Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis cover art

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

Routing wind-up toys through fixed hazard puzzles for perfect scores.

Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION3 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE0 /10OPTIMIZATION7 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    3/10

    Stylus guidance needs care but rarely speed

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    0/10

    Hazards and minis follow deterministic rules

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    0/10

    Levels are fixed puzzles, nothing hidden

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    7/10

    Routing every mini to the exit efficiently is the whole test

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

Portal cover art

Portal

Pure Optimization · physics puzzle

E
R
V
O
Portal
Trine cover art

Trine

Pure Optimization · puzzle platformer

E
R
V
O
Trine
The Swapper cover art

The Swapper

Pure Optimization · puzzle platformer

E
R
V
O
The Swapper
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker cover art

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Pure Optimization · puzzle platformer

E
R
V
O
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Gunpoint cover art

Gunpoint

Pure Optimization · stealth puzzle

E
R
V
O
Gunpoint
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance cover art

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

Pure Optimization · metroidvania

E
R
V
O
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

Game details

Released
2006
Developer
Nintendo Software Technology
Franchise
Donkey Kong
Platforms
WiiU, NDS
Modes
Single player
IGDB critics
78/100
IGDB users
70/100
PlatformPuzzleAction