| Tetris & Dr. Mario | |
|---|---|
 North American box art | |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Producer | Gunpei Yokoi |
| Programmers | Masao Yamamoto Hitoshi Yamasaki |
| Artists | Chiemi Haruki Mika Inoue Kayoko Isozaki |
| Composers | Kazumi Totaka[1] Hirokazu Tanaka |
| Series | Dr. Mario Tetris |
| Platform | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
| Release | |
| Genre | Puzzle |
| Modes | Single player,multiplayer |
Tetris & Dr. Mario is a 1994puzzlevideo game compilation published byNintendo for theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System. It contains enhanced remakes ofTetris (1989) andDr. Mario (1990), which were originally released for both theNintendo Entertainment System andGame Boy in North America. Both games include split-screen multiplayer and a "Mixed Match" mode that transitions between the two games.
The Japanese version of the game excludesTetris due toBullet-Proof Software holding the console rights to the series in Japan. The remake ofDr. Mario was also broadcast through theSatellaview, renamedBS Dr. Mario, and was the last game to be broadcast on the system.Tetris & Dr. Mario received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its controls and multiplayer, particularly the Mixed Match mode. It sold 6 million copies.
Tetris & Dr. Mario shares a similar design to the respective NES versions of the games included while featuring music from theirGame Boy versions. InTetris, players must use different types of fallingtetrominoes to form complete lines from the left to the right of the playfield, without any holes between them.[2] Completed lines will disappear and cause any blocks on top to fall towards the bottom.[2] Players can rotate the blocks to place them in specific spots, and can also hold down to make them fall faster.[2] Once all the blocks reach the top of the screen, the game will be over.Tetris includes the "A-Type" and "B-Type" modes from the Game Boy version, alongside a head-to-head multiplayer mode.[2]
InDr. Mario, players must use colored pills to defeat the viruses littered around the playfield. Viruses come in red, yellow and blue, and must be eliminated by matching two or more same-colored pills either horizontally or vertically. These pills can be one solid color or a mixture of two, one on each side.[2] Pills can be rotated around, and can be dropped faster by pressing down.[2] Once all the viruses have been cleared, the player will move onto the next stage.[2] The game will be over if the pills reach the top of the screen.[2]Dr. Mario features a two-player mode where both players must compete against each other to clear the stage of viruses.[2]
Alongside both games, a "Mixed Match" multiplayer mode is also included, where players must compete for the most points before time runs out.[2] The mode transitions between both games as players progress, beginning onTetris' B-Type mode before moving toDr. Mario and so forth.[2] The player with the most points at the end is the winner.[2] Before the game begins, players can customize the music, time limit, and difficulty level.[2]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| M! Games | 85%[3] |
| Mega Fun | 82%[4] |
| Official Nintendo Magazine | 70/100[5] |
| Player One | 90%[6] |
| Video Games (DE) | 80%[7] |
Since its release,Tetris & Dr. Mario has sold 6 million copies, which aKombo writer attributed to its Mixed Match mode.[8]
From contemporary reviews,Nintendo Power wrote that the game was appropriately challenging and fun.[9] A reviewer inGamePro stated that the sharp controls and absorbing action made the game better and while complimenting the graphics and sounds, the reviewer said they "aren't key factors here."[10]
BothGamePro andNintendo Power found the highlights to be the "Mixed Match" mode and two-player modes respectively while saying the game may not have much to offer to players who already own eitherTetris orDr. Mario.[10][9]
From retrospective reviews,IGN writer Fran Mirabella said the release was a "puzzle lover's dream cartridge",while fellowIGN writer Lucas M. Thomas held that the Mixed Match mode helped it stand out.[failed verification][11]Tetris & Dr. Mario was particularly successful for its multiplayer component, as noted byThe Verge writer Noah Davis.[12] Writer Andromeda praised the Mixed Match mode and the controls, stating that they are "better as a pair than they were alone."[10] It ranked 27th onIGN's top list of Super Nintendo games. The publication found that the "Mixed Match" mode was a large factor for the games inclusion.[13]Retro Gamer writer Stephen Westwood identified it as one of their favorite puzzle games, whileTechRadar writer Gerald Lynch noted its absence on theSNES Classic, arguing that it should be included for itsTetris mode.[14][15] Author Andy Slaven praised the NES versions of the included games and compared the compilation toSuper Mario All-Stars.[16]
| Dr. Mario series |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Mario's Picross | ||
| Mario vs. Donkey Kong | ||
| Other games | ||
| See also | ||
