While I think ultimately Mario vs. Donkey Kong has a great premise, I am not sure how well it plays out from start to finish. On one hand, when the game actually plays into your limited movement, and designing fun PUZZLES around this idea, the game is extremely rewarding and fun. But when it uses your limited movement to combine these puzzles with obnoxious action sequences, I feel like I am getting mixed messages.

Introducing a timer, and multiple mechanics that require to precisely time and platform with a character that is only slightly precise and cannot really platform just feels like a missed opportunity.

However, I really enjoyed most of the boss battles, as they focus solely on this action, instead of quick thinking puzzles. Due to the combination of these aspects, there were many levels where I figured out the puzzle pretty quickly, but then did not beat the level for six or seven minutes, because I was struggling to actually perform the solution. It strips a potential "a-ha" moment away from the player, in favor of meaningless challenge.

Also, where is the pizzazz? These animations, character designs, and world designs are some of the most barebone and yawn inducing I have ever seen in a video game. Also, the ability to put fancy lighting into a cutscene does not mean that you should do that, these are goofy looking cartoon characters, not Red Dead Redemption character models.

Overall, I didn't really hate Mario VS. Donkey Kong. I had fun with a few of its puzzles and I enjoyed a lot of the late game content, but so much of this game can feel like a slog to get through, and there's not a whole lot in the art department making up for it.

I don't know how much of an improvement this one is over its predecessor, but it is still a fun time. The combat is notably improved, and it feels much more fluid and bouncy to play, but it also feels too easy sometimes. I really didn't struggle outside of one or two instances.

I'm also not sure the timer and rouge like style adds anything of meaning or fun to the game. While it makes every run be (kind of) intense, so much of the game is predicated on exploring and quest lines, that I felt like I couldn't get a great grasp on it all because I was so focused on getting out on time.

I also think that the game ends up being fairly poorly paced within the latter half, as certain items or two will be worth enough to basically pay for any upgrades or new items instantaneously, instead of having to build up money through multiple solid runs.

However, despite these more poignant critiques, there is a lot the game does right. It has a memorable and fun art style, and still is one of the funnier games I have played. The quests are mostly fun, and I love a lot of the animations piled into the player character. I do miss the more "town" aspect to the first game, but it still does a good job at making fun environments for the characters to live in.

Overall, Turnip Boy Robs a Bank didn't blow me away, but for a game I picked up solely on its absurd title, it does a pretty good job.