How to complete level 7-3 in Mario vs Donkey Kong

Level 7-3 is the third level of World 7, the Mystic Forest, in the 2024 Nintendo Switch version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong. It’s the same as level 5-3 from the original Game Boy Advance version, and it is a notoriously difficult one. Easier with this walkthrough, though.

As in every regular level in Mario vs Donkey Kong, your first task is to get the key all the way to the door to access the second stage, collecting a gift along the way. And on the second stage, you have to reach the Mario Toy, adding two more gifts to the bargain. The first stage is actually the difficult part here. It looks simple, but it requires some pretty tight timing to manipulate those conveyor belts successfully.

In this walkthrough, I will explain how to complete the whole level, with particular emphasis on that really tricky part of the first stage.

Mario vs Donkey Kong level 7-3 walkthrough

Door stage

Pick up the key, then jump onto the white switch. Then, jump onto the conveyor belt, drop the key, and duck. You and the key should both be conveyed to the left side of the screen. Pick up the key and use the spring to bounce up to the platform above. Press the yellow button, then jump across to the conveyor belt, drop the key, and duck so that you and the key are conveyed as far as the yellow block. Pick up the key, jump onto the yellow block, then jump to get the red gift, landing back on the yellow block.

The tricky bit is up next. You need to do the following actions smoothly and quickly without fumbling. Jump and throw the key onto the long conveyor belt above. Immediately drop down to the ground and use the conveyor belt at ground level to get to the left side so that you can hit the white button before the key reaches the end of the long conveyor belt. Quickly hit the red button, then use the ground-level conveyor belt to get back over to the right. Go up the red ladder, and you should be able to pick up the key before it expires.

If something goes wrong, then you’re either missing a step or else you’re just not quick enough. It’s tight, but there is enough time to do this. You need to be quick without rushing or panicking.

Mario Toy stage

Drop down to the left, pick up the bomb, and use it to destroy the wall to the left. Pick up another bomb, then use the spring to bounce up and throw the bomb to the left so that it destroys the three grey blocks on the upper level. Climb the ladder, pick up a bomb, drop down to the right, then go left and throw the bomb onto the grey blocks over the blue button. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t destroy all three, so long as you can get down to the blue button.

Hit the blue button, then climb halfway up the ladder, run to the left, and do a backflip (left, then right and A/B at the same time) to get the yellow gift. Go to the top of the ladder, pick up a bomb, then head right across the blue platforms. Collect the blue gift, and throw the bomb to the right so that it destroys the rocks blocking the Mario Toy. Now you can just drop down and collect the Mario Toy.