Dr. Mario
Mario appears as a doctor who drops colored medical capsules to eliminate the viruses.
Documented for this version
D-pad LeftD-pad Right | Move the falling capsule horizontally |
|---|---|
D-pad Down | Drop the falling capsule faster |
A | Rotate the capsule clockwise |
B | Rotate the capsule counterclockwise |
Start | Pause the game |
How it plays
The playfield is viewed from above as a vertical bottle containing colored viruses. Capsules fall from the top, and the player moves and rotates them before they settle.
The objective is to remove every virus. Matching three or more adjacent segments of the same color horizontally or vertically clears them, while unsupported capsule halves can separate and fall. The player can choose virus levels and speed, and the game ends when the bottle becomes blocked.
Plan your run
Plan around the lowest viruses instead of clearing only the most visible matches. Use capsule halves to create several potential matches, and avoid building tall, uneven stacks that restrict later placements.
At higher speeds, prioritize safe landings and look for chain reactions. Removing a supporting segment can make separated pieces fall and create useful follow-up matches.
Meet the cast
Mario appears as a doctor who drops colored medical capsules to eliminate the viruses.
Before you begin
Keep the bottle’s center relatively open so capsules can be rotated into either side.
Check both capsule halves before dropping; a match on one side may leave the other half in a useful position.
Classic NES Series: Dr. Mario is a puzzle game developed by Nintendo R&D1 and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It is a handheld version of the original NES Dr. Mario, presenting the doctor’s capsule-based virus-clearing challenge in a compact format. Players guide falling two-color capsules into a bottle and match three or more virus or capsule segments of the same color to remove them. The game preserves the original’s focused solo play and adjustable speed settings rather than adding a large adventure structure. Dr. Mario was well received historically for combining familiar falling-block rules with color matching and a medical theme. This release is primarily notable as a portable Classic NES Series edition.
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