Line #3 VideoGame/DrMario


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dr_mario_64.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:''[[{{Music/Brentalfloss}} "Brightly colored pills! They'll cure all your ills!\
3	Just as long as you've got fever or the chills!"]]'']]
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5	Around the time of ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'', ''Dr. Mario'' cashed in on both that puzzle game's fame and the fame of [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]], while providing an intelligent twist on both.
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7	Mario in this game has changed from a plucky plumber to a determined doctor who has to destroy all of the viruses (red, yellow and blue ones, with green and purple viruses introduced in Dr. Mario World). He uses a series of capsules to eliminate them (when four capsule pieces/viruses of the same color line up in a row).
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9	''Dr. Mario'' proved just as addictive as its puzzle game parent. "Fever" and "Chill", the game's two main themes, are almost as iconic as "[[VideoGame/{{Tetris}} Korobeiniki]]". Two other tunes, "Cough" and "Sneeze", have also been present since the N64 iteration.
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11	Games in the series:
12	* ''Dr. Mario'' (Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem and Platform/GameBoy)
13	* ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}} & Dr. Mario'' (Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem, {{Updated\|Rerelease}} CompilationRerelease)
14	* ''Dr. Mario 64'' (Platform/{{Nintendo 64}}, featuring characters from ''VideoGame/WarioLand3'' as opponents, notable for being the only time ''VideoGame/{{Wario}}'' characters appear in the extended ''Mario'' universe)
15	* ''Nintendo Puzzle Collection'' (Platform/NintendoGameCube, a [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] CompilationRerelease of ''Dr. Mario 64'', ''Yoshi's Cookie'', and ''VideoGame/PanelDePon'')
16	* ''Dr. Mario & [[VideoGame/PanelDePon Puzzle League]]'' (Platform/GameBoyAdvance, {{Updated\|Rerelease}} CompilationRerelease)
17	* ''Dr. Mario Online RX'' (Platform/WiiWare)
18	* ''Dr. Mario Express'' (Platform/NintendoDS[=iWare=])
19	* ''Dr. Luigi'' (Platform/WiiU, a MissionPackSequel to ''Dr. Mario Online RX'' which celebrates Advertising/TheYearOfLuigi by replacing Mario with Luigi and introducing the "Operation L" mode)
20	* ''Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure'' (Platform/Nintendo3DS, which introduces power ups to the series and features Dr. Mario and Dr. Luigi together for the first time)
21	* ''Dr. Mario World'' (Platform/iOSGames and Platform/AndroidGames)
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23	Other appearances:
24	* The game made an appearance as a minigame in both ''VideoGame/{{WarioWare}} Inc.: Mega Microgame$'' ("Dr. Wario", which is pretty much a sprite swap of the NES version) and ''VideoGame/BrainAge'' ("Virus Buster", which introduced touch controls to the series).
25	* Dr. Mario is a recurring fighter in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' as a MovesetClone of the regular Mario, appearing in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee Melee]]'', [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games]], and ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]''.
26	* The viruses appear as enemies in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' and ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam''.
27	* The ending credits of ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'' include an orchestrated medley of various ''Mario'' franchise tracks, including "Fever".
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29	----
30
31	!!This series provides examples of:
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33	* AdaptationalJobChange: ''Dr. Mario World'' changes Peach from a nurse to a doctor.
34	* AnIcePerson: Chill, the Blue virus.
35	* AscendedExtra:
36	** In most media outside the game, the Viruses are given their own powers and personalities relating to the sickness they instill. Two of them are also named after the tunes in the game, the other one being "Weird", the Yellow Virus. In the games, they're simply obstacles.
37	** Whilst Princess Peach made prior appearances in artwork as a nurse, ''Dr. Mario World'' not only has her appear in-game but also upgrades her to a full-fledged doctor.
38	** Also from ''Dr. Mario World'', while they've both previously been an enemy and an ally respectively, them being Doctors here marks the first time [[VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand Goomba Tower]] and [[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld Dolphin]] have ever been Playable in the entire ''Mario'' franchise.
39	* BackAlleyDoctor: Miyamoto has [[http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/09/24/miyamoto-tezuka-interview.aspx suggested]] that Mario is not exactly a legitimate doctor.
40	* BatFamilyCrossover: Notably, ''Dr. Mario 64'' is the only time that Mario's interacted with anyone introduced in VideoGame/{{Wario}}'s games (specifically, characters from ''VideoGame/WarioLand3'').
41	* TheBusCameBack: Update 1.05 of ''Dr. Mario World'' brought back Wario as an unlockable playable character, 18 years after ''64''. His outfit, however, is redesigned 16 years after ''Mega Microgame$''. On a related and perhaps truer example, Baby Wario was added in for Season 3 on June 26, 2020, after not making a single appearance in the entire ''Mario'' franchise since ''VideoGame/YoshisIslandDS'' back in 2006, 14 years prior.
42	* ButtMonkey: The red virus in the "Virus Vids" made to promote ''Dr. Mario World''. He disappears due to a red pill in ''eight'' of them.
43	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: It's a color-match puzzler, so...
44	* ComicBookAdaptation: "[[http://www.mariowiki.com/The_Doctor_Is_In..._Over_His_Head The Doctor Is In... Over His Head]]" from the ''ComicBook/NintendoComicsSystem'' explains to us how Mario got to be a doctor.
