Dr. Mario (video game)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dr. Mario | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Developer(s) | Nintendo R&D1 |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance |
| Release date | JPNJuly 27, 1990 NAOctober, 1990 |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: E (Everyone) (GBA, Wii) |
Dr. Mario (Dr. マリオ Dokutā Mario?) is an arcade-style puzzle video game produced by Nintendo. It was originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy in 1990. Its gameplay is often likened to that of Tetris. In this game, Dr. Mario throws vitamins that the player must align in order to destroy the viruses that populate the playing field (designed to resemble a medicine bottle).
U.S. Patent 5,265,888 covers Dr. Mario, but as of 2004, Nintendo has not enforced it against amateur software developers.
Contents |
[edit] Gameplay
A puzzle game similar to Tetris, Dr. Mario features Nintendo mascot Mario as a doctor. Play consists of dropping two-sided vitamin capsules into an eight-block-by-16-block playing field populated by viruses of three colors (red, yellow, and blue).
There are six types of capsules, differentiated by their color: red-red, yellow-yellow, blue-blue, red-blue, red-yellow, and blue-yellow. The player must rotate and position these capsules on top of and alongside the viruses and other capsules in an effort to eliminate the viruses. Both viruses and capsules are eliminated when four or more objects of corresponding color are placed in a row or column. A player completes a level by eliminating all viruses on the playing field. Conversely, the game will end if any capsules obstruct the bottle's narrow neck at the top row of the field. The game consists of 21 distinct levels, whose starting virus counts range from four at level 0 to 84 at levels 20 and higher. Above level 20, each level starts with 84 viruses. Levels do not increase in difficulty past level 20. The last level in the game is 24; once 24 is defeated, the game does not end, but rather starts a new round of 84 viruses labeled again as level 24. Much like Tetris, the player may choose a level of difficulty to start, along with the game's speed and a selection of background music. Three levels of speed can be chosen: low, medium and high. Choosing the low option will make the game's background dark green, choosing the medium option will make the game's background blue, and choosing the high option will make the game's background gray. Three kinds of music can be chosen: fever, chill and off (no music).
The Game Boy version of the game is nearly identical to its NES counterpart. In keeping with the technical limitations of the device, the game features a playfield measuring eight-blocks by 15-blocks and viruses of black, white, and gray. In addition, levels increase in difficulty after level 20 and may be impossible.
Two player gameplay in either version consists of two side-by-side playfields that can be level-adjusted according to the strength of each player. The first player to win three games wins the match. The objective is to be the first to clear the viruses or to block the opponent's field to the top. An added element is the ability to "rain" down random blocks into the opponent's playfield by achieving double (triple, quadruple, etc.) combinations of eliminated lines on the same vitamin.
[edit] Characters
The viruses have never been given any formal names, and are known simply as "Red Virus," "Blue Virus," and "Yellow Virus". The Nintendo Comics System (a series of comics produced by Valiant) included an issue called "The Doctor Is In... Over His Head," which depicts a story of Dr. Mario based on the original NES and original Game Boy titles. The comic names the blue virus "Chill," the red "Fever," and the yellow "Weird." These names were later used in Dr. Mario 64.
In the Super Mario Adventures comic Mario dressed up as a doctor, but was pretending to be a psychiatrist. The viruses also made a cameo as guests at Bowser's wedding.
[edit] Other versions
- In WarioWare MegaMicrogame$ there is a mode called Dr. Wario which shows Wario in Dr. Mario's suit. The gameplay is the same, although the only music played is "Chill."
- The game also exists in Brain Age 2 and can be discovered by touching the bottom slot in the training section, even if it is blank. It is called Virus Buster.
[edit] Reception
Dr. Mario was rated the 134th best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games list.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ “NP Top 200”, Nintendo Power 200: 58-66, February 2006.
[edit] External links
- Dr. Mario (Game Boy) at Nintendo.com (archives of the original at the Internet Archive)
- Dr. Mario at MobyGames
- Dr. Mario Manual Write-Up (txt) by Starsky.
|
|||||||||||||||||
