                            **********************
                            *   Dr. Mario v1.0   *
                            *                    *
                            * by: Tomas Sirgedas *
                            **********************

3/1/97

Introduction
------------

        Dr. Mario is my first ZShell game.  I originally wanted to add
more features to it before releasing, but I got bored of making it.
It's still very playable, but it doesn't have a high scores list and some
other stuff.


Playing Dr. Mario
_________________

The object of the game:  
        Elimate all of the viruses (animated thingies)

How:
        Get four or more of a kind horizontally or vertically and those
pieces will disappear, including any viruses.  Like in Tetris, use the 
arrow keys, and the yellow key <2nd>.  Once you get to a new level, you
have access to it in the menu screen.  (14 = highest difficulty)
You have access to levels 1-3 at first.

        I strongly recommend holding the calculator sideways, so the pills
fall "down" (like in Mel Tsai's "Columns", one of my favorite games).
It takes a while to get used to, but now I like it that way better.  Just
try it for a while.

        Right now, the score doesn't have much to do with the game, but this
is how you are scored:
        20 pts. for 1st virus
        each virus elimated before next pill starts falling is worth
20 pts. more than the previous one.

        So if you eliminated 4 viruses before the next pill falls
        you get 20 + 40 + 60 + 80 = 200pts.

        n viruses will give you  n*(n+1)*10 pts total.


Differences from actual Dr. Mario
_________________________________

        Well, obviously, there's no color or music...  Also, the tube is
not as tall, I think.  In this version you can have 3 or 4 different
"colors".  With 4 different colors, levels 5 and up get quite difficult.
You can only rotate the pill in one direction.  There is no 2 player mode.
I'm probably missing some other stuff, but oh well...


Future versions of Dr. Mario
----------------------------

        I would rather not make any new versions, except for maybe 
changing some simple things.
        I might add a save game like on Columns and TexaNoid.  A high
scores list, if I can find a fair scoring method.  Grayscale maybe.

        Also, you might notice that the 2 spaces on top of the tube do not 
check for pill elimination.  Sorry, maybe i'll change that later, too.
        The calculator only respond to keypress while a pill is being
controlled by the player, not when the pills eliminate and collapse.
        

Legal Stuff
-----------

        Dr. Mario isn't my idea, it's a game by Nintendo.
        Don't distribute "drmario.85s", instead distribute "drmario.zip"
        If you modify either "drmario.85s" or "drmario.txt" then don't
distribute it.
        These files are distributed "as is", so I'm not responsible for any
damage they may cause.  Use them at your own risk.  (I don't intend them to
cause any damage.  Write about this to me if that happens.)

-----Please distribute Dr. Mario.-----

Tomas Sirgedas
sