(sorry about the bad pictures, I don't have any capture software for a 3DS so i had to make do :( )
Mario And Donkey Kong as you can tell by the name has become less of a battle between heroic Mario and the tyrannical Mr Kong. The previous entries in the series were usually based on a flimsy story that did not help the progress of the game. It was there just for the sake of being there. In this game they have given up and that and it is just a simple puzzle game. This improves the game a lot because it removes many of the pointless cut scenes however i have watched the credits about 3 times because it insists on showing you them every time you complete a "world" (more on this later).
This game revolves around getting the mini Marios (Paulines, Toads, Peaches or Donkey Kongs) to the end of a course, In itself this is quite a simple task. The skill (and fun) of this game is collecting all of the M tokens as well. The game is broken down into 6 different sections:
Mario's main event
In this game mode you have to get 1 mini to the end of a course using blocks that drop into your block storage area. If this block storage area fills up it's game over. If the mini falls of the edge it's game over. if you run out of time, you guessed it, it's game over. This mode teaches you the basics of the game such as trampolines, launch kongs and warp pipes. These all need to be used properly to reach the end of the course. Once you clear the first 10 levels of this mode the next mode is unlocked. I enjoy this mode however i find it very frustrating when the whole level is filled and you lose because your block storage location fills up (only 5 spaces). There are 70 levels in this mode so there is lots of content to fight your way through. Once you complete the first 10 you unlock the next area.
Puzzle Palace
The game mode is a lot slower paced and more about thinking that the first mode. In this mode you have a limited amount of tiles and you need to navigate your mini to the end of the course. many of the basic rules from the first mode apply to this mode as well. In this mode there are no time limits so you can take as long as you like to complete the puzzle. I enjoy this mode a lot due to the lack of time limit. It requires a lot of thinking to successfully navigate your mini to the end of the course with limited resources. Once the first 10 levels are completed the next "world" is unlocked.
Many Mini Mayhem
This mode has lots of minis (well between 1 and 4 anyway). These minis have to be navigated to the end of the course. In this mode you can't place blocks you can only move them around (many blocks are already placed and you drag them on the touchscreen). This mode is one of the better modes in my opinion. It is as frantic as mario's main event but it lacks the frustration of the storage area, It is also quite a difficult puzzle area however i feel that the puzzles in this mode are easier to solve that the other "worlds".
Giant Jungle
Giant jungle as you have probably guessed uses massive levels. This mode is just a super sized version of mario's main event however there are a few changes. You must collect 10 stars instead of the usual Mario coins. I haven't really played this mode due to mass rage quits This mode is the harder mode of the 4 because of the very harsh time limit. If you collect 9 of the ten stars and then run out of time, chances are you wont try the level again for a while (that was my problem with it anyway).
Online Features
This game has a level editor and a level sharing option for use online. There is also a rating system so you know how good the levels are before testing them. In theory this is a good idea however there are a few flaws with this system. There are many levels which are very simple (no player input is required) because this game has just been released many of these levels are in the top rated. it can be a pain trying to find a level that is more of a challenge. Searching for levels also has very limited options You can choose between best of all time, best weekly and random. There is also an option for viewing friends levels. This can be very useful if you have friends with the game. I was quite disappointed with the level editor. I had hoped that you could choose which game type you would like to play but you are forced to use the Marios main event rules.
Mini Games
This game features the standard fare of mini games that are usually included with the modern portable Mario games. This games have you using the touchscreen in many intuitive ways. I have not really tried these mini games but they are enjoyable for a short amount of time. 2 of the mini games have you using a catapult to launch mini Marios at a target. In one of the mini games you are shooting at balloons with different characters images on them (you get different points depending on the character) and the other mini game sees you shooting at shapes which you must destroy. This mode uses the 3D very well. The other mini game has you reeling in shy guys using the touch screen. I have not tried this mini game yet So i can not comment. The final mini game has you moving mini Mario up and down to avoid bullet bills and collect coins.
This collection of mini games has multiple levels for each and i feel that it is a very enjoyable way to kill time. They are not as enjoying as the puzzles from the main game however the added content is welcome.
Overall
i feel that this game has a huge amount of content for an E-shop game, I've clocked up a lot of game time on this game and i still haven't finished it. This game is almost on the same level as the professor Layton and portal series at a less steep price. This can can be picked up on the e-shop for a few pounds. The game provides a mass of content that any avid puzzler should enjoy. The only flaws in the game are due to my incompetence. Nintendo is once again continuing to outshine many developers when it comes to creating simple, cheap puzzle games. The price is slightly more than an IOS game but it provides a lot more enjoyment. The 3D visuals in this game are also very well used. They create a very interesting sense of depth in each stage.
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