The latest Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake stands out as one of Nintendo’s major releases of the year thus far, and the company is understandably proud of it. Prior to the game’s launch, Nintendo boldly claimed that it would feature over 130 levels, sparking some skepticism among fans who felt that was overly ambitious. With a mix of new content and revamped levels from the 2004 original, the game has now arrived on the Switch, raising the question: did it live up to the level of hype?
How Many Levels Are in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Really?
Counting the levels in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake is relatively straightforward if you begin with the base game. The remake introduces eight worlds, compared to the original’s six: Mario Toy Company, Donkey Kong Jungle, Fire Mountain, Merry Mini-Land, Spooky House, Slippery Summit, Mystic Forest, and Twilight City. Merry Mini-Land and Slippery Summit are new additions to the remake, occupying the fourth and sixth world slots, respectively. Merry Mini-Land introduces Wind Flowers, Warp Boxes, and Bob-ombs, while Slippery Summit incorporates ice physics into its puzzles.
In the base game, each world comprises six normal levels, one Mini-Mario level, one Donkey Kong fight, and one bonus Toad level, which are shorter, non-replayable levels. With each world totaling nine levels, including the final showdown against Donkey Kong, the base game boasts a total of 73 levels.
Both the Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake and the original feature a set of “Plus” levels. After completing the base game, players unlock a “Plus” version of each world, featuring six additional levels and revamped Donkey Kong fights. With each world having a “Plus” version and a new iteration of the final Donkey Kong battle, the total level count reaches 129 when combined with the base game levels.
While 129 levels fall just short of Nintendo’s promise of “over 130 levels,” the addition of Expert levels fills the gap. Similar to the original game, the remake introduces 16 Expert levels that unlock after completing the base game. When accounting for the 72 base game levels, 57 “Plus” levels, and 16 Expert levels, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake boasts a total level count of 145, surpassing the promised threshold of 130 levels.
