20 Classic Nintendo Games That Desperately Deserve Sequels

10. Donkey Kong €™94 / Mario vs. Donkey Kong

In 1994, Nintendo brought their one-time superstar Donkey Kong out of semi-retirement to help demonstrate what their new Super Game Boy adapter for the Super NES was capable of. On the surface, it was but a simple Game Boy remake of the arcade game which had propelled the company to video gaming superstardom. However, it was only after you completed the initial four levels and saw the game's "ending" that the title's true content would emerge. Rather than take his defeat lying down, Donkey Kong turned the tables on Mario by once again kidnapping Pauline and leading the one-time carpenter on a chase lasting 96 more levels consisting of cities, forests, deserts, plains, and more. At this point, the game changes considerably while still retaining many of the elements which made the original arcade game what it was. In addition to action-platforming, a puzzle element was introduced by way of many levels presenting keys which Mario would need to obtain and bring to their door, allowing him to continue the chase. Every fourth level presented a boss battle with Donkey Kong himself, who would incorporate different tactics in each fight. During one, he might throw barrels at you, while another can see him using levers to mess with conveyor belts, throwing you off track. The game is a classic, to be sure, and is available on the Virtual Console for Nintendo 3DS, albeit without the added polish the Super Game Boy provided. And it did, in fact, receive a sequel...

Mario vs. Donkey Kong was developed by Nintendo Software Technology for the Game Boy Advance in 2004. Using pre-rendered graphics, the game follows in the gameplay style of Donkey Kong '94 (it was originally planned as a remake), though some would argue that it's not quite as good as its predecessor. The game also introduced the Mini-Marios, toy Mario wind-up figures which are a very popular product of the Mario Toy Company. So popular, in fact, that when DK can't find any in stores, he just goes to the factory and steals a big bag full. Rather than rescuing Pauline, they became the Macguffin for the game, with Mario retrieving them as he goes along. This leads to levels near the end of each world wherein Mario must lead the Mini-Marios in an almost Lemmings-like fashion (this is important) to a toy box at the end, with each one successfully boxed becoming a hit point for Mario in the following boss battle against DK. Now, here's the thing: Some of you might be scratching your heads, wondering why this is even on here. As it is, Mario vs. Donkey Kong has actually produced several sequels and become its own series-- five strong, with a sixth coming to Wii U in 2015. But the thing is, none of them play anything like the originals. People thought games like Super Mario Bros. 2, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and Castlevania II: Simon's Quest diverted too much from their predecessors, but none of them strayed as much as Mario vs. Donkey Kong, which seem to have taken the segments where you lead the Mini-Marios to the goal and used that as a springboard for the rest of the series. And while that seems to have been good for Nintendo (it's hard to imagine they would keep up such a pace if they were selling badly), it's left those of us who want more puzzle-platforming action wanting.