You direct a line of wind-up Mini Mario toys through short puzzle levels, pressing buttons to make them jump, flip, or grab handles in sequence to reach the exit safely. Levels are compact, but figuring out the right order of actions takes real thought, and a second player can jump in to help control extra minis. It is a quiet, brain-teasing game more than an action one, best played in short sittings.
Gameplay video
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Screenshots & review notes
The short version
It's a small, tidy puzzle game that knows exactly what it's good at, which is more than can be said for a lot of bigger, flashier remakes.
In the hands
Guiding Mini-Marios through hazard-filled stages demands genuine planning, and later levels introduce enough new tricks to keep the brain-teasing fresh without ever feeling unfair.
Look and sound
Bright, toylike visuals suit the puzzle-box level design, and the whole thing runs smooth and snappy, exactly what you want from something this compact.
The long haul
A satisfying weekend puzzler best played solo, though the co-op option is a nice surprise for parents and kids. Don't expect it to last much beyond a few sittings.
Frames captured from the gameplay video above; notes are our own take on the game.
What it's like to play
You control a tiny wind-up Mario running and jumping through small, boxy toy-themed levels, and your job in each one is to reach a locked door by grabbing a key. The controls are simple: run with the stick, jump and double jump with a button, and interact with switches, handstands, and cartwheels to solve small physical puzzles like timing a conveyor belt or flipping a switch before a platform disappears. After you find the key and open the door, a mini-toy version of Mario, called a Mini-Mario, is waiting and you carry it safely to a toy chest to finish the level. Everything is bright, bouncy, and cartoonish, with cutscenes of Donkey Kong causing mischief between worlds.
Each level is a tight, self-contained puzzle rather than an open stage, often taking only a couple of minutes once you know the solution, though figuring out that solution the first time can take longer. As you move through worlds the puzzles layer in more hazards, timing challenges, and enemies that block your path, and a second, harder set of levels unlocks once you finish a world for players wanting more of a test. This version adds a two-player option where a second person controls Toad and works through the same stages alongside you, plus new worlds not in the original handheld game.
A session feels like solving a short string of clever little riddles rather than exploring a big world, and it is easy to pick up for ten minutes or settle in for an hour. Because each level is compact, players expecting the sprawl of a full platformer may find it feels more like a puzzle box than an adventure. It suits kids well, and adults looking for a light, clever couch game with a friend will get real enjoyment out of it too.