Overview
Take two pills and clear the bottle. Dr. Mario filled jars with coloured viruses; players eliminated them by matching four or more with falling capsule halves. Simpler than Tetris but equally addictive, it provided Nintendo’s puzzle alternative during the falling-block boom. The medical theme gave Mario an unlikely profession that persisted through decades of sequels.
Fast facts
- Developer: Nintendo R&D1.
- Year: 1990.
- Platform: NES and Game Boy simultaneous.
- Composer: Hirokazu Tanaka.
Gameplay mechanics
| Element | Function |
|---|
| Viruses | Clear targets |
| Capsules | Two-colour pills |
| Matching | Four in a row |
| Rotation | Capsule positioning |
Versus mode
| Feature | Implementation |
|---|
| Garbage | Cleared debris sent |
| Speed increase | Progressive difficulty |
| Simultaneous | Two-player action |
| Accessibility | Easy to understand |
Music legacy
| Track | Status |
|---|
| ”Fever” | Iconic |
| ”Chill” | Beloved alternative |
| Recognition | Immediately identifiable |
Series continuation
| Title | Year | Platform |
|---|
| Dr. Mario | 1990 | NES/GB |
| Dr. Mario 64 | 2001 | N64 |
| Dr. Mario Online Rx | 2008 | Wii |
| Dr. Mario World | 2019 | Mobile |
See also