Dr Mario revival, Wii U puzzle game Dr Luigi - reviews

What you need to know

The new Dr Luigi, puzzle game for Wii U consoles, released in the UK this week, is a "fun twist" on a classic Mario game, say reviewers. Dr Luigi revives key elements of the 23-year-old puzzle game Dr Mario and is the final instalment of Nintendo's Year of Luigi series.

In Dr Luigi players use various game modes to toss L-shaped pills into the playing field or line up colour-coded pills to destroy viruses using controls or the touchscreen and stylus. The game offers different skill settings and online play, allowing players to compete with virus busters from all around the world.

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What the critics like

Dr Luigi has introduced new L-shaped pills for "a fun twist" on the classic pill-tossing gameplay, says Scott Thompson on IGN. More than just a shallow gimmick, "the new pills substantially alter the virus-busting experience for a simple, effective change to the classic 23-year-old gameplay".

The new Dr Luigi is "a no-frills addition mostly for fans of the Dr series", says Chris Carter on Destructoid. Visually, it is "bright, vibrant and incredibly smooth all round", but the real kicker is the Virus Buster mode using the touch pad, which really quickens the pace and ups the action.

The new Virus Buster touchscreen option is the most enjoyable, says Mike Futter on Game Informer. It's "a smart change-up" that offers slightly slower but more intense play, while it’s still hard to get that classic tune out of your head, or the smile off your face.

What they don’t like

Dr Luigi manages to be fun enough, but it's still "a far cry from the top-tier classic puzzlers" like Tetris, says Jeremy Parish on USA Gamer. There are some fun little riffs on classic material, but it lacks intensity and sells itself almost entirely on novelty.