Dr. Mario
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 NES box art
 Game Boy box art For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
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Developer
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Nintendo R&D 1
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Publisher
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Nintendo
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Platforms
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Famicom/NES, Game Boy, Arcade, Game Boy Advance, Satellaview, SNES/Super Famicom, Virtual Console (Nintendo 3DS, Wii U), NES Classic Edition/Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer, Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online
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Release date
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Famicom/NES:
July 27, 1990
October 14, 1990
June 27, 1991
June 27, 1991 VS. System:
1990
1990
1990 Nintendo PlayChoice-10:
1990
1990
1990 Game Boy:
July 27, 1990
December 1, 1990[1]
April 30, 1991 Satellaview:
March 30, 1997 Super Famicom (NP):
June 1, 1998[2] Game Boy (NP):
March 1, 2000 Game Boy Advance:
May 21, 2004
October 25, 2004
January 7, 2005 Virtual Console (3DS):
July 27, 2011
March 22, 2012
March 22, 2012
October 4, 2012
May 18, 2016 Virtual Console (Wii U):
February 13, 2014
February 14, 2014
February 26, 2014
March 27, 2014 NES Classic Edition/Famicom Mini:
November 10, 2016
November 10, 2016
November 11, 2016
November 11, 2016 Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online:
September 18, 2018
September 19, 2018
September 19, 2018
September 19, 2018
April 23, 2019
April 23, 2019
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Genre
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Puzzle
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Rating(s)
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ESRB: | - Everyone | PEGI: | - Three years and older | CERO: | - All ages | ACB: | - General |
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Mode(s)
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1-2 players
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Media
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Arcade:
Built-in NES:
 Game Pak SNES:  Game Pak  Satellaview soundlink Wii U:  Digital download Nintendo Switch:  Digital download Game Boy:
 Game Pak Game Boy Advance:  Game Pak Nintendo 3DS:  Digital download NES Classic Edition:
Built-in
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Input
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NES:
Wii U: Nintendo Switch: Game Boy:
Game Boy Advance: Nintendo 3DS: NES Classic Edition:
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Dr. Mario (stylized as "D℞. MARIO" on the western logo) is an arcade-style puzzle video game created by Nintendo, and was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy in 1990. The gameplay is very similar to that of Tetris, although in Dr. Mario the object is to line up pills to destroy viruses.
The following text is taken directly from the instruction manual.
Hi everybody! I'm Mario. How's it going? Over the last few years, I've been involved in some pretty wild adventures. Now, believe it or not, I work in the virus research lab at the Mushroom Kingdom Hospital. Today I'm about to begin my research as usual.
"Dr. Mario, something terrible has happened!"
"What's wrong, nurse Toadstool?"
"One of the experiments has gone out of control. The viruses are spreading quickly!"
"Oh No! We've got to do something! I have just developed a new vitamin that should be able to take care of it. I sure hope this stuff works!"
Dr. Mario works in a virus research lab at the Mushroom Kingdom Hospital, alongside Nurse Toadstool. When one of the experiments goes wrong, the hospital is flooded with tri-color viruses. Armed with Megavitamins–a medicine of his own invention–Dr. Mario sets out to neutralize the outbreak.
Gameplay[edit]
Title screen on the Game Boy version
All the Dr. Mario games feature a large grid as the main game interface. This grid (in the shape of a large pill bottle) starts out partially filled with three types of viruses, Chill (blue), Fever (red), and Weird (yellow). The main objective of the game is to clear the grid of the viruses. This objective can be fulfilled with the help of multi-colored pills called Megavitamins. These pills are two-blocks wide and come in the same color as the viruses. Usually, they are sectioned off into two random colors, but occasionally contain only one random color. These pills are guided down the grid by using left and right on the Control Pad, and they can be pulled to the bottom of the screen more quickly by holding down on the Control Pad. They can be rotated clockwise by and counter-clockwise by . To eliminate a virus, four blocks of a color (pill or virus) must be piled up. The stack will then disappear. If a virus was contained in the stack, the virus will be eliminated as well.
If the stacks of pills or viruses reach the top of the grid, the player receives a Game Over.
Characters[edit]
Game modes[edit]
1-Player Game[edit]
When a 1-Player game is started, the player can choose one of 21 levels (from 0 to 20). The number of viruses at the beginning is equal to four times the level number plus four, all the way up to level 20 (although the level number can go up to 24 in the NES version, there will always be 84 viruses at the beginning of levels 20 and above[3]). The speed of the pills as they fall can also be selected: low, medium or high. As the game level progresses, though, the speed will gradually increase.
2-Player Game[edit]
A 2-Player Vs. game mode is also available for selection. In this mode, two players battle to either clear their grid first, or cause their opponent to get a Game Over. The game ends after one of the players wins three rounds. The Level and Speed options are chosen independently by each player before the game begins.
