Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! is by far the most comprehensive of the four entries into the action puzzle series. Nintendo has gone the extra mile to pack in as many new elements as possible, whilst bulking up and tweaking the existing aspects to near perfect levels.

Not a major overhaul of Mario vs. DK, just a few tweaks to make this the best in the series yet. [Feb 2011, p.88]

It's a splendid casual game for commuters or for people who simply wish to pass the day faster than a flip of a Mario coin.

Lots of gameplay, great graphics, a wonderful soundtrack and flawless touchscreen controls make Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! a worthy addition to an often-overlooked franchise.

The ability to create your own levels, share them online, and compete in Nintendo sanctioned design contests gives Mini-Land Mayhem major replay value.

Even better than the prequel, the new Mario vs. Donkey Kong is an addictive little gem with compelling gameplay, exceptional music and a Creator Mode which boosts the not-so-incredible longevity. One of the best games on the DS, period.

There may not have been too many changes to the series since its GBA inception, Mario vs Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is an incredibly enjoyable puzzler that will keep you occupied for hours on end.

The new Mario vs. Donkey Kong is extremely addictive, a game that shows the Nintendo's skills to create superb gameplay dynamics.

Mario vs Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is an impressive entry into the platform puzzling genre on the DS and a fantastic follow-up to previous entries in the series.

You already know the characters by heart, and gameplay is undoubtedly funny, yet it's the level editor that makes this game really shine.

More of the same stuff, but this time slightly improved. This particular way of understanding the strategy under Mario's eyes is quite entertaining, but's lacking some new features. A worth-buying game for fans of the genre.

Play for a little, get a hit of Mario nostalgia, challenge your brain, and continue with the rest of your day. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem makes for a great gaming fix.

Be warned, mind: there's a slight tendency towards random outcomes. [Jan 2011, p.62]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

Despite some reluctance to simple management gameplay, Mini-Land Mayhem outperformed my expectations. Play it on the go, at home, or on the toilet seat. Just don't clog the drain.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! is fun and challenging. Everybody who's into die red cap plumber will have fun with this one. I love those minis trembling around to hit good old Donkey Kong.

Miniland Mayhem is one of those games whose mechanics get into your brain. Although it doesn't evolve in graphics and sound in comparison with previous versions, its gameplay does, and that is what really matters.

If you are looking for something cheap, cheerful but downright fun, this is definitely worth a look-in.

Although its lacks of significant innovations, Miniland Mayhem proves to be an excellent product that will surely guarantee hours of fun to anyone willing to test his skills with a challenging and addictive puzzle/platform adventure.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! is a worthy farewell of this saga to the DS. Though not proposing new features, this new chapter is highly recommended to all lovers of puzzle game and fans of Super Mario.

Those looking for a one-stop masterclass in elementary game design could do a lot worse than study this.

Mario Vs Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is the sort of title Nintendo does very well. It's charming, fun and cleverly constructed. And even if it's not what I expected, it's a reminder that I should endeavour to make the portly plumber more of a fixture on my gaming landscape.

It takes a little while to get going, but once it hits its stride, this clever Lemmings-inspired puzzle game will leave you glued to your dual screens. With 200 levels the longevity should be in place, and so we'll heartily recommend Mario vs. Donkey Kong to any puzzle loving DS owner.

The level design is superb and the overall mood is pure Nintendo.

It's one of those games that can quickly get stuck in your head if you let it.

Whimsical Mario remixes fill the background as you work and play. New downloadable puzzles and challenges offer continuing content to extend the title, giving you something to come back to when the main game is eventually over.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is another strong puzzle game in the MVs.DK series.

It may be a relatively small improvement but this is definitely the best of the series yet, and as a result one of the DS's best puzzle games.

Although the bite-sized puzzle play of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! initially seems no more enthralling than what you could find on a free Flash game site, it takes only a few minutes for the game's quality to shine through.

It's expertly paced, with bite-sized levels that walk a tightrope between pull-your-hair-out maddening and knowingly easy – and while it can be overwhelming and cause you to doubt yourself, it's always worth it for that moment of relief where it all slots into place.

Another great round of Mario-themed mini-puzzler fun awaits.

Those with a keen eye for the nuts and bolts of puzzle composition will walk away moderately enriched by this effervescent anthology of game design haikus.

It's fun and polished, but it's just a bit too similar to previous versions. [Feb 2011, p.89]

Good, simple fun, although there's not much to it. If you've played Mario vs. Donkey Kong before, you know how it works. If you haven't, you will after two minutes.

"Quotation Forthcoming"

Although Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! is a well-executed title, it's also saddled with outdated mechanics in a genre that doesn't really have that many adherents in the modern gaming world.

The more challenging aspects take a bit to get to, but when players do reach the Plus Mode and Special Levels, it's worth every second.

It's certainly a solid addition to the franchise, just not as memorable as previous instalments. [Issue#107, p.113]

It's a concept explored for the third time in Nintendo DS, but still, there are enough reasons to fight again against Donkey Kong.

It shows that Nintendo tried their best to do something new with the Mario vs. Donkey Kong franchise, which didn't pan out as hoped for due to a lack of a decent challenge. The level-editor makes up for a lot though, because it allows other players to challenge you with their creativity.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem delivers exactly what it should, and is yet another challenging puzzle games for the Nintendo DS. Fun and well made, but without much innovation.

Really smart puzzle game with lots of ideas and an easy to use create-a-puzzle mode. A bit too similar to the last game, far too easy in the first hour and a bit repetitive in the end though.

A title that will be worth a look, therefore, especially for those who take the train.

In taking away direct control Miniland Mayhem has intensified the appeal to players' protective instinct which exists at the heart of the series. [Jan 2011, p.103]

Overall, the puzzle gameplay is well-designed and it takes some strategy and a bit of mind flexing to get your Mini Marios going in the right direction.

For me, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! scrapes by.

A consistently fun time filler that keeps the series' above-average quality streak alive. It may not be the best Mario or Donkey Kong game this year, but out of the few big DS releases this holiday, it's one of the better ones.

As a game to stick into your DS and play from time to time, Mini-Land Mayhem will not disappoint. It really does the basics right - very right in fact. Keen puzzle-goers, though, may feel that if it had the charm of Mario and the simple touch controls stripped away, then the game would be a bit too forgettable.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is the worthy successor of the previous episode released on the DS. A fine puzzle game to pick your brains with. Short at first, it still fulfills its goal with additional challenges in the "+" mode, and the editor. It may not be revolutionary concept-wise at all, and even become a little tedious for some, but fans of the genre will be satisfied, thanks to great production values and a solid level design.