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Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Game Boy Advance)

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Title Screen

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

Developer: Nintendo Software Technology[1]
Publisher: Nintendo[1]
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Released in JP: June 1, 2004[1]
Released in US: May 24, 2004[1]
Released in EU: November 19, 2004[1]
Released in AU: June 4, 2004[1]


AreasIcon.png This game has unused areas.
CodeIcon.png This game has unused code.
DevTextIcon.png This game has hidden development-related text.
ObjectIcon.png This game has unused objects.
MinigameIcon.png This game has unused modes / minigames.
GraphicsIcon.png This game has unused graphics.
ItemsIcon.png This game has unused items.
TextIcon.png This game has unused text.
DebugIcon.png This game has debugging material.
RegionIcon.png This game has regional differences.


ProtoIcon.png This game has a prototype article
NotesIcon.png This game has a notes page

Hmmm...
To do:
Make a prerelease page. There's some interesting stuff out there, like the game starting development as a remake of Donkey Kong '94 titled Donkey Kong Plus that would've had a level editor.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a revival of the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong, with a heavy emphasis on tri-color switches.

A remake on the Nintendo Switch was released on February 16th, 2024.

Sub-Pages

Read about prototype versions of this game that have been released or dumped.
Prototype Info
Miscellaneous tidbits that are interesting enough to point out here.
Notes

Unused Graphics

Early Mini-Mario

Hmmm...
To do:
If you set 3004C68 to 08 in memory while on the visual options menu, the movie preview icon changes to this (09 is this and much later numbers crash the game) and there is also allegedly unused graphics for a plant enemy seen in pre-release screenshots. (Source for both of these is Hiro-sofT).

MvsDK-unused mini mario graphics.png These seem to be from a very early stage in the game when Mini Marios literally looked like Mini Marios rather than toys. They are also done in a completely different style.

Big City and Forest

MvDK Old Names.PNG

A tile viewer reveals the original names for Mystic Forest and Twilight City were based on the levels in the Game Boy Donkey Kong. The final names are the last graphics in the set before other tiles begin.

Further evidence suggests that these worlds were the first two to be developed, in the same order as the aforementioned game. Both worlds use a black background color for the tile maps, along with Fire Mountain (the third name in the tile list), while the rest of the worlds use white. Both worlds also use slightly different tiles for standard color block outlines, with Twilight City's being the most different and Mystic Forest's being only a pixel off from the rest.

Unused Objects

Hmmm...
To do:
Research other unused objects, such as STOP switch, using upaluppa's level editor improvement codes.

Exclamation Mark Boxes

?

A strange object loaded in most of the tilesets, often fully animated. It works with the three gift box color palettes. It is not animated when placed in-game using the editor.

Red - Has a blue switch inside it. Deactivates currently activated color and activates previously activated color.
Blue - Has a yellow switch inside it; activates yellow blocks.
Yellow - Has a red present inside it; not solid.

(Source: Paikerchu13)

Unused Behaviour

Mini-Mario Crystal Ball Key

Pre-release versions showed Mini-Marios trapped inside crystal balls being used as keys. You can place the old type of crystal ball with the level editor. It turns into a key when brought to the door.

(Source: Upaluppa)

Running Bob-ombs

Hmmm...
To do:
Rip the sprites.

Bob-ombs start running around scared, just like Shy-Guys do, when Mario is equipped with the hammer. You never see them running normally, because none of the levels with Bob-ombs include a hammer. You won't earn points for smashing them with the hammer. You can see this in the game with the level editor.

(Source: Upaluppa)

Falling Off The Level

If Mario falls off the bottom of a level, the normal death sounds and camera movement will occur, but the game will not exit the level and take away a life - it'll just stay there until the game is reset. You can get down below a level by deleting ground tiles using the unused level editor.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Level Editor

Hmmm...
To do:
Add uppaluppa's improvement codes. The codes, for example, make it less crashy and enable more object categories.
Theme Card already loaded!
Overwrite existing theme?
Theme Card DEACTIVATED!
Theme Card ACTIVATED!
Erase old world
Level does not belong to current world!

As Mario vs. Donkey Kong originally planned to have a full-fledged Level Editor, there seems to be some text left of it, which includes the mention of Theme Cards, probably to have custom themes from e-Cards. There's also text about Worlds, assuming we could create several worlds in it.

An incomplete Level Editor is still in the game, and is accessible via GameShark or by memory hacking. It does not work with the first level of each world for an unknown reason and you cannot save.

The controls for the level editor are as follows:

D-Pad - Move cursor (looks like the current object).
Select - Switch between different object types.
L / R - Scroll through the objects.
A - Place an object.
B - Remove an object.
Start - Play your edited level.

To access it; change 0D to 0B at 0x30009C4 (US/JP) or 0x3000984 (EU) in RAM while in a level.

Alternatively, use this US/JP Codebreaker code and press Select in a level:

730012E0 0004
330009C4 000B
(Source: upaluppa, martboo, Hiro-sofT)

Heap Overflow

Mario vs Donkey Kong-heap overflow.png

This appears if you place too many objects with the level editor.