During a two-player battle, whenever a row or column is cleared with one Megavitamin, a corresponding number (two, three, or the maximum, four) of randomized pill halves drops on to the opponent's grid. The player who is given the pill halves must wait for the random colors to drop onto their screen before they can drop a Megavitamin. As time passes, pills fall faster, just like in one-player mode.
For the Game Boy version, a Game Link cable is required to play the 2-player Vs. game mode. On the 3DS Virtual Console version, 2-player mode is not supported.
Reception[edit]
The Game Boy version of the game was placed 45th in the 100th issue of Nintendo Power's "100 best Nintendo games of all time" in 1997.[4]
The NES version placed 69th in the 200th Issue of GameInformer's "Top 200 Games of All Times". The game placed 51st in IGN's Top 100 NES Games list.[5]
Reviews for the game were generally positive, although there has been some criticism from parents about the medicine in a children's game. ACE in particular was more negative, giving the Game Boy version 510/1000, criticizing the repetitive gameplay and uninspired graphics. They also stated that the game "reeks of plagarism", stating that it was worse than the original games it was modeled after.[6] GameRankings gave the game 69.25%, while review aggregator Metacritic gave it a 66 out of 100 based on 10 reviews.
Remakes and ports[edit]
VS. Dr. Mario[edit]
It has been requested that additional images be uploaded for this section. Remove this only when the image(s) have been uploaded for this section. Specifics: title screen and gameplay
The game was later released on the VS. System under the name VS. Dr. Mario. This version drops the Slow mode and features a less generous scoring system. In the NES version, the first virus killed by a vitamin yields 200 points (on Normal mode), the second 400, the third 800, the fourth 1600, so each virus is worth twice as much as the last. In the VS. version, the first virus is worth 200, then 400, then 600, then 800, so a virus is worth only 200 points more, and not twice as many points, as the previous virus.
Satellaview[edit]
A slightly altered version of Dr. Mario known as Dr. Mario BS Version 「Dr.マリオBS版」 was broadcast for the Satellaview system between March 1997 and June 2000. It has the same graphics and music that was used in the remake from Tetris & Dr. Mario which was not released in Japan. It should also be mentioned that the complete game is still in the ROM, just locked out.[7]
List of re-releases and ports[edit]
- Dr. Mario was ported into the Nintendo PlayChoice-10 arcade machines in North America.
- In 1994, Nintendo released the remake for SNES, as a part of the Tetris & Dr. Mario cartridge.
- In 2004, Nintendo re-released the original NES version for the Game Boy Advance, as part of the Classic NES Series.
- In 2005, Nintendo again released Dr. Mario for Game Boy Advance, but this time as an enhanced remake in Dr. Mario & Puzzle League.
- On March 22, 2012, the Game Boy version was released on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in PAL regions and it was released in Japan and North America on October 2nd and 3rd respectively later that year.
- A trial version of the Game Boy game appears as a unlockable Masterpiece in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
- Dr. Mario is one of the games that appear in NES Remix 2 and Ultimate NES Remix. It is the final challenge in Championship Mode.
- A trial version of the NES game appears as a "highlight" in amiibo tap: Nintendo's Greatest Bits.
- The NES and Famicom version of Dr. Mario is one of the 30 games included in the NES Classic Edition and Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer, respectively.
- Dr. Mario was made available as one of the 20 NES titles at Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online's launch in September 2018, and can be played competitively with other players online.[8] A special edition titled Dr. Mario: The UFO cover-up. that starts the player at level 20 and Hi speed was also added on December 12, 2018.
Microgame[edit]
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! featured a microgame version of Dr. Mario. There is also an unlockable mini game version entitled Dr. Wario.
Another microgame based on this game appeared in WarioWare Gold.
Development[edit]
Dr. Mario was originally under the title "Virus", which had similar gameplay, but the goal was to cure viruses in a sick animal. What appears to be Nurse Toadstool is also visible in the game.[9]
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Dr. Mario (game).
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It has been suggested that audio and/or video file(s) related to this section be uploaded. Specifics: NES and GB Please upload all related music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See the help page for information on how to get started.
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- Help:Media • Having trouble playing?
