Disclaimer, I have never played the original Gameboy Advance game that this is based on. However I did recently play the Gameboy game colloquially called Donkey Kong '94 that this game is a sequel to. I enjoyed it very much, and this game takes that formula and eliminates any sluggishness that came with that title being released on rudimentary hardware. This game takes the fun of the original Donkey Kong arcade game and perfects it for home consoles. The puzzles are fair, although some of the final levels are brow-furrowing. I'd say this game is a must play for anyone who enjoys arcade-style platformers. The only caveat I would mention is that if you are more familiar with Mario's more recent platforming adventures i.e. Super Mario Wonder, you may be disappointed. But players should keep in mind that this is a remake of a 20 year old game that was a sequel to a 30 year old game that itself was a sequel to a 42 year old game! I loved Mario vs. Donkey Kong so much I 100%'ed everything, something I haven't done in a substantial game in years. Also glad Nintendo is selling it at a budget price, a rare consumer friendly move from them.