Nintendo Discontinuing Dr. Mario World iOS Game

[MacRumors]

Nintendo today announced that it is sunsetting Dr. Mario World for iOS, a game that launched just two years ago. According to Nintendo, service for Dr. Mario World is set to end on Monday, November 1.

As of today, diamonds, the game's in-app currency, are no longer available for purchase. Starting on November 1, Nintendo says an end-of-service notification will be displayed and the game will not be playable.

Players will be able to look back at their player history in "Dr. Mario World Memories," a web page that Nintendo plans to launch later this year. This website will use player history, and customers can avoid being included by deleting their save data in the app.

Dr. Mario World is a puzzle game based on the well-known Dr. Mario Nintendo title. Players are tasked with matching capsules with viruses in order to clear out all the viruses on the board, and Nintendo characters like Peach, Bowser, Koopa Troopa, and Goomba appear in the game.

Like Nintendo's other titles, Dr. Mario World is a free-to-play game that included optional in-app purchases, but apparently the game failed to catch on.

Bloomberg last year said that Nintendo is "retreating" from its mobile game plans, focusing on already-released titles rather than debuting new games. Nintendo has had success with games like Fire Emblem Heroes and Dragalia Lost, but has not been able to maintain sales momentum.

Nintendo previously discontinued Miitomo, Pokémon Duel, and Pokémon Rumble Rush. Fire Emblem Heroes, Dragalia Lost, Super Mario Run, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and Mario Kart Tour continue to be available.

Article Link: Nintendo Discontinuing Dr. Mario World iOS Game

 

[ArPe]

Don’t know about this.

I have Puzzle Bobble series and Lumines.

 

[LFC2020]

Give us a proper super Mario game already, instead of a crappy running game. ?‍♂️?

 

[edgonzalez32]

Give us a proper super Mario game already, instead of a crappy running game. ?‍♂️?

That is never going to happen. You need to buy a switch if you want that lmao.

 

[nvmls]

One of the best gaming soundtracks ever.

My fav one - Chill

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Ahh this game is classic.

 

[GermanSuplex]

Pretty disappointed in Nintendo’s iOS offerings. I know their goal was to entice players to buy home consoles, but I was hoping they’d help reshape the mobile game landscape. Mario Run was a decent if underwhelming first effort, but Mario Kart and Dr. Mario on mobile felt like the same mundane cash grabs that most mobile games with in-app purchases are, just with a nice Mario paint job.

Luckily, Apple Arcade is picking up the slack. The remastered classics and new games are starting to become better and better, all with no in-app purchases or ads.

Maybe Nintendo will one day be a little more lenient with their IPs and make a solid game to sell on mobile. I’ve got no qualms paying $10-$25 on a mobile game if it’s worth it.

 

[Xenomorph]

WOW.

Miitomo is what I played most and my wife plays Dr. Mario.

Nintendo has killed them both.

 

[rp100]

I didn’t even know this existed…..

 

[GMShadow]

Give us a proper super Mario game already, instead of a crappy running game. ?‍♂️?

Mobile players don't pay for games.

 

[LFC2020]

Mobile players don't pay for games.

for a proper Mario game they will.

 

[Localcelebrity]

I'm sorry, how did I miss that this game existed in the first place?! I would have been all over it.

 

[jefhai]

This is just clear evidence that Nintendo’s decision to focus on smartphone games was a total failure… Nintendo should have focused on first party games on switch… but now how long do we have to wait for the next first party games.. Nintendo is getting sad like Valve and Steam.. just focused on distribution platform profits

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Maybe Nintendo will one day be a little more lenient with their IPs and make a solid game to sell on mobile. I’ve got no qualms paying $10-$25 on a mobile game if it’s worth it.

3DS games were $40. I don't think Nintendo wants to charge less than that for a game.

And of course, on the 3DS Nintendo gets money both from the game and from the hardware (and for accessories for the hardware). So when it's not their hardware (or accessories) I expect Nintendo will want to collect even more per sale.

I think the issue is the hardware though. Are there any real games for 3DS or Switch where the physical buttons and joysticks aren't important? Making a compelling game that people want to play for hours at a time that's exclusively touch and tilt based is... I don't want to say impossible, but nobody has figured it out yet.

 

[4jasontv]

This sort of thing is the problem I have have with software developers. It's not as profitable as they would have liked so they are 'pulling it'. If a business wants to enter the software as a service model they need to be prepared to support it indefinitely, unlock all the DLC at no cost, or release the code. With the App store being so locked down the second option is likely the most feasible, but under no scenario should they be able to pull it.

And before people start claiming that customers don't own the software - that's the very problem we need to solve.

 

[frogslapper]

Mobile players don't pay for games.

Mobile gaming is > 50% of all video game revenue.

 

[zepfhyr]

Mobile gaming is > 50% of all video game revenue.

While true, a very significant portion of that revenue comes from in-app purchases for currency or "premium" unlock subscriptions.

 

[AxiomaticRubric]

This is just clear evidence that Nintendo’s decision to focus on smartphone games was a total failure… Nintendo should have focused on first party games on switch… but now how long do we have to wait for the next first party games.. Nintendo is getting sad like Valve and Steam.. just focused on distribution platform profits

A new Metroid title will be released in October. They are still creating games.

 

[boswald]

This is just clear evidence that Nintendo’s decision to focus on smartphone games was a total failure… Nintendo should have focused on first party games on switch… but now how long do we have to wait for the next first party games.. Nintendo is getting sad like Valve and Steam.. just focused on distribution platform profits

They’re just following the numbers. Mobile gaming is huge right now. If it doesn’t work out, it’s not like they have to worry about writing it off.

 

[LeadingHeat]

Dear Nintendo: if you wanted your iOS games to be successful, don’t create Tetris knockoffs. Port in Zelda, even the original 2D one, and people will be all over it. Nobody wants these crappy in-app purchase freemium games.

 

[sw1tcher]

Ahh this game is classic.

A game that launched 2 years ago and is being discontinued due to poor user numbers is a classic? ?

 

[DanTSX]

Meh. I still play the original Dr. Mario against my wife on the Switch. But not this newfangled stuff.

 

[dwaltwhit]

Played it for a week or so and was unimpressed. Still play mario run from time to time. Play mario kart tour daily.

 

[Localcelebrity]

A game that launched 2 years ago and is being discontinued due to poor user numbers is a classic? ?

Dr. Mario is one of my wife's favorite games of all time. Had she known about it she'd have played. I think Nintendo failed to market this.

Also, Nintendo is determined to make bigger, broader apps rather than simple ports of their games, but really I just want old school Dr. Mario. I don't need a huge interactive world.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Give us a proper super Mario game already, instead of a crappy running game. ?‍♂️?

Here is a better idea for Nintendo.

Start releasing brand new fresh games and stop relying too heavily on 3 decades old mascot games. Also ... what happened to the OG villian Donkey Kong?! Why didn't that franchise continue.