- Main article: List of Dr. Mario staff
Names in other languages[edit]
Language
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Name
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Meaning
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Japanese |
ドクターマリオ Dokutā Mario |
Dr. MARIO
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Chinese (Simplified) |
马力欧医生 Mǎlì'ōu Yīshēng |
Dr. Mario
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Chinese (Traditional) |
瑪利歐醫生 Mǎlì'ōu Yīshēng |
Dr. Mario
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External links[edit]
Dr. Mario coverage on other NIWA wikis:
References[edit]
Mario games
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Platformers
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Super Mario series
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Super Mario Bros. (1985, NES) • Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, NES) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES) • Super Mario Land (1989, GB) • Super Mario World (1990, SNES) • Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992, GB) • Super Mario 64 (1996, N64) • Super Mario Sunshine (2002, GCN) • New Super Mario Bros. (2006, NDS) • Super Mario Galaxy (2007, Wii) • New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Wii) • Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Wii) • Super Mario 3D Land (2011, 3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012, 3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. U (2012, Wii U) • Super Mario 3D World (2013, Wii U) • Super Mario Maker (2015, Wii U) • Super Mario Run (2016, iOS/Android) • Super Mario Odyssey (2017, NS) • Super Mario Maker 2 (2019, NS)
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006, DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009, DSiWare) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010, DS) • Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013, 3DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015, 3DS/Wii U) • Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (2016, 3DS/Wii U)
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Other
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Donkey Kong (1981, Arcade) • Mario Bros. (1983, G&W) • Mario's Cement Factory (1983, G&W) • Mario Bros. (1983, Arcade) • VS. Wrecking Crew (1984, Arcade) • Mario Bros. Special (1984, PC88) • Punch Ball Mario Bros. (1984, PC88) • Wrecking Crew (1985, NES) • Super Mario Bros. Special (1986, PC88) • Mario & Wario (1993, SNES) • Hotel Mario (1994, Philips CD-i) • Donkey Kong (1994, Game Boy) • Mario Clash (1995, VB) • Wrecking Crew '98 (1998, SFC) • Super Princess Peach (2005, DS) • New Super Luigi U (2013, Wii U) • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2014, Wii U) • Super Mario Bros. 35 (2020, NS)
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Ports and remakes
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Crazy Kong (1981, Arcade) • Donkey Kong (1982, G&W) • VS. Super Mario Bros. (1986, Arcade) • All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. (1986, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. (1987, G&W) • Kaettekita Mario Bros. (1988, FDS) • Super Mario All-Stars (1993, SNES) • Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World (1994, SNES) • BS Super Mario USA (1996, SNES) • BS Super Mario Collection (1997, SNES) • Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (1999, GBC) • Super Mario Advance (2001, GBA) • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2002, GBA) • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003, GBA) • Famicom Mini Series (2004, GBA) • Classic NES Series (2004-2005, GBA) • Super Mario 64 DS (2004, NDS) • Virtual Console (2006-current, Wii/3DS/Wii U) • Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition (2010, Wii) • Luigi Bros. (2013, Wii U) • Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (2016, 3DS) • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2018, NS/3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019, NS) • Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020, NS) • Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. (2020, G&W) • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021, NS)
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Role-playing games
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Paper Mario series
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Paper Mario (2000, N64) • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004, GCN) • Super Paper Mario (2007, Wii) • Paper Mario: Sticker Star (2012, 3DS) • Paper Mario: Color Splash (2016, Wii U) • Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020, NS)
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Mario & Luigi series
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Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003, GBA) • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005, NDS) • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009, NDS) • Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2013, 3DS) • Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (2015, 3DS)
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Other
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Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996, SNES)
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Remakes
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Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions (2017, 3DS) • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018, 3DS)
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Dr. Mario series
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Main
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Dr. Mario (1990, NES) • Dr. Mario 64 (2001, N64) • Dr. Mario Online Rx (2008, WiiWare) • Dr. Mario Express (2008, DSiWare) • Dr. Luigi (2013, Wii U) • Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure (2015, 3DS) • Dr. Mario World (2019, iOS/Android)
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Other
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VS. Dr. Mario (1990, Arcade)
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Remakes
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Tetris & Dr. Mario (1994, SNES) • Nintendo Puzzle Collection (2003, GCN) • Dr. Mario & Puzzle League (2005, GBA)
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Mario Kart series
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Main
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Super Mario Kart (1992, SNES) • Mario Kart 64 (1996, N64) • Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001, GBA) • Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003, GCN) • Mario Kart DS (2005, NDS) • Mario Kart Wii (2008, Wii) • Mario Kart 7 (2011, 3DS) • Mario Kart 8 (2014, Wii U) • Mario Kart Tour (2019, iOS/Android)
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Mario Kart Arcade series
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Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005, Arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (2007, Arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP DX (2013, Arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP VR (2017, Arcade)
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Other
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Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020, NS)
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Ports
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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017, NS)
