A new Mario and Donkey Kong team-up arrives on the 3DS eShop.
Mario vs Donkey Kong games were a hit on Game Boy Advance and DS. Now the 3DS has its own episode of Mario’s odd entrepreneurial diversion into the toy industry. Is this download-exclusive to Nintendo eShop any fun? Well, it harks back to the classic arcade lineage of both characters – but it could be better.
Nintendo has made some great little touches. Mini Mario is an itty-bitty squeaking version of the real deal, uttering a cute “Mamma mia!” if he wanders into spiked pits. Fail to put a tile in front of him in time and Mini Mario teeters on the edge of the drop, saying “Oh no, oh no, oh no!” Kooky background music that wouldn’t be out of place in The Pink Panther gives Minis on the Move a sneaky sense to it.
That suits the snappy little missions, which are similar to Angry Birds or Cut the Rope stages. Minis travel around a floating board to collect three coins – red, green and blue – and have to make their way to a bright yellow star. It couldn’t be more obvious that Nintendo is trying to produce a modern, casual pick-up-and-play game.
When the timer on each level starts to near zero, then Minis on the Move raises the pace. Creating looped paths with your tiles can buy you more time. That’s if your tile-collecting pipe doesn’t fill up and end your fun first.
Luckily, some levels have garbage cans to chuck unwanted tiles in. You can place your own garbage cans occasionally too, and the game throws in some other neat tricks like bombs to destroy unwanted tiles or purple tiles to place over red ones. There’s a steep learning curve after the first few missions.
Minis on the Move holds your hand a lot though, and that can take away a lot of the fun to be had. Maybe that’s because Minis on the Move is a kids game. Still, it’s Nintendo so there’s solid gaming here whatever your age.
When the reminders to take a break from playing appear after finishing the first ten, very short levels then adults might feel a bit goofy for playing. Failing a level doesn’t end with a ‘You’re Dead’ killscreen but with a friendly “Too Bad!” instead. Use it as an excuse to eat some ice cream and not do the dishes.
Although Mario’s Main Event only lasts 60 missions, there are some other modes and mini-games to play through that might give Minis on the Move some replay value. Completing levels sometimes unlocks these new game modes, and minis for your Toy Collection on the main game menu. The extra modes are fun in a Mario Party-style way.
Minis on the Move is a single-player game but that doesn’t mean you’ll be playing it by yourself. Just like tablet games, people won’t be able to stop leaning over your shoulder and offering advice. You’ll need the 3D slider turned down for that. A level designer mode lets you share your creations with other Minis on the Move players through Streetpass.
Playing with the 3D slider turned up or down is entirely optional if your friends aren’t bugging you to have a go. Minis on the Move benefits from the extra dimension – rotating platforms looks nifty when they pop out in your direction – but there’s no effect on gameplay. It’s better that way for battery life’s sake if you’re planning to keep the kids happy with this one.
eShop prices aren’t as low as games for iPad or Android smartphones and tablets, and the relatively hefty fee of £8.99 could put off parents buying downloadable 3DS games like Minis on the Move for their kids. That would be a shame as this is a great quality game straight from Nintendo itself, and putting funds on your kid’s console can be a lot less risky than letting them use your App Store password.
It’s the craft of Mario & Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move that makes the game worthwhile. Nintendo love their characters and even a small entry in the respective Mario and Donkey Kong series like this one is full of charm. Minis on the Move is perfect for kids on the go, but will probably frustrate their gaming parents.
Overworld Kiwami 