Mario’s bud gets his own match-three puzzler with “Dr. Luigi.”
Credit: Nintendo
Contrary to popular belief on the Internet, Nintendo released a brand new home console last year called the Wii U. It’s not an add-on for the Wii. It’s not a Nintendo-based pun suggesting that something smells really bad. Well, OK, it is that, but it’s also a game system that plays new and exclusive video games. You know what? It’s pretty darned fun and, just like its similarly named cousin, perfect for drunken revelry. Here are some new games for it.
‘NES Remix’
NintendoWii U
$15
4 globes
If there’s one thing Nintendo can always trade on, it’s nostalgia. Most of us grew up with Mario and his colorful cohorts. Enter “NES Remix,” a new downloadable title that milks that nostalgia for everything it’s worth. How much is nostalgia worth these days? Turns out, a good amount.
“NES Remix” is essentially a couple hundred old school NES-based mini-games that will push your latent childhood talent to its very limit. Think you can best a level of “Donkey Kong” as “Zelda”‘s intrepid hero Link? Think you can beat a level of “Super Mario Bros.” in pitch black darkness? By all means, try. The pace is fast and loose and the games get sillier as you progress. In other words, it’s pretty awesome.
‘Dr. Luigi’
NintendoWii U
$15
4 globes
Alongside “Tetris,” “Dr. Mario” is generally considered to be one of the best puzzle games from “the old days.” The sequel has finally arrived and it looks like Luigi finally finished his residency and is ready to start dispensing the Adderall. Wait, what?
For newbie pill poppers, Dr. Mario wrote the blueprint for the still massively successful match-three genre of puzzlers. (“Candy Crush Saga” is one, for instance.) “Dr. Luigi” throws a wrench into the mix by adding new shapes and speed levels, making the game more difficult and frenetic. Online play, tablet play and retro modes round out the package.
Follow Lawrence Bonk on Twitter@sidescrollers