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Mario Party series
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Main
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Mario Party (1998, N64) • Mario Party 2 (1999, N64) • Mario Party 3 (2000, N64) • Mario Party 4 (2002, GCN) • Mario Party 5 (2003, GCN) • Mario Party 6 (2004, GCN) • Mario Party 7 (2005, GCN) • Mario Party 8 (2007, Wii) • Mario Party 9 (2012, Wii) • Mario Party 10 (2015, Wii U) • Super Mario Party (2018, NS)
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Arcade
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Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party (2004, Arcade) • Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party 2 (2005, Arcade) • Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher (2009, Arcade) • Mario Party Kurukuru Carnival (2012, Arcade) • Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher 2 (2013, Arcade) • Mario Party Challenge World (2016, Arcade)
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Other
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Mario Party-e (2003, GBA) • Mario Party Advance (2005, GBA) • Mario Party DS (2007, NDS) • Mario Party: Island Tour (2013, 3DS) • Mario Party: Star Rush (2016, 3DS) • Mario Party: The Top 100 (2017, 3DS)
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Luigi's Mansion series
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Main
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Luigi's Mansion (2001, GCN) • Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (2013, 3DS) • Luigi's Mansion Arcade (2015, Arcade) • Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019, NS)
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Remakes
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Luigi's Mansion (2018, 3DS)
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Sports games
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Mario Baseball series
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Mario Superstar Baseball (2005, GCN) • Mario Super Sluggers (2008, Wii)
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Mario Golf series
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Golf (1984, NES) • Family Computer Golf: Japan Course (1987, FDS) • Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course (1987, FDS) • NES Open Tournament Golf (1991, NES) • Mario Golf (1999, N64) • Mario Golf (1999, GBC) • Mobile Golf (2001, GBC) • Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (2003, GCN) • Mario Golf: Advance Tour (2004, GBA) • Mario Golf: World Tour (2014, 3DS) • Mario Golf: Super Rush (2021, NS)
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Mario Strikers series
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Super Mario Strikers (2005, GCN) • Mario Strikers Charged (2007, Wii)
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Mario Tennis series
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Mario's Tennis (1995, VB) • Mario Tennis (2000, N64) • Mario Tennis (2000, GBC) • Mario Power Tennis (2004, GCN) • Mario Tennis: Power Tour (2005, GBA) • Mario Tennis Open (2012, 3DS) • Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash (2015, Wii U) • Mario Tennis Aces (2018, NS)
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Ports
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New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis (2009, Wii)
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Other
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NBA Street V3 (2005, GCN) • SSX on Tour (2005, GCN) • Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (2006, NDS) • Mario Sports Mix (2010, Wii) • Mario Sports Superstars (2017, 3DS)
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Crossovers
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Mario & Sonic series
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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2008, NDS) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009, NDS) • Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2011, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2012, 3DS) • Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (2013, Wii U) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016, Wii U) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016, 3DS) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition (2016, Arcade) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019, NS) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Arcade Edition (2020, Arcade)
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Super Smash Bros. series
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Super Smash Bros. (1999, N64) • Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001, GCN) • Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Wii) • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014, 3DS) • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014, Wii U) • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, NS)
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Other
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Itadaki Street DS (2007, NDS) • Fortune Street (2011, Wii) • Nintendo Land (2012, Wii U) • Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition (2015, 3DS) • Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017, NS)
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Educational games
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Mario Discovery series
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Mario is Missing! (1993, MS-DOS/SNES/NES) • Mario's Time Machine (1993, MS-DOS/SNES/NES) • Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters (1993, MS-DOS/SNES) • Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers (1994, MS-DOS/SNES) • Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun (1994, MS-DOS/SNES)
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Other
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Mario Teaches Typing (1991, MS-DOS) • Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up (1991, MS-DOS) • Mario Teaches Typing 2 (1996, MS-DOS)
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Ports
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Mario's Early Years! CD-ROM Collection (1995, PC)
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Art utilities
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Super Mario Bros. Print World (1991, MS-DOS) • Mario Paint (1992, SNES) • Super Mario Collection Screen Saver (1997, PC) • Mario no Photopi (1998, N64) • Mario Artist: Paint Studio (1999, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Talent Studio (2000, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Communication Kit (2000, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Polygon Studio (2000, N64DD)
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Miscellaneous
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Mario's Bombs Away (1983, G&W) • Yoshi's Safari (1993, SNES) • Undake30 Same Game (1995, SFC) • Mario's Game Gallery (1995, MS-DOS) • Mario's Picross (1995, GB) • Mario's Super Picross (1995, SFC) • Donkey Kong (slot machine) (1996, Arcade) • Picross 2 (1996, GB) • Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle (1997, Satellaview) • Mario's FUNdamentals (1998, Windows) • Picross NP (1999-2000, SFC) • Super Mario Fushigi no Janjan Land (2003, Arcade) • Mario Pinball Land (2004, GBA) • Yakuman DS (2005, NDS) • Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (2005, GCN)
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