Twirl (world 3) of Mini-Land Mayhem is this, from this point onward the levels are bigger, puzzles more complex, and the DK battle can be legitimately difficult if you're not paying attention. This is where it shifts gears from a platforming game with puzzle elements to a puzzle game with platforming elements.

* BrokeBase: On one hand, you have people who enjoy the Mini-style of Mario VS Donkey Kong games for it's interesting, ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}'' style gameplay and interesting puzzles. On the other hand, you have people who preferred the first game in the series that was more in line with the classic ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong Arcade'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94'' and hate the fact that the Minis ended up hijacking the series.

** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYDC4iAVi7o Getting a high score in 4-3 is the most infuriating thing about the first Mario vs Donkey Kong.]] ''Nothing'' comes close to the level of bullshit that is this level and whoever designed it is a sadist. Given the way the first half of the stage functions, you have to have almost perfect timing at certain sections, especially in the second half, if you want to just barely beat the default high score by just one or, if you're lucky/good enough, two hundred points (Every second left on the clock is multiplied by one hundred and added to your score). Experience has shown that it ''is'' still possible to get the Star (which is needed to help unlock the Expert levels) by ''matching'' the default high score. Just don't expect the game to acknowledge it by highlighting your score, because you didn't actually beat the old score.

* EasyLevelsHardBosses: In Mini-Land Mayhem, the Donkey Kong levels can be this, especially in world 5, world 8, and the final battle. ESPECIALLY 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).

* HopeSpot: In Mini-Land Mayhem, the triumphant music that plays after beating the first Donkey Kong battle is this, until he just gets up and takes Pauline to the second stage. You get a ''big'' one at the end of the first Final Ferris Wheel with the credits rolling and everything, then you have to play a harder version of the original game, literally a NewGamePlus.

* AwesomeMusic: The series in general has some pretty awesome tunes, but one of the composer's favorites seems to be first ghost house theme in the first game, which seems to have ended up being the series' standard ghost house music (''March of the Minis'' in particular has multiple variations on that particular track instead of having more than one unique track like the original). The versions from ''March of the Minis'' return in ''Minis March Again!'' and are joined by a sped-up version of the standard version, with these being used for [[NewGamePlus Plus Mode]]'s version of Magnet Mania in that game.
** The Mini-Mario theme is very catchy and has been in every Mario vs Donkey Kong game. In Mini-Land Mayhem, each level select screen got a variation of the theme and the Plus Mode versions were sped up.
* BreatherLevel: The first two levels of Super Skywheel (world 8) of Mini-Land Mayhem are surprisingly easy for so late in the game. Other than the shy guy blocks, 8-1 looks like it could be part of world 1 and 8-2 would be right at home in world 3.

* SuddenDifficultySpike: Teatime Twirl (world 3) of Mini-Land Mayhem is this, from this point onward the levels are bigger, puzzles more complex, and the DK battle can be legitimately difficult if you're not paying attention. This is where it shifts gears from a platforming game with puzzle elements to a puzzle game with platforming elements.

* EasyLevelsHardBosses: In Mini-Land Mayhem, the Donkey Kong levels can be this, especially in world 5, world 8, and the final battle. ESPECIALLY in Plus Mode.

* AwesomeMusic: The series in general has some pretty awesome tunes, but one of the composer's favorites seems to be first ghost house theme in the first game, which seems to have ended up being the series's standard ghost house music (''March of the Minis'' in particular has multiple variations on that particular track instead of having more than one unique track like the original). The versions from ''March of the Minis'' return in ''Minis March Again!'' and are joined by a sped-up version of the standard version, with these being used for [[NewGamePlus Plus Mode]]'s version of Magnet Mania in that game.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: After defeating the [[spoiler:TrueFinalBoss]] in the first game, Donkey Kong can be seen crying at his failure to get the Mini-Mario toy. Mario, seeing this, takes pity on Donkey Kong and gives him a Mini-Mario toy, and [[HappilyEverAfter everybody's happy.]]

* HopeSpot: In Mini-Land Mayhem, the triumphant music that plays after beating the first Donkey Kong battle is this, until he just gets up and takes Pauline to the second stage. You get a BIG one at the end of the first Final Ferris Wheel with the credits rolling and everything, then you have to play a harder version of the original game, literally a NewGamePlus.

* EasyLevelsHardBosses: In Mini-Land Mayhem, the Donkey Kong levels can be this, especially in world 3, world 8, and the final battle.

* EasyLevelsHardBosses: In March of the Minis, the levels themselves aren't too hard to figure out, but the Donkey Kong battles due to asshole AI and randomized Kaizo traps push it well into NintendoHard territory, sometimes even PlatformHell.

* DarkerAndEdgier: In the first game, they managed to make ''Donkey Kong'' creepy, [[SlasherSmile as seen in the boxart.]] 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 ''[[HellIsThatNoise shows his pain by screaming at the top of his lungs, resulting in an inhumanly painful-looking death cry]]''.]]
* FakeLongevity: In Minis March Again, in order to unlock all the stages, you have to get bronze and silver stars [[DoWellButNotPerfect in addition to all those gold stars you worked so hard for]]. In other words, you have to intentionally take too long to complete each stage; and this is just to unlock the rest of the basement stages (only one is available initially after finishing the game). 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]].

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: After defeating the [[spoiler TrueFinalBoss]] in the first game, Donkey Kong can be seen crying at his failure to get the Mini-Mario toy. Mario, seeing this, takes pity on Donkey Kong and gives him a Mini-Mario toy, and [[HappilyEverAfter everybody's happy.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: In the first game, they managed to make ''Donkey Kong'' creepy, [[SlasherSmile as seen in the boxart.]] 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'' ItGotWorse 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 ''[[HellIsThatNoise shows his pain by screaming at the top of his lungs, resulting in an inhumanly painful-looking death cry]]''.]]

* AccidentalInnuendo: listen Pauline's dialogues from the sound test of ''Miniland Mayem''...

* ThatOneLevel: [[GuideDangIt The first half of]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JVHSGA7yHY&feature=related Twilight City, Stage 3.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: In the first game, they managed to make ''Donkey Kong'' creepy, [[SlasherSmile as seen in the boxart.]] 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'' ItGotWorse since the game itself, as a whole, is pretty darker than your usual Mario game. And in the [[spoiler: real]] final battle, after you [[spoiler: destroy his mecha]], he ''[[HellIsThatNoise shows his pain by screaming at the top of his lungs, resulting in an inhumanly painful-looking death cry]]''. But then there's the ending... [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming and it's simply adorable.]]

* ThatOneLevel: oh, hi there, [[GuideDangIt first half of]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JVHSGA7yHY&feature=related Twilight City stage 3.]]

* FakeLongevity: In both March of the Minis and Minis March Again, in order to unlock all the stages, you have to get bronze and silver stars [[DoWellButNotPerfect in addition to all those gold stars you worked so hard for]]. In other words, you have to intentionally take too long to complete each stage; and this is just to unlock the rest of the basement stages (only one is available initially after finishing the game). 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]].

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: The series in general has some pretty awesome tunes, but one of the composer's favorites seems to be first ghost house theme in the first game, which seems to have ended up being the series's standard ghost house music (''March of the Minis'' in particular has multiple variations on that particular track instead of having more than one unique track like the original). The versions from ''March of the Minis'' return in ''Minis March Again!'' and are joined by a sped-up version of the standard version, with these being used for [[NewGamePlus Plus Mode]]'s version of Magnet Mania in that game.