In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, what toy line does Donkey Kong steal?

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong steals a toy line called the Mini-Marios.

The game’s story begins after Donkey Kong sees a television advertisement for Mario’s wind-up Mini-Mario toys. He wants one, but the toys are sold out at the store. Angered, he breaks into Mario’s toy factory and steals the available supply, sending Mario after him.

The Mini-Marios are not ordinary characters that Mario directly controls throughout the entire adventure. They are small mechanical toys that Mario rescues and guides in certain level types. Some stages require Mario to carry a key to a locked door, while others involve protecting groups of Mini-Marios and leading them safely to a Toy Box.

The toys are easy to confuse with other Donkey Kong or Mario collectibles. Golden Bananas belong to the broader Donkey Kong world, while Power Stars are recurring Mario power-up items. Mini-Luigis are not the stolen toy line in this game. The Mini-Marios also became the central concept of later sequels, where miniature wind-up characters took on an even larger role in puzzle-focused gameplay.