45	* ContinuityNod: Not necessarily in this game, but all three viruses have been featured as enemies in the ''Mario and Luigi'' series.
46	** In ''Superstar Saga'' they change into different viruses, and are taken out all at once when matched up. In addition, they also power up another enemy called an Eeker.
47	** In ''Bowser's Inside Story'' a Blue Virus is spat up by Toothies as an attack. They stab Bowser with a spear if they reach him in time.
48	** ''Dream Team'' has them as enemies again, with the same matching color gimmick, except this time they always come in a 4-by-4 group of 16 and the matching colors have to be next to each other to get a match kill.
49	* DressedToHeal: The lab coat makes sense, but there's no reason other than this trope for Dr. Mario, who appears to work in pharmaceuticals, to wear a mirror and stethoscope.
50	* EasyModeMockery: In ''Dr. Mario 64'', when playing Round 7 in Easy Mode, it's just you and the Hammer-Bot from ''Wario Land 3''. But in higher difficulties, it's a free-for-all between the aforementioned, your rival, and Mad Scienstein. You also can't face the {{True Final Boss}}es in Easy Mode. Interestingly, Easy Mode also creates a case of WhatHappenedToTheMouse when playing as Wario — in the opening for the final round, Dr. Mario is seen entering the castle after Wario, but doesn't show up again after that. In the higher difficulties, however, Dr. Mario just sits there dazed from the free-for-all battle as Wario enters the castle without him.
51	* EnemyMine: In ''Dr. Mario World'', the viruses wreak havoc across the Mushroom Kingdom, including Bowser's minions. This leads to Bowser (and later, [[TheBusCameBack Wario]] and Waluigi) teaming up with Mario and Peach, explaining his role as a doctor in the game.
52	* FallingBlocks: Well, falling pills.
53	* GivenNameReveal: The final boss of ''VideoGame/WarioLand3'' was never named in his debut. ''Dr. Mario 64'' names him as "Rudy the Clown".
54	* HeroAntagonist: If you play as Wario in the N64 story mode, Dr. Mario is an opponent twice (three times if you count the aforementioned free-for-all). Once as your first opponent and as the TrueFinalBoss on Hard mode.
55	* HospitalHottie: [[AllThereInTheManual As seen in the manual for the game]], Princess Peach is a nurse at whatever clinic Mario oversees. Daisy and Rosalina join in come ''Dr. Mario World''.
56	* KillScreen: The Game Boy version [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT7U9x2gFvY&t=2797s can randomly cease functioning]] in the higher levels. In the low 20s, it starts to be possible for viruses to be laid out in ways that make it [[UnintentionallyUnwinnable impossible to clear them]], and in the high 20s there begins to be a chance that the game abruptly hangs partway through spawning viruses, leaving you just staring at a bottle full of viruses.
57	* MercyMode: In ''Dr. Mario World'', failing a stage several times will cause Toad to give you a free bonus.
58	* MonstrousGerms: The ever-present trio of viruses are blue, red and yellow {{Cephalothorax}} creatures with eyes, mouth, hands and feet.
59	* NintendoHard: Once you reach the later levels, it can be hell trying to organize pills with over half the screen being filled with viruses. Good luck trying to beat the last two levels, where you have exactly three height spaces to work with.
60	* OhCrap: The Viruses in ''Miracle Cure'' get this expression when their respectively-colored Virus Buster appears in play. All three do this simultaneously when a Zapper or Exploder appears. When there is only one color of virus left in play in Classic mode, it starts to panic.
61	* OneWingedAngel: In ''64'', Wario turns into a vampire after glomming on some Megavitamins. Dr. Mario turns metal instead.
62	* PublicDomainSoundtrack:
63	** The first five notes of The Flea Waltz (known in Japanese as "Neko Funjatta"[[note]]"I stepped on a Cat"[[/note]]) can be heard in some versions when Mario accomplishes certain feats, such as making combos or attacking the other player.[[note]]This is, sending the other player "garbage" capsules.[[/note]]
64	** The Game Boy and SNES version use the first seven notes of "Ach du Lieber Augustin" for combos.
65	* RecycledSoundtrack: In regards to the "Virus Buster" game mode, ''Online Rx'' averts this by creating brand new arrangements of "Fever" and "Chill". ''Dr. Luigi'' and ''Miracle Cure'', on the other hand, play this straight by straight-up reusing the original ''VideoGame/BrainAge 2'' arrangements.
66	* ShrunkenHead: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUC058AGV6M A commercial]] had a guy telling how he beat a witch doctor at the game, and got his [[SoreLoser head shrunk as a result]].
67	* SongsInTheKeyOfPanic: ''64'' plays the classic warning tune from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' and speeds up the music when either player has only three viruses left in their bottle, warning the other player that they don't have much time left to try to catch up.
68	* TotemPoleTrench: Dr. Goomba Tower from ''Dr. Mario World'' is a tower of three Goombas with a lab coat draped over it. The lab coat is wide open, so they're not even trying to pretend that they are a single six-foot tall Goomba.
69	* TrueFinalBoss: ''Dr. Mario 64'' has two. If you beat the game as either character, you face [[spoiler:his rival, who has just ingested the megavitamins, resulting in either Metal (Dr.) Mario or Vampire Wario]].

Context VideoGame / DrMario