With E3 now in the rearview mirror, Nintendo has decided to reveal the Dr. Mario World release date of July 10th. Announced earlier this year, Dr. Mario World is the first game in a new partnership with LINE, and is a match-3 puzzle game that follows in the vein of past titles in the series.
In Dr. Mario World, you play as a doctorified version of one of the Mario cast attempting to eliminate the virus' by excessive use of medicine. Dropping the pills down you attempt to match them up, and if you get three in a row of the same color they disappear. Your goal is to avoid overmedicating the patient by doing it within the prescribed number of pills, and using less will help you get more points. Depending on how you do, you will get some gold coins that you can use in the game to purchase assistants, items and additional doctors.
Those coins are one of several areas that Dr. Mario World attempts to modernize or shake up the formula that has existed since the game boy original. Coins can be used to buy new items that can influence your ability or score in the stage. Some of the items that have been revealed are getting additional pills, additional score, and random item purchase. Coins can also be used to unlock additional doctors. Mario's gotten the whole gang now in on his pill-popping, so Dr. Luigi, Dr. Peach, Dr. Toad, Dr. Yoshi and more are all available to purchase. Each doctor has their own special ability that is unique to them and can be used. Your doctors will travel through various worlds, 5 to start with, each with a variety of stages and more are promised to be coming post-launch.
That said, this is a 'free' mobile game so Dr. Mario World microtransactions are something to know about - and Nintendo is being quite forthright about it. Dr. Mario World runs on an energy meter system - namely each attempt at a stage costs 1 heart or energy. You earn additional ones over time, it appears to be per 30 minutes for Dr. Mario World with a set max number of hearts at any time. Hearts can also be restored by friends or family sending them over. They can also be purchased with Diamonds, Dr. Mario World's premium currency. Diamonds are purchased with real money and can be used to refill your heart container, give 60 minutes of unlimited play, continue (once per stage maximum) a stage when you've run out of pills, purchase doctor's you might not have the gold for and to buy items.
Dr. Mario World releases on Android and iOS on July 10th. Just be careful what you go see the doctor about!
