Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!

Super Mario Galaxy might have been Nintendo’s biggest Mario release of the year. But Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! is certainly the best one for the portable DS, and one of the best DS titles overall in some time. Players guide an army of Mario-themed wind up toys in an effort to rescue Pauline from Mario’s original antagonist, Donkey Kong. It’s challenging without being frustrating, and charming throughout. The game is chock full of audiovisual references to Mario’s history, appropriate given that this year is Mario’s 25th birthday, and is highly recommended for gamers of all ages.