Very Quick Tips: Dr. Luigi

Aw yeah Luigi time!

Dr. Luigi is out today, and it not only signals the end of 2013, but the end of the first Year of Luigi as well. While most of it is pretty straightforward for Dr. Mario fans (the game even has a classic Dr. Mario mode), there are some new concepts that might make things a bit tricky.

Here are a few basic tips to help you get started.

General tips:

• Always watch for the next piece (or more) when you’re making your current move. With practice, you’ll start to “chain” drops as you piece the puzzle in your head together. Dr. Mario is a pretty tough franchise to master, but if you concentrate on multiple parts of the screen, you should be able to get the hang of it.

• Plan ahead when dropping pills horizontally. After you destroy a virus, that other end has to drop somewhere. Avoid having an errant color fly onto a different virus, and in accordance with the first tip, always plan out your strategy beforehand to avoid missteps. One screwed-up color on a virus can mean the difference between a multiplayer win and a loss.

• Pressing “up” on the d-pad allows you to instantly drop a piece. This is especially useful in multiplayer when racing against an opponent. As a result, try to work from the top to the bottom to have an easier time dropping pieces, but don’t always default to this mode. Sometimes, it’s best to drop more valuable pieces lower on the board depending on the situation.

• If you’re playing multiplayer, don’t just throw pills to the side if you don’t need them — bust out combos by clearing blocks that aren’t adjacent to viruses. You’ll trigger more falling blocks or screw-ups depending on the mode. In Retro Remedy, random blocks will fall on your foe’s screen — in Operation L, the game will change some colors on their next block.

• The L-shaped blocks in Operation L have a “pill packet” for a reason — they can be broken off to allow for pieces to “fall.” Unlike Mario’s classic pills that are “hard,” the L-pills are a bit more flexible. The “L” consists of a three tiered line and one solo block — look for places to put the latter first.

• Look for L-blocks that have straight lines with three of the same color — they can instantly be dropped onto a virus. Of course, make sure you watch where that last bit will land.

• Don’t get too hasty in Flash mode. This gametype will only require you to defeat select viruses, but sometimes clearing the way slowly can be the key to victory. Look for viruses that may get in the way of your goal and clear them out rather than just go for the flashing ones.

• When you’re playing Virus Buster, you can actually manipulate any falling piece, no matter how small. If a single block has broken off and is in mid-drop, you can “grab it” with the stylus!

• Avoid causing falling “bits” in multiplayer games. When you’re breaking off pills on higher ground, some parts may start to fall, causing your turn to be put on hold until it reaches its landing zone. During this entire event your opponent is making moves — so try to be as thrifty as possible when you place pills.