the first problem with this game is that it's hideous to look at. the second problem is that the sound effects are grating. the third problem is that the level design is bland and obvious. the aesthetic problems could be forgiven if the gameplay was better, and the rote levels could be forgiven if it was aesthetically pleasing, but instead i'm left with a game that isn't good at anything.

dk94 seemed to effortlessly string together interesting, challenging levels from world 1, and the challenge did not just come from completing bonus objectives. i almost dropped mario vs donkey kong after the first couple worlds, but i held on to the hope that maybe this is the kind of nintendo game that gets better in the back half. and... yeah, a little bit. not as much as i'd like. a lot of the easy levels get replaced with levels that are just tedious, or demand a precision of movement which the controls are ill-equipped for. i'd say maybe 20% of the levels do something interesting. i really wanted to like this because it's the sequel to one of my favorite games ever, but the more i tried to engage with it the more my disappointment grew.