In 2006 it had been over a decade since the last 2D platforming Mario game and so, when New Super Mario Bros. brought back this classic formula, it was very exciting news! It was a real treat for the fans, while simultaneously being accessible to new players too.

Story-wise, there’s nothing new here. Once again, Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach and, once again, Mario must travel through eight worlds in order to track her down and get her back. I’d not like to complain too much though, because this game is intentionally made to be a throwback to the older Mario games that had quite simple stories like this. Plus there is also a slight degree of mystery and an unexpected plot-turn or two, so, I can’t fault it here.

In terms of gameplay, it takes the classic Mario formula, polishes it up and adds quite a few nice things. One thing I like is that the controls have really been perfected, which may feel like a small thing, but actually it’s a big part of what makes the game fun to play, and something which might be overlooked. There are classic elements like fire bars, flag poles and Bowser waiting on a drawbridge, but there are also brand new things like the Mega Mushroom which turns you into an indestructible giant, the blue shell that lets you roll along like a Koopa and I found the boss battles to all be pretty fun and unique (one in particular is very memorable).

Beyond the main game, there’s also a collection of mini games available (some of which previously appeared in Super Mario 64 DS) and a very fun multiplayer mode. In the multiplayer mode one person plays as Mario while the other plays as Luigi and you run around in levels fighting to collect the most stars. Some of the smaller mini-games are also multiplayer, which is quite fun.

Overall, very fun. A Mario classic. Rating: 9/10

Buy it here.

Back when the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy was being released for the SNES, there were a series of side games (the Donkey Kong Land trilogy) which were released as handheld counterparts. The Land games took the same general premise as their Country brothers and sisters, but changed things up and did them slightly differently.

What’s sad about this game especially is that a lot of people think it is literally just a watered down port of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest. But that’s plain wrong. Every single level in this game is unique, and if you played the SNES game, you are likely to enjoy this too. It’s some solid 2D platforming fun, with levels that look lovely even in monochromatic 8-bit.

What is disappointing about this game is that, while Donkey Kong Country 2 has one of the most beautiful soundtracks in gaming history, Donkey Kong Land 2‘s is a little underwhelming. Being toned down to 8-bit sound does reduce some of the quality, but even like this, it still sounds very nice. The real problem comes from the fact that the number of songs is greatly reduced and certain songs get repeated a lot, which is a real shame.

I also think this game is, perhaps, a little too easy. I didn’t really get stuck on any of the levels, and when combing through them to find all the secrets after beating the final boss, I didn’t really have any trouble either. This reduced level of difficulty also means that you will probably get through the game pretty quickly.

Nonetheless, I don’t want to give a negative impression! Donkey Kong Land 2 is very good because it is similar to Donkey Kong Country 2 which is one of my favourite games. The gameplay is fun and it’s another adventure for Diddy and Dixie Kong. It falls short in one or two areas, but is generally great fun.

Rating: 9.3/10

Buy it here.