Donkey Kong has escaped from the circus. He is on the lam, and Mario and Pauline are chasing the ape.

As with the original game, Donkey Kong will often grab Pauline and Mario has to save her. 

Plots typically centered on them encountering crime with the villains conning the slow-witted Donkey Kong into doing their work and Mario and Pauline exposing the truth. After Mario and Pauline reveal the truth to Donkey Kong, the three of them team up to stop the antagonists' plans followed by Donkey Kong evading Mario and Pauline again.