Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is a puzzle game that features Mario and Donkey Kong as main characters. The story revolves around Minis, toy versions of Mario and other characters, who need help navigating through levels to reach safety. With the player's guidance using touch on the GamePad, enemies are led away, traps are covered, girders are built or removed, and springs are added or removed to create a path.
The gameplay involves guiding Minis through small environments, where players must collect coins and items while removing unwanted objects. The goal is for all Minis to reach the exit together, earning up to three stars per level.
One of the unique features of this game is its level editor. Players can create custom levels and share them with others on Miiverse, earning stars in the process. Custom levels can be shared and played by other players, who can also tip each other's creations with stars.
The Nintendo 3DS version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars offers a unique control scheme using touch on the GamePad's bottom screen, while the top screen displays the game's progress and score in a smaller box.
While the levels share the same layout on both Wii U and 3DS, there are some differences due to the smaller screen display of the 3DS version.