Hmmm...
To do:
Specify how many objects it takes for the Heap Overflow screen to appear, and probably also how much RAM which object takes what.


e-Reader Levels

Hmmm...
To do:
Detail the Japan only levels.

Very few people know that Mario vs. Donkey Kong has e-Reader support, or that 12 preloaded level cards were made. Only a handful of these cards exist in the world, as they were given away for a special promotion: even then, the limited 1000 card pack run only offered the first five levels. In the EU release, Nintendo removed all e-Reader support from the game.

Save files for both the US and Japanese versions of Mario vs. Donkey Kong were created to grant people access to all of the e-Reader levels.

Download.png Download Mario vs. Donkey Kong - All e-Reader Levels
File: MvDK_All_eReader_Levels.zip (28kb) (info)


The e-Reader level menu can be accessed by changing the value at 034E09C4 from 18 (normal menu) to 1A, and the list of preloaded levels can be accessed by changing it to '1C' after choosing "Add Level". The thirteenth level on the list is a dummy level, probably for testing.

None of the levels are identical between the US and Japanese releases, but many have similiarities. The US versions are possibly prototypes, supported by the fact that level 09 ("A Tricky Candle") doesn't have any presents in that version.

JP US
01 12: "Climb and Fall"
02 01: "Revenge"
03 02: "The Long Way"
04 03: "One Shot Blue"
05 04: "Egg Attack"
06 05: "Later Gator"
07 06: "Hot Feet"
08 08: "The Thwamplet"
09 09: "A Tricky Candle"
10 11: "Danger Flowers"
11 -
12 -
13 -
14 07: "Boo in a Box"
- 10: "Key to the Key"
- 13: "DUMMY2"

Unused Text

Unused Subtitles

GRRRROOOOOOWLLLL!!
Gimmie all your toys!!
WAAAAAAAAAH!
Whats going on?
Donkey Kong stole
all the mini marios!!
I will get them back!!
Here we go!!

English subtitles for parts of the intro cutscenes that aren't subtitled in the languages/versions that have subtitles (non-English European version languages and the Japanese version). These strings aren't present in the European version.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Development Text

DK_FALL
WON_TEXT
RIBBON
DK_GRUNT
MM_WALK
ROCK_BOUNCE
BARREL_BOUNCE
BOSS_DIE3
SPIKE_APPEAR
SPIKE_VANISH
MM_MAMAMIAS
MM_FREE
MM_WAKEUP
WORLD_START
SCUFF2
DK_WALK
STAR
YOU_WON3
YOU_WON2
YOU_WON1
TITLE
MOVIE_08
MOVIE2_10
MOVIE2_9
MOVIE6_10
MOVIE6_09
MOVIE6_08
MOVIE6_07
MOVIE6_06
MOVIE6_05
MOVIE6_04
MOVIE6_03
MOVIE6_02
MOVIE6_01
MOVIE5_07
MOVIE5_05
MOVIE5_01
MOVIE4_10
MOVIE4_09
MOVIE4_08
MOVIE4_07
MOVIE4_06
MOVIE4_04
MOVIE4_03
MOVIE4_02
MOVIE4_01
MOVIE3_14
MOVIE3_13
MOVIE3_12
MOVIE3_11
MOVIE3_10
MOVIE3_09
MOVIE3_08
MOVIE3_07
MOVIE3_06
MOVIE3_05
MOVIE3_04
MOVIE3_03
MOVIE3_02
MOVIE3_01
TOADS_GRAB
TOADS_JUMP
BIGBARREL_FALL
BIGBARREL_HIT
SPIKE_HIT
BARREL
PLUS_MAIN
BOSS_INTRO3
BOSS_INTRO1
BOSS_DIE2
BOSS_DIE1
CURSOR_UP_DN
CURSOR_WORLD
BOSS_SWITCH
BOSS_ARM5
BOSS_ARM4
BOSS_ARM3
BOSS_ARM2
BOSS_ARM
MOVIE2_8
MOVIE2_7
MOVIE2_6
MOVIE2_5
MOVIE2_4
MOVIE2_3
MOVIE2_2
MOVIE2_1
MINI_KEY
MOVIE_01
MOVIE_07
SHUFFLE
JUMP_D
JUMP_C
JUMP_B
JUMP_A
TOAD_SET
TOAD_CARRY
SHATTER
KEY_TOAD
TRASHCAN
JUMP_8
DK_JUMP
LASER
MM_BOINGUP
BONE
SPIKE
YANK
DK_BLUB
SPARKY_LOOP
BOX_FALL
TOAD_TOSS
TOAD_WALK
GOTCHA
DK_HEAD
REACH
SCATTER
CROUCH
CANNON
VAPORIZE
BOMB_BLOW
BOMB_FLASH
BOMB_JUMP
BOMB_PEEP
SHY_RUN
SHY_WAKE
GHOST
GROWL2
GROWL
SPIT
BRICKMAN
KICK
SHWING
METALROLL
RESTART
OUCH
FOUNTAIN
BUBBLE
LAVA
CRUMBLE
NINJI
SPITFIRE
CRUSH
GRAB_LADDER
GRAB_ROPE
GRAB_WIRE
KEY3
KEY2
MOVIE_06
MOVIE_05
MOVIE_04
MOVIE_03
MOVIE_02
DK_BLUBBER
DK_EXIT1
EGG_FALL
ELEV_STOP
ELEV_GO
LEVEL_START
JUMP_7
MM_OH_NO
LIFT
GLASS
SQUEEZE
WARP_IN
WARP_OUT
TOYLAST
TOY1
EMPTY
CHOOSE
POINTER
FRUIT_FALL
SLAM2
DK_BELLOW
DK_HURT
CHEST_CLOSE
CHEST_OPEN
MM_PROTECT
MM_BOING
MM_DIE
LOOK_UP
BLANK
RETURN
SCROLL
DOOR
ROPE_DOWN
ROPE_UP
JUMP_6
BOING
SWITCH3
SWITCH2
SWITCH1
SKIDSHORT
SILENCE
HELP
ONE_UP
SPIN_1
WIREJUMP
UNLOCK
SQUEAK
SPLAT
SPIN
KEY_DOOR
SHOCK
SCUFF
POUND2
ITEMLAST
HURT
EXIT
BLOCK
BURN2
BEAM
START
STAMP
SELECT_S
SELECT_M
ITEM
GRID
FIELD
EXIT_ED
ERROR
ERASE
CURSOR_S
CURSOR_M
CURSOR_E
BACK
LETS_GO
HERE_WEGO
PICKUP_CRYSTAL
WALK
THROW
CRASH
KEY1
STEPS2
ITEM1
COUNTER
JUMP_5
PICKUP
JUMP_3
JUMP_4
GRUNT2
JUMP_1
BURN1
STUN
TUMBLE1
POUND
SKID
CLIMB

