Which 2004 Game Boy Advance game revived Donkey Kong's puzzle-platform rivalry with Mario?

The 2004 Game Boy Advance game that revived Donkey Kong’s puzzle-platform rivalry with Mario was Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Developed by Nintendo Software Technology, the game reworked the ideas of the 1994 Game Boy title Donkey Kong. Instead of focusing only on traditional arcade-style platforming, it combined action stages with puzzles involving keys, doors, switches, hazards, and toy-like Mini-Marios.

The rivalry is presented as a playful chase: Donkey Kong steals Mario’s toys, and Mario pursues him through a toy factory and several themed worlds. The game’s movement system also gave Mario acrobatic abilities such as handstands, triple jumps, and backflips, distinguishing it from many earlier Donkey Kong games.

A common mix-up is Donkey Kong Country, the Super Nintendo series that starred Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong but was not the 2004 Game Boy Advance release. Mario vs. Donkey Kong instead continued the puzzle-platform tradition associated with the Game Boy’s 1994 Donkey Kong. Its success launched a series, including the 2006 Nintendo DS sequel Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis.