This time around, Mario's girlfriend is safe at home, baking him a cake. Caught up in the television "gotta collect 'em all" hype, DK was gutted to find the local toy store completely empty of the latest craze - mini wind-up Mario toys. Not satisfied to simply go home empty-handed, DK raids the factory and steals all the remaining mini-Marios. Mario, naturally, isn't very impressed so he sets out after DK - determined to restore the toys to their rightfull owner.

The core gameplay of Mario vs. Donkey Kong is based around guiding Mario (naturally) through a series of puzzle stages as he attempts to get the key, unlock the door and move on to the next level. Each stage is part of a series that makes up a world, with six worlds in total to play through. Each world has six main stages, followed by a "mini Mario" level and then a battle with Donkey Kong. Oust Mario and you'll chase him to the next world, simple as that. Each of the main stages is split into two sections - one where you are trying to simply find and retrieve the key to the door so you can get out, then one where you must rescue the trapped "mini Mario" toy.

Each stage is relatively small - it's not uncommon for an entire level to take up no more than two screens' worth of space. This, combined with the relatively few actual stages available (you'll gallop through the first half of the game in your first session) means that a serious gamer could easily get through the game from start to finish in under two hours; even a beginner will have completed it in around double that. This is a mixed blessing, however, as it means that the game makes for the perfect pocket gaming experience - even if you only have a few minutes to spare, you can pick it up, play through a bit and actively progress through the game. For that reason, it's ideal fare for the gamer on the go.

Graphically, MvDK is impressive to say the least. The screenshots give you some idea but to really understand, you need to see it in motion: this is one incredibly polished game. So many frames of animation and such believeable motion lend the characters depth and complexity that you wouldn't think the GBA could achieve. The little Marios, for example, are just a few pixels high and yet they positively ooze with character. Clever, varied worlds that are more than just different background graphics enable a compelling advancement and sense of accomplishment as you proceed. It's beautiful, even when played on a television with the Game Boy Player.