The Secret Decline of Mario’s Medical Career

Dr. Mario has the cure for fever and the chills, just not for lazy ports

Mario has had a considerable number of occupations over the years. He’s been a tennis player, a kart racer, a plumber, and even a boxing referee, but one of his most prolific careers is that of Dr. Mario. This puzzle franchise from Intelligent Systems has been a staple in Nintendo’s lineup since 1990, and has appeared on nearly every Nintendo console since. (Sorry, Virtual Boy) However, unlike most other Nintendo franchises, Dr. Mario has endured a strange metamorphosis over the years. Where most games obtain more features with each new iteration, Dr. Mario plays host to a different story.

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A Lifelong Bond

Jon tells the story of his first interaction with James Bond

I don’t remember the first time I played Goldeneye, but I still remember the layout of almost every level.  All of the objectives on every difficulty became burned into my memory a long time ago. The stylishness of all the spy gadgets and missions touched off a feeling of obsession that we can all relate to.  I just had to have more.  Many of us who fell in love with what is arguably  the only great James Bond game poured hours into every mode it  offered and hoped the franchise would just keep on going.  Unfortunately, the Bond franchise peeked right there in 1997. 

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