Dr. Mario
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Capsules, Viruses and a Crowded Bottle
Dr. Mario replaces a platform adventure with a bottle full of viruses and a stream of vitamin capsules. Move and rotate each capsule to line up four or more matching shades, using its two halves to fit around the germs already in place. Clearing every virus finishes the round and moves the puzzle onward.
Rotate, Drop and Plan the Chain
The Control Pad moves capsules sideways and speeds their descent. A turns a capsule clockwise and B turns it counterclockwise, helping you fit a horizontal or vertical match into the bottle. The shaded halves may differ, so a useful placement has to account for both sides of the capsule.
When a capsule is split by a clear, its remaining half can fall into a new position. That makes chain reactions possible: removing one match can drop another half onto a waiting group. Planning for that fall also helps avoid sealing a virus underneath pieces of a different shade.
Set the Challenge and Clear the Round
Virus level and capsule speed are separate settings. Choose more viruses for a fuller puzzle, or increase the speed for a faster response test. Low, Medium and High speed options let you adjust the pace without making virus count the only measure of difficulty.
A bottle that fills to the top ends the run. Each successful round leaves you facing another arrangement of viruses, so the goal combines clearing the current obstacle with maintaining room for the next capsule. The puzzle rewards thinking through the stack as well as moving quickly.
Two Players through Game Link
Two-player competition requires two Game Boy systems, two Dr. Mario Game Paks and a Game Link cable. Players race to eliminate their viruses; filling the other bottle to the top can also decide a round. The first player to earn three victory crowns wins the match.
Clearing multiple rows or columns together sends extra pieces into the opponent's bottle. The independent virus and speed settings also let players adjust their starting challenge. This gives the same capsule-placement rules a direct local rivalry.
Shades and Music on the Game Boy
This original Game Boy version distinguishes capsules and viruses with monochrome shades and patterns. Mario stands beside the bottle while the score, virus level and upcoming capsule remain visible. Fever and Chill provide the two music choices, with bright electronic effects accompanying successful clears.
The North American package identifies the original Game Boy compact video game system and advertises simultaneous two-player play through the Video Link cable. The main solo puzzle uses the Game Boy's built-in controls.
More game data: releases, identifiers & technical details
Regional release records and identifiers for Dr. Mario | Nintendo GameBoy.
Release and technical facts
| Fact | Value | Release / platform | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published by | Nintendo Co., Ltd. | Japan | MobyGames |
| Developed by | Nintendo R&D1 | Japan | MobyGames |
| Published by | Nintendo Co., Ltd. | United States | MobyGames |
| Developed by | Nintendo R&D1 | United States | MobyGames |
| Distributed by | Nintendo of America Inc. | United States | MobyGames |
| Package Design by | Tim Girvin Design, Inc. | United States | MobyGames |
| Published by | Nintendo Co., Ltd. | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| Developed by | Nintendo R&D1 | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| Distributed by | Nintendo of Europe GmbH | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| Published by | Nintendo Co., Ltd. | Spain | MobyGames |
| Developed by | Nintendo R&D1 | Spain | MobyGames |
| Distributed by | Spaco, S.A. | Spain | MobyGames |
| Video Resolutions Supported | 160×144 | Game Boy | MobyGames |
| Color Depth | 2-bit (4 greyscales) | Game Boy | MobyGames |
| Multiplayer Options | Real-Time Multiplayer (Game Link Cable) | Game Boy | MobyGames |
| Multiplayer Game Modes | Free-for-all / One-on-one (VS) | Game Boy | MobyGames |
| Number of Players Supported | 1-2 Players | Game Boy | MobyGames |
| Miscellaneous Attributes | Game Link Cable | Game Boy | MobyGames |
| Original game disc count | 1 | North America | MobyGames |
| Genre | Puzzle | North America | PriceCharting |
| Also compatible on | GameBoy Advance and GameBoy Color | North America | PriceCharting |
| Developer | Nintendo | North America | PriceCharting |
| ESRB rating | Everyone | North America | PriceCharting |
| Model number | #DMG-VU-USA | North America | PriceCharting |
| Player count | 1 player | North America | PriceCharting |
| Publisher | Nintendo | North America | PriceCharting |
| Developer | Nintendo R&D1 | Japan | PriceCharting |
| Genre | Puzzle | Japan | PriceCharting |
| Model number | #DMG-VUA | Japan | PriceCharting |
| Player count | 1-2 players | Japan | PriceCharting |
| Publisher | Nintendo | Japan | PriceCharting |
| Also compatible on | PAL GameBoy Color | PAL | PriceCharting |
| Genre | Puzzle | PAL | PriceCharting |
| Player count | 1 player | PAL | PriceCharting |
Regional releases
| Release date | Region / edition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1990-07-27 | Japan | MobyGames |
| 1990-12-31 | United States | MobyGames |
| 1991-04-30 | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| 1991-04-30 | Spain | MobyGames |
| 1990-12-01 | North America | PriceCharting |
| 1990-07-27 | Japan | PriceCharting |
| 1991-04-30 | PAL | PriceCharting |
| December 1, 1990 | North America | PriceCharting |
| July 27, 1990 | Japan | PriceCharting |
| April 30, 1991 | PAL | PriceCharting |
Catalog identifiers by release
| Identifier | Code | Region / edition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Media PN | DMG-VUA-JPN | Japan | MobyGames |
| EAN-13 | 4902370501124 | Japan | MobyGames |
| eBay Product ID | 1203472339 | Japan | MobyGames |
| UPC-A | 045496730086 | United States | MobyGames |
| Nintendo Media PN | DMG-VU-USA | United States | MobyGames |
| ASIN | B00002ST3E | United States | MobyGames |
| eBay Product ID | 2289 | United States | MobyGames |
| UPC-A | 045496730086 | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| Nintendo Media PN | DMG-VU-UKV | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| ASIN | B00002ST3E | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| eBay Product ID | 2289 | United Kingdom | MobyGames |
| Nintendo Media PN | DMG-VU-ESP | Spain | MobyGames |
| UPC-A | 045496730086 | Spain | MobyGames |
| eBay Product ID | 2289 | Spain | MobyGames |
| upc | 045496730086 | North America | PriceCharting |
| asin | B00002ST3E | North America | PriceCharting |
| epid | 2289 | North America | PriceCharting |
| model | #DMG-VU-USA | North America | PriceCharting |
| upc | 4902370501124 | Japan | PriceCharting |
| epid | 1203472339 | Japan | PriceCharting |
| model | #DMG-VUA | Japan | PriceCharting |
| ean | 4902370501124 | Japan | PriceCharting |
| epid | 1203472339 | Japan | PriceCharting |
Data by MobyGames.com · Catalog data: PriceCharting
