Dr. Luigi has plenty to offer for single players, including various modes like the Wii U GamePad-supported Virus Buster, as well as the classic Retro Remedy and the modified new Operation L.
Multiplayer in Dr. Luigi works in two ways. You can either play locally against a friend – with one player holding the GamePad and the other using a Wii remote or Pro Controller – or you can hop online and challenge random players or friends on your Wii U friend list. Multiplayer supports Operation L and Retro Remedy either way.
On that note, here are some tips that will help you get the drop on your opponents.
Know Where You’re Putting the Pieces
When it comes to multiplayer, you want to leave your play field as open as you possibly can. Stacking it up with pill pieces can create a real problem for you when it comes to winning the round, as you’re bound to quickly run out of space for the next one that drops.
With unnecessary pieces, move them aside, out of the way of the viruses that you need to bust on the board. Sometimes the lower left or right half of your screen will be clear, so feel free to stack up the excess pieces there. This will keep the virus pieces exposed, allowing you to eliminate them and get the jump on your opponent by clearing these first.
If you do manage to make a mistake, don’t panic. Just find pill pieces to clear the erroneous colored pieces, because then the others will drop off, and you’ll be able to concentrate on the virus you were trying to get rid of in the first place.
The Quick Drop
When it comes to placing puzzle pieces, you want them to go in the right place, but you shouldn’t have to necessarily wait to drag them down to the bottom of the screen. Doing this could give your opponent the chance to think about what they’re doing next.
In this case, remember the “quick drop” function. Once you’ve got a pill lined up where you want it to go on the board, press up on your GamePad or Wii remote and it’ll drop down automatically. Make sure you don’t press to the left or right when you do this, because the puzzle piece may wander to the wrong spot – and then you’ll have that line-up of pills that begins to flood the screen.
Be quick about putting pieces down, but don’t lose control. Stay calm and get rid of those viruses.
Combos Change Everything
If you can, try to set up viruses for combo elimination. You can do this by setting up certain colored pills to take out one virus as you stack them, then watch the pieces go down and take out another virus that’s on the lower part of the screen.
Not only do combos allow you to get rid of multiple pieces very quickly, but they also provide another advantage that’ll come in handy. By performing a double combo or better, the upcoming puzzle piece on your opponent’s side of the board will change color.
This is a vital tactic for two reasons. Number one, this throws off your opponent’s plan almost completely, as they’ll rely on that certain colored piece for their next turn. As a result, they’ll have to scramble and figure out their next move.
Number two, if your opponent’s board is filled to the brim with puzzle pieces, changing it up could force them to toss it off to the side, thus occupying more space and making them even more likely to not eliminate all the viruses, which in turn will force them to forfeit the round.
However, be careful. Some online players are prone to mastering combos – and probably have a lot of practice playing the original Dr. Mario. This tactic can easily turn around on you if you’re not careful, so always keep an eye on your next piece and prepare for anything.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Before you hop online and take on the world, it never hurts to get a little practice with the Vs. CPU option. Here, you can set difficulty, speed and other options and play however many times you like. You’re able to master combo building skills and figure out tactics that will definitely help when you finally log in or invite a friend over for a few matches.
For that matter, don’t forget the puzzle modes that both Operation L and Retro Remedy provide. They’ll teach you how to get rid of specific viruses in locations around the board, making you better each time you play. The more you learn, the better you’ll become at mastering pill dropping.
Dr. Luigi is available for download on the Nintendo Wii U.
