One of the few problems the DS has suffered from since its launch is the tendency for lazy developers to port over their GBA games, throw in a few token touch screen elements, and expect us to be happy with a game that really doesn’t take advantage of the DS. It’s not a strategy that Nintendo themselves can often be accused of but when we first heard that Mario Vs Donkey Kong was coming to the DS, a small part of us feared that it would be nothing more than a rehash of 2004’s GBA platform game. Well that small part needn’t have feared anything because not only has Mario Vs Donkey Kong been completely reinvented for two screens but it’s also a brilliantly addictive game too.

Although the premise of chasing Donkey Kong across several increasingly complex levels is largely unchanged from previous DK games, it’s the execution that’s been overhauled. Now instead of controlling Mario himself, we’re asked to command several Mini Mario toys using only the stylus. The tin toy plumbers must be shepherded towards the exit by prodding them left or right to walk, flicking them upwards to jump and tapping them to stop. The controls couldn’t be more intuitive or responsive, which is a real plus for a game like this.

The first of the 72 levels are a breeze to guide the Minis through but things soon become much tougher as, in typical Nintendo fashion, each of the eight worlds adds a new type of obstacle to be negotiated. Whether you have to figure out where every warp pipe leads or work out where each wandering Mini will end up when even the walls and ceiling can be walked upon, there’s always something new to get to grips with.

Once all the bosses have been conquered and every level finished, there’s still plenty to do in March Of The Minis. Every level is scored with either a bronze, silver or gold star and is designed to be replayed with the aim of winning the gold. Doing so is no walk in the park, however, as every coin needs to be collected, every mini rescued and, crucially, rescued at the same time to achieve a combo score. Maybe it’s the brilliant control scheme or the mind bending puzzles or maybe it’s just that it feels like a Nintendo-themed Lemmings but we really can’t put March Of The Minis down.