Editing Dr. Mario

{{Game
|name=Dr. Mario
|image=[[Image:Docmario.jpg|200px]]
|bgcolor=silver
|fgcolor=black
|developer=[[R&D 1|Nintendo R&D 1]]
|publisher=[[Nintendo]]
|system=[[NES]], [[Game Boy]], [[Arcade]], [[Super NES]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[Virtual Console]] ([[3DS Virtual Console|3DS]], [[Wii U Virtual Console|Wii U]])
|release='''NES'''<br />JP July 27, 1990<br />US October 1990<br />EU June 27, 1991<br />'''Game Boy'''<br />JP July 27, 1990<br />US December 1990<br />EU April 30, 1991<br />'''Arcade'''<br />1990<br />'''Super NES'''<br />JP June 1, 1998<br />'''Game Boy Advance'''<br />JP May 21, 2004<br />US October 25, 2004<br />EU January 7, 2005<br />'''3DS Virtual Console''' (''GB'')<br />JP July 27, 2011<br />EU March 22, 2012<br />US October 4, 2012<br />SK May 18, 2016<br />'''Wii U Virtual Console'''<br />EU February 13, 2014<br />JP February 26, 2014<br />US March 27, 2014
|gallery=[http://www.gamehiker.com/gallery/index.php?cat=94 GH Gallery]
|genre=[[Puzzle]]
|rating= ESRB: E
|}}

'''Dr. Mario''' is a puzzle game featuring [[Mario]] in the role of a doctor eliminating viruses. It was released simultaneously for the [[NES]] and [[Game Boy]] in 1990. Since then, ''Dr. Mario'' has been ported to nearly every [[Nintendo]] system.

=Story=

[[Mario#Dr. Mario|Dr. Mario]], after going on several wild adventures, has begun working at the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] Hospital's virus research lab with [[Princess Peach]] as his nurse. However, an experiment gone wrong causes several viruses to replicate quickly. Luckily Dr. Mario has invented [[Megavitamin|a new vitamin]] that he thinks can destroy the viruses.

=Gameplay=

Similar to ''[[Tetris]]'', Dr. Mario tosses several vitamins into a jar that takes up most of the screen. The jar is filled with viruses, each being one of three colors (red, blue or yellow). Each vitamin also has two colored segments. The point is to align and move the vitamins as they fall so that four vitamins and viruses of the same color are aligned, destroying all four. The game advances to the next level when all viruses are destroyed.

=Legacy=

Several more ''Mario''-based puzzlers such as ''[[Tetris Attack]]'' and ''[[Yoshi's Cookie]]'' were made over the years. However, none became as popular as ''Dr. Mario''. ''Dr. Mario'' has become well-known for its addictive nature and catchy music itself, and it has been known as one of the most popular puzzle games in general. This has led to various ports, remakes and alternate versions of the game..

In addition to the plays on the original game, the character of Dr. Mario has been featured as a playable fighter in several games of the ''[[Portal: Super Smash Bros.|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series starting with ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', and ''Dr. Mario'' music has also been featured throughout the series. The NES version of ''Dr. Mario'' was also among the games featured in ''[[NES Remix 2]]'' and ''[[Ultimate NES Remix]]'', games in which snippets of classic Nintendo games could be played with unique challenges, and elements of the different games could be mixed together.

==Ports and Remakes==

*In 1990, an [[arcade]] version was released as part of the Vs. Multisystem. It was the last game in the Vs. Multisystem line.
*A [[Super NES]] version was released packaged with ''Tetris'' as ''[[Tetris & Dr. Mario]]'' in 1994. This was only released in America and Europe.
*In 1998, Dr. Mario was released for the Super NES in Japan as part of the [[Nintendo Power system]].
*A version of ''Dr. Mario'' appeared as an unlockable minigame in 2003's ''[[WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$]]'' for the Game Boy Advance. This version was called Dr. Wario and replaced the Dr. Mario sprite with one of Wario.
*''Dr. Mario'' was released for the [[Game Boy Advance]] as part of the [[Classic NES Series]].
*In 2005, it was again released for the Game Boy Advance, this time packaged with ''Puzzle League'' (a character-less version of ''[[Panel de Pon]]'') as ''[[Dr. Mario & Puzzle League]]''.
*In 2007, ''Dr. Mario'' was included in ''[[Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!]]'' under the name Germ Buster.
*In 2008, a remake was made for [[WiiWare]] known as ''[[Dr. Mario Online RX]]''. The game features an online multiplayer mode where characters can play as their [[Mii|Miis]]. This was followed by a similar [[DSiWare]] release in 2009 known as ''[[Dr. Mario Express]]''.
*In 2011, the Game Boy version was released for download through the [[3DS]]'s eShop as part of the [[3DS Virtual Console]]. The NES version would later be released through the [[Wii U]]'s eShop for [[Wii U Virtual Console|its Virtual Console]] in 2014.
*In 2014, ''[[Dr. Luigi]]'' was released for download through the Wii U's eshop as part of the special "Year of Luigi" promotion. This version replaced Dr. Mario with a doctor version of [[Luigi]] and also featured L-shaped Megavitamin blocks.
*In 2015, another updated remake called ''[[Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure]]'' was released for download through the [[Nintendo 3DS]]'s eshop. This version introduced a new gameplay feature known as the Miracle Cure and also featured a Dr. Luigi mode incorporating the gameplay from ''Dr. Luigi''.
*In 2016, ''Dr. Mario'' was among the games included in the [[NES Classic Edition]].
*In 2018, it was among the NES games made available to play as part of the [[Nintendo Switch Online]] service. It was part of the first wave of games that were made available with the launch of the service in September 2018. This version includedocal and online multiplayer options. In December of that year, an SP version was released, which started the game on a rare scene of the game that occurred after beating the game on Level 20 at High speed.
**The Game Boy version was later added to the Switch's Game Boy library in March 2024.

==Sequels==

While most ''Dr. Mario'' games have been enhanced or altered versions of the original, there are some that are different enough to qualify as their own entries.

The first was ''[[Dr. Mario 64]]'', which was released for the [[Nintendo 64]] in 2001, and its initial release was exclusive to North America. ''Dr. Mario 64'' contained the original game as well as a new four-player mode and a Story Mode with appearances by [[Wario]] and various characters from ''[[Wario Land 3]]''.

In 2019, a mobile game called ''[[Dr. Mario World]]'' went live. This game featured a Story Mode with worlds full of levels to clear, and it added other playable characters (such as Peach and [[Bowser]] in doctor outfits) who came with their own unique gameplay quirks.

[[Category: NES Games]] [[Category: Game Boy Games]] [[Category: Arcade Games]] [[Category: Super Nintendo Games]] [[Category: Game Boy Advance Games]] [[Category: Mario Games]] [[Category: Classic NES series]] [[Category: Puzzle Games]][[Category: 3DS Virtual Console Games]]