“Mario vs. Donkey Kong” series may not be Nintendo’s most-heralded franchise, it is now forever entrenched in the company’s history as the first game to use any type of cross-play feature.
For that reason alone, Nintendo enthusiasts may want to check it out, but even on its own, “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars” is another excellent game in the series that, unlike the older titles in the series, isn’t relegated to the Nintendo family of handhelds.
At the same time, the experience on the Wii U isn’t too much of an upgrade in terms of sound and visuals. As a matter of fact, the game feels identical to its 3DS counterpart. It’s almost like Nintendo thinks they can release the same exact game on two consoles. Like Sony has proven in the past with their titles, you can tailor make your titles to visually suit each console and still have a solid cross-play function. Regardless of this however, “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars” is still another solid addition to the series and one that both hardcore fans and newbies alike will enjoy.
The thing that really separates this title from its predecessors is the level creation mode. It’s crazy that, in the long run, you could end up spending more time in this mode than the main game. Using the Wii U GamePad to create custom levels is addictive, to say the very least. There’s just so many thing you can add to each level that it’s just a blast to experiment with all of them. While it’s not a formal mode of play, sharing the experience with a friend and trying to “stump” them with your creations is a great time killer.
Using the Wii U stylus, it’s easy to simply drop and drag items onto the screen and create a level. Although the side-scrolling nature of the game makes it a different experience than a game the likes of “Minecraft,” those that appreciate the antics of that series will find something to dig here. Showing off your signature levels and sending them to both your other system and sharing them with the Miiverse is fun and a much-needed feature as well. It’s also fair to say that the level-share feature can and will play a part in the expanded role of the series moving forward.
Small children will also fall in love with the feature, as all of the tools to create richly-detailed levels are at their disposal. Hardcore fans will find creating simple levels are a snap and with time- and thought, wildly creative stages can be created. Playing through the main game will also unlock bonus levels and more tools, making the main game more than just necessary.
Easily accessible and fun on both the 3DS and Wii U, “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars,” takes awesome advantage of the game’s cross-play play feature, turning an already successful series into one you’ll effortlessly take from one Nintendo console to another.
Because of that, it’s a game that you’ll never stop playing.
The Good:
Level Creator: Given all of the tools, gamers can create their own levels. From incredibly simple levels to ones that are far more intricate, it’s a great mode that adds hours to the gameplay experience. Add in the ability to save your levels and upload them online and the mode has even more versatility.
Plays Great With Friends: Whether it’s taking turns with friends or trying to stump them in the level creator, “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars” is a blast with friends on both the Nintendo 3DS or on the Wii U.
Perfect on the Wii U GamePad: We’ve seen games work incredibly well on the Wii U GamePad, but “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars” is easily one of the best. Much like “NES Remix,” there’s no reason to play it on a television screen- the entire experience is perfectly encapsulated on the GamePad.
Awesome on the Go: Incredibly similar to the experience on the Wii U. “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars” is one of the deepest and enjoyable titles on the 3DS. The fact that the levels play quickly make it a great option on the bus, train or on the go.
More Classic Gameplay: Simply put, the “Mario vs. Donkey Kong” experience is one of the most nostalgia-filled experiences you can have on the Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS and its newest iteration continues the trend with addictive and easily accessible gameplay.
The Bad:
Doesn’t Stretch Gameplay: While the new levels are imaginative and fun, don’t expect anything so great it’ll break the mold. While this isn’t the worst thing that could happen to the series, gamers familiar with “Mario vs. Donkey Kong” won’t really be wowed.
Wii U Version Doesn’t Stretch the Mold: While the games have to be very similar for Cross-Play to be effective games like “MLB: The Show” have proven that one version can look much better than the other. “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars” looks good on both systems, but the Wii U version could have looked much better if Nintendo wanted it to.
Final Thoughts:
Charming and inventive, “Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars” is one of the best sequels on the 3DS and one of the most enjoyable Wii U games you can play with kids and friends. With a top-notch level editor, it’s never been more fun to jump right into a game and discover what makes it so great.
