Hey guys, have you ever wanted to play through Donkey Kong Country as Mario? To see what it’d be like if Mario went up against King K Rool and the Kremlings, rather than DK and Diddy?

Well, if so, you’re in luck! Because a modder by the name of RainbowSprinklez has created DKC X Mario, which turns the original Donkey Kong Country into a Mario game. Here’s a video showing it in action:

As you can see, it’s not just a graphics swap. Mario has his abilities from Super Mario World here, including different power-ups, Yoshi as a rideable mount and the spin jump as an attack. Heck, there are even item boxes in levels like in a traditional Mario title.

So, this isn’t some lazy sprite swap here. No, it’s a full-blown engine overhaul to make it play like a Mario game rather than just look like one, and perhaps one of the most impressive hacks the series has ever seen. At least, from a technical point of view.

Sadly, the aesthetics aren’t quite as well done here. Mario having his sprites from Super Mario World means he sticks out like a sore thumb in the 3D rendered world of DKC, and it just doesn’t look right here. So as far as graphics go, we’d have probably preferred to see New Super Mario Bros or Super Mario RPG style player graphics instead. Kinda like how Random Revolution recreates Donkey Kong Country levels in Super Mario World to much the same effect:

Regardless, DKC X Mario is a technical marvel, and a very unexpected surprise as a result. So, kudos to RainbowSprinklez for getting it all working, and for recreating Mario physics in such a different engine. You’re an exceptionally skilled modder, and we’re excited to see what other projects you make after this too.

Still, what do you think about it? Do you like the idea of playing as Mario in the original Donkey Kong Country? Are there any other crazy crossover ideas you think would be cool to see? And what other major ROM hacks are you most excited for in general?

Source:

DKC X Mario (ROM Hacking.net)