The Doctor is in…or at least he will be later this year. Nintendo announced this morning that it was planning on bringing one of its first puzzle games, Dr. Mario, to mobile platforms this summer.
Dr. Mario debuted on the original NES console nearly thirty years ago, with a winning combination of Tetris-style gameplay, randomized hazards on the puzzle boards, and fantastic 8-bit music. The series has seen a few revivals over the years, notably on the Nintendo 64, Wii, and 3DS. Dr. Mario World will be the title of the new mobile game.
Phones are a particularly good fit for puzzle games thanks to easy touch controls and bite-sized play sessions: the smash hits of Bejeweled and Candy Crush demonstrate the natural synergy of the platform. Like most successful mobile games, Nintendo will offer the game for free with in-app purchases for power-ups.
Dr. Mario World is being co-developed with mobile publisher LINE, and it joins existing Nintendo franchises Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem, and Animal Crossing on mobile. Other upcoming Nintendo mobile games include Mario Kart Tour (expected later this year) and a new Legend of Zelda title.
Source: Nintendo
