Dr. Mario World's Versus Mode looks more like regular Dr. Mario and I'm back on board

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Dr. Mario World Versus Mode trailer reveals it could be your new mobile competitive fave

(Image credit: Nintendo)

If the reveal trailer for Dr. Mario World's adherence to mobile-puzzler trends gave you the chills, this new Versus Mode rundown may bring your fever back up for virus squashing. The trailer confirms that Dr. Mario World will offer real-time competitive multiplayer between friends and shows how matches will play out, and they look much more like traditional Dr. Mario than their single-player counterparts.

You'll be able to automatically find friends in Dr. Mario World by linking up your Facebook or LINE accounts. You can send them hearts that will replenish their stamina (yes, you need stamina to play stages) if you're feeling helpful, or challenge them to a Versus Mode duel if you're feeling more competitive. Hopefully you'll be able to face off against randos if none of your friends are online, but this trailer didn't address that question.

Versus matches are battles to see who can clear viruses from their screen faster. Eradicate enough of the cartoon diseases and your attack meter will fill, sending a barrage of viruses over to your opponent's screen. Each Doctor character can use the same mass-clearing skills they possess in Stage Mode, and their individual Attack and Defense values determine how many viruses they can send over and deflect respectively. Whoever's vial full of viruses touches the bottom of the screen first loses.

Dr. Mario World Versus Mode still uses the drag-and-drop system for placing capsules which will probably make purists groan. However, it doesn't share Stage Mode's limited capsule system (which, like Candy Crush, gives you "Game Over" if you take too many moves), it doesn't seem to require stamina to play, and it's more of a high-speed challenge like the good ol' NES days.

Whether you're interested in the new age of mobile puzzling or prefer some old-school showdowns, Dr. Mario World looks like it will be worth the download when it hits Android and iOS on July 10.

Our list of Amazon Prime Day Game Deals will save you some cash to spend on all those Dr. Mario diamonds.

Connor Sheridan
Connor Sheridan
Former GamesRadar+ News Writer

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and was formerly a staff writer at GamesRadar+.