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Nintendo revives Dr. Mario in the form of a mobile game


If you’re like me, you were probably terrible at Dr. Mario. If you’re still like me, you probably played a ton of it regardless and just hearing the name puts the music in your head *dun dun dun dun DUN dun dun dun*

For the past couple of years, Nintendo has shown an interest in mobile platforms resulting in the release of Miitomo, Super Mario RunFire Emblem HeroesAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and Dragalia Lost. It seems the latest title to join this family will be Dr. Mario in the form of Dr. Mario World!

Nintendo released a gameplay trailer yesterday showing exactly what we can expect out of this new entry in the beloved puzzle series. It looks like there have been some pretty significant changes such as forgoing the typical Tetris-esque dropping pills for a touchscreen drag and drop method, as well as introducing familiar items from elsewhere in the Mario universe that help you clear the screen. The trailer also reveals the typical freemium model we’ve grown accustomed to out of similar titles, essentially commoditizing impatience.

Not shown in the trailer is the announced versus mode, which allows you to battle a friend in real-time.

If you’ve heard me talk about mobile games on the Topless Robot Podcast, you know I’m generally not a fan. Many things Nintendo has shown so far are all too familiar mobile trends that turn me off from mobile games. That said, the “patience model” isn’t the worst monetization tactic. It just means I’ll play the game until I run out of hearts and never play again.

What do you think? Are you excited to see the return of Dr. Mario? Or are you sick of seeing old favorites turned into mobile cash grabs?

Dr. Mario World releases on IOS and Android on July 10th, and you can pre-register today so you’re ready to download on launch day!