A list of sounds. The order doesn't match up with the sound test. Note there is one called "PICKUP_CRYSTAL".

BGM_1AXM
HAMMERXM
WINXM
FAIL_1XM
FAIL_2XM
FAIL_3XM
TIMEXM
INTRO_2XM
BGM_1CXM
BGM_1BXM
TITLEXM
RESULTSXM
BGM_MM1XM
BOSS1XM
MM_PROTECTXM
GAMEOVERXM
INTRO_1XM
INTRO_3XM
BGM_2AXM
BGM_2BXM
BGM_2CXM
WIN2XM
WIN3XM
MOVIEXM
BGM_5AXM
BGM_5BXM
BGM_5CXM
BGM_4AXM
BGM_4BXM
BGM_4CXM
DK01XM
DK02XM
BGM_MM_INTROXM
DK03XM
DK04XM
DK05XM
DK06XM
DK07XM
DK08XM
DK_BOSS01XM
BOSS2XM
MOVIE2XM
MINIGAMEXM
MOVIE3XM
MOVIE4XM
MOVIE5XM
MOVIE6XM
CREDITSXM
EXPERT_1XM
EXPERT_2XM
EXPERT_3XM
EXPERT_4XM
EXPERT_5XM
EXPERT_6XM
EXPERT_7XM
EXPERT_8XM
EXPERT_9XM
EXPERT_10XM
EXPERT_11XM
EXPERT_12XM
INTRO_FINALBOSSXM
MIDCREDITSXM
MIDBOSS_ENDXM
FAIL_4XM
INTRO_FINALBOSS2XM
WIN_FINALBOSSXM
BOSS3XM
DK_BOSS02XM
INTRO_MINIGAMEXM
OUTRO_MINIGAMEXM

A list of music. This also doesn't match up with the sound test. Unlike the sound list above, these are spread out.

untitled

This appears multiple times in the ROM.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Regional Differences

Hmmm...
To do:
  • The "Here we go!" level intro is changed to "Let's go!" in some versions. Get pictures and add this.
  • Some levels in the European version of the game have desaturated backgrounds compared to other versions (source).

Japan has 14 preloaded e-Reader levels, instead of the US version's 13. Several of them are different. As aforementioned, the European version has e-Reader functionality removed entirely.

In addition to e-Reader cards, the Japanese version contains a few graphical differences - like subtitles under cutscenes - which the English versions do not have. (The European version has similar subtitles when the language is not set to English.) Mario's credits chatter is also missing from the Japanese and European versions.

US Europe
Mario vs Donkey Kong-NST us.png Mario vs Donkey Kong-NST eu.png

The Nintendo Software Technology logo at boot-up is larger and lower-down in the European version.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Title Screen

Japan US/Europe
Mario vs Donkey Kong-title jp.png Mario vs Donkey Kong-title.png

The title screen was redone in the Japanese version to feature the Mini-Marios rather than Mario and Donkey Kong. This style of title screen has been used in all future games in the series, even in the US and European versions.

Timer Animation

Japan/Europe US
Mario vs Donkey Kong Time JP.gif Mario vs Donkey Kong Time US.gif

The Japanese and European versions have a short animation of the timer getting sucked inside doors along with Mario to make it more clear that the player's remaining time carries over. This does not happen in the American version.

References