by Robert Workman on Thursday, May 29, 2008
When the WiiWare lineup debuted a couple of weeks ago on Nintendo's Wii console, it was inexplicably missing a killer game from big N itself. It's since rectified this problem by releasing the downloadable Dr. Mario Online RX, an online-friendly version of its classic NES puzzler. What this game lacks in presentation pizzazz, it accomplishes with mostly trouble-free gameplay and multiplayer options.
Your job is to simply play doctor – but without the overabundance of unnecessary tools ala Trauma Center. Multicolored germs inhabit the playfield, dancing around as they cause ailment. You're given a number of colored pills, which you need to line up with the coordinating germs. Lining up four in a row removes them, and you move on to the next stage once they're all removed. It sounds easy, but the later stages become progressively harder with more germs and faster pill speed.
Where's a mushroom when you really need one? Click on image for more screenshots.
The original gameplay, with the controller turned sideways, works just as well as it does in the NES and Nintendo 64 versions. However, Nintendo's also added a brand new mode called Virus Buster. Here, you control the movement of the pills by pointing your Wii remote at the screen and placing them. Up to four players can play in this mode, and it's more fun than you might expect. Just get ready for occasional disagreements between your friends as to where the pills should go.
Dr. Mario graphics are easy on the eyes, with a wide-open playfield and humorously drawn germs. The fact that your Mii character can play as your virtual doctor is a nice touch. Various music selections are also available, including some favorites from the original game and a couple of new tunes. They're nothing worth putting on your MP3 player, but at least they don't grate the eardrums.
Along with being able to challenge players locally in versus action, Dr. Mario fully supports Wi-Fi Connection. Here, you'll be able to hook up with friends (via Friend Codes) and random players in versus action. It takes a while to get a match started, but it's fun once it finally kicks in. There's also a score-based ranking system, similar to Mario Kart's. It keeps track of your wins and losses. Best of all, for those who don't yet own the game, you can present them with a quick demo online battle. This temporarily lets them try the game out -- a nice touch.
To be honest, this is one of the best WiiWare games yet. Yeah, it could've had more characters and a slight boost in presentation, but it's really a terrific value for 1000 points (roughly $10). If you've been waiting for a WiiWare game to download, Dr. Mario's got the cure – and it won't set your wallet back to Medicaid levels either.
Dr. Mario Online RX Game Guide
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