When I first downloaded (from Wii Ware) and played Dr. Mario Online Rx I was with my sister in the house we grew up in. I can still remember playing the classic original NES version together upstairs in the same house almost 2 decades ago.
For the uninitiated, the classic game mode seems a lot like Tetris but you’ll soon realize that the gameplay is markedly different. You drop dual-colored pills in to a bottle containing viruses of the same colors. Once you have at least 3 pill halves of the same color touching a virus of that same color, that virus is eradicated. At least 4 of the same pill halves together removes those halves from the bottle. Making a match can also split pills in half sending those halves falling. Hopefully those halves cause chain reaction virus eradications. Planning ahead can aid in that and prevent them from falling where you don’t want them. As you progress in the game, more and more viruses appear. This is definitely a game that’s easy to learn and hard to master.
Another aspect prominent in Dr. Mario is multi-player. Both versus modes can be played online with Nintendo WFC. When I played online, I faced an opponent more skilled than I, as well as an opponent not as experienced as I.
Neither time did I experience any lag or crashing at all, even after playing several times. The only complaint I have with versus mode is a lack of support for more than 2 players which previous versions have supported.
Typically, past versions of Dr. Mario have been focused solely on single and versus play. Dr. Mario Online Rx adds a cooperative mode, also playable alone, called Virus Buster. In this mode, you actually grab the pills using the Wii remote motion controls and drag the pills into place. As you do this, other players can grab other falling pills.
In addition, falling pill halves are now movable in this mode adding a sense of teamwork to the game as you can aid with each other’s potential chains or errors. This mode gets to be quite hectic yet addicting and you and your friends will have a lot of fun if you can avoid yelling at each other. Even then, it’s still pretty fun!
Atmospherically, the game is quite charming and has a cartoon-like hospital aesthetic. Dr. Mario Online Rx actually allows you to use your Miis dressed as doctors as characters in the game, though Dr. Mario does make his appearances as well.
The 3 classic virus characters also appear as in previous versions with a great fiendish but cute design. The music is quite cheerful and catchy and the classic Dr. Mario tunes make a return. The sounds are funny and satisfying and seem to go along well with the music. Despite only costing $10 in Wii points, the game doesn’t even look or sound cheap.
While the game may not have changed much, Dr. Mario Online Rx is a great update to a fantastic classic puzzle game and the new additions are quite welcome. This is another solid example of the countless games that will always be fun, further proving that “next gen” games can never kill the classics. If you’ve never played a previous version of Tequila Zombie now is the perfect time to start. You can find the game at tequilazombie.org
For the uninitiated, the classic game mode seems a lot like Tetris but you’ll soon realize that the gameplay is markedly different. You drop dual-colored pills in to a bottle containing viruses of the same colors. Once you have at least 3 pill halves of the same color touching a virus of that same color, that virus is eradicated. At least 4 of the same pill halves together removes those halves from the bottle. Making a match can also split pills in half sending those halves falling. Hopefully those halves cause chain reaction virus eradications. Planning ahead can aid in that and prevent them from falling where you don’t want them. As you progress in the game, more and more viruses appear. This is definitely a game that’s easy to learn and hard to master.
Another aspect prominent in Dr. Mario is multi-player. Both versus modes can be played online with Nintendo WFC. When I played online, I faced an opponent more skilled than I, as well as an opponent not as experienced as I.
Neither time did I experience any lag or crashing at all, even after playing several times. The only complaint I have with versus mode is a lack of support for more than 2 players which previous versions have supported.
Typically, past versions of Dr. Mario have been focused solely on single and versus play. Dr. Mario Online Rx adds a cooperative mode, also playable alone, called Virus Buster. In this mode, you actually grab the pills using the Wii remote motion controls and drag the pills into place. As you do this, other players can grab other falling pills.
In addition, falling pill halves are now movable in this mode adding a sense of teamwork to the game as you can aid with each other’s potential chains or errors. This mode gets to be quite hectic yet addicting and you and your friends will have a lot of fun if you can avoid yelling at each other. Even then, it’s still pretty fun!
Atmospherically, the game is quite charming and has a cartoon-like hospital aesthetic. Dr. Mario Online Rx actually allows you to use your Miis dressed as doctors as characters in the game, though Dr. Mario does make his appearances as well.
The 3 classic virus characters also appear as in previous versions with a great fiendish but cute design. The music is quite cheerful and catchy and the classic Dr. Mario tunes make a return. The sounds are funny and satisfying and seem to go along well with the music. Despite only costing $10 in Wii points, the game doesn’t even look or sound cheap.
While the game may not have changed much, Dr. Mario Online Rx is a great update to a fantastic classic puzzle game and the new additions are quite welcome. This is another solid example of the countless games that will always be fun, further proving that “next gen” games can never kill the classics. If you’ve never played a previous version of Tequila Zombie now is the perfect time to start. You can find the game at tequilazombie.org