When most people think of Mario they think of the Italian plumber tasked to save princess Peach from Bowser with his trusted brother Luigi. However in 1990 Mario had a small stint where he actually put down plunger and picked up a stethoscope. This was the birth of Dr. Mario.

Dr. Mario

Opening Screen Dr. Mario (Nintendo Entertainment System)



Dr. Mario is a puzzle game that is quite simple but addicting and fun at the same time. The point of the game is to kill the viruses present in the playing field which resembles a clear medicine bottle. Dr. Mario throws pills through the top of the bottle that fall down the bottle. The pills are split into two and usually each side has a different color however sometimes both halves are the same color. Pushing the A or B button will rotate the pill and allows the player to match the colors to the virus. The player tries to match the pill color with the virus color. Once three of the same color pills are put on the virus it will disappear with the medicine. This will raise your score and put you closer to defeating the level. Sometimes there will be colors that don't match the viruses. These colors can be piled away and will disappear once you put four of the same color pills together. Once all the viruses have been defeated you will advance to a new level. The game is really simple to play but can become really addicting as the viruses expand and the speed increases at higher levels. This is the whole game in a nut shell match the pills with the viruses and keep going until you can't go anymore.





Dr. Mario also has a two player mode which is nothing but pure fun. In two player mode you challenge each other to see who can defeat all the viruses first. The game play is the same as the single player version with some slight tweaks. You can cause havoc to the other player by adding extra pill pieces to their playing field by strategically playing. Destroying multiple viruses at once or eliminating numerous pills simultaneously will cause a reaction that places random single pill pieces on your opponents playing field. The higher the combination the more pieces that will appear on your opponents field. The game is over when one person wins three games (best of five).





Dr. Mario Game play (Nintendo Entertainment System)



Who's it for?





Dr. Mario is a game that is definitely not for everyone. It is a simple puzzle game that is often compared to Tetris which is a completely different game but has some similarities. The game is relentless and stops for no one except the pause button. The pills drop down the screen and you rearrange them to match the colored virus that is it. This might be boring to some people. The two player mode is fun because you essentially have the same playing field but have to use strategy to defeat your opponent.





I recommend this game for people who like puzzle games. Also I recommend this to people who like head to head competitive two player games. Dr. Mario is one of the best head to head two player games on the Nintendo Entertainment System console.





I don't recommend it for anyone who dislikes puzzle games. The game is a puzzle game and doesn't offer any platforming or action out side of the main puzzle game.











