A modern day Lemmings
User Rating: 9.5 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis DS
Donkey Kong (DK) has captured Pauline like the original DK game so you must guide the Mini-Marios (MMs) throughout the game's eight worlds in order to save her. Each world is made up of 9 levels and a boss stage. You can make them move and stop by touching them. Swiping left and right over them causes them to move in that direction and swiping up makes them jump. Like Lemmings, the aim is to guide them to the exit, but a series of enemies, holes, switches are on your path. Unlike Lemmings, you only have a small amount of Mini-Marios to guide through the level, and only 1 of them needs to reach the exit for the level to be complete. However, you are given rewards of stars; bronze, silver, gold, so you will always aim to finish the stage with all the MMs and in the quickest time possible. Bronze and silver stars can be achieved this way, but to get the gold star, you will also need to collect the coins which are often placed in the most perilous locations. This means the game can be played by players with varying levels of skill. The smarter/most hardcore gamers will want the highest score possible, whereas a casual/younger gamer may just want to complete the level. Most stages will involve playing multiple times in order to achieve your aim which adds to the lastability of the game.
Some enemies need to be avoided completely, whereas others may help you by riding on top of them. You will need to move walls, hit switches, reverse conveyor belts which often involves some degree of thought, especially when it comes to coin collecting, or collecting the 9 letters which spell Mini Mario which unlocks a mini game on completion.
The boss battle of each world sees DK navigating the top screen, and you have to fire MM's from a cannon which is controlled by rotating a wheel with the touch screen. Your 'ammo' is limited to the number of MMs you have rescued in that world, which is usually more than enough. A successful hit on DK does not deplete your 'ammo' but hitting the many obstacles and enemies scattered about; will.
The game was certainly enjoyable to play to completion, and I feel there is certainly more fun to be had to go back through the levels to increase my star rating.
