Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.
Busy Gamer Review-
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Reviewed On: Nintendo DS
In a Nutshell: This is a puzzle platformer in the vein of The Incredible Machine and Eets, this time putting you in charge of little wind-up Mario toys to maneuver past many obstacles to each level's exit. There are 80 levels divided into eight floors (each introducing new themes and game elements), with a mini-boss battle against DK before advancing to the next set of challenges. It all builds up to a final DK boss level that's reminiscent of the original Donkey Kong arcade classic, but with a few new but enjoyable twists - such as hammers that you can toss, catch and re-use. And if you beat the game, you can unlock two bonus boss levels that are also updates of the original Donkey Kong/Mario arcade rivalry. For nostalgic Nintendo fans, these are worth slogging through the game to reach!
Learning Curve: Varies - some levels are easy to pick up, while others introduce a lot of new elements that must be learned and mastered to get a passable score. Fortunately, you only need a single Mario toy to exit the level to proceed, but if you want to play the bonus levels you'll need to score gold stars by picking up coins and earning time, chain and nonstop bonuses. The later levels are much easier than some of the middle ones - either that, or my overall mastery improved by the time I got there. Whichever it is... once you feel the game getting easier, you're pretty much home free.
The Save Game: As with any DS game, you can snap the portable shut to save your progress instantly (as long as your battery doesn't run out). The game also saves after each stage, which typically lasts only a minute or so. And there are two extra save slots if family members want to play too.
Family Factor: It's typical Nintendo fare, though very small kids may be disturbed to see Mario toys snap, smash and incinerate.
Buy, Rent or Skip? This is a solid rental. For one thing, you may not immediately like the game dynamic, which is clearly an acquired taste. Also, it can be easily beaten (except for the bonus levels) in a few days if you're persistent. The only thing that extends its value is the rich level editor that enables you to create, share and download new levels over a Wi-Fi Internet connection. If you've always wanted to be a game level designer, this is your chance! If you can't find a video store that rents DS titles, there's always Gamefly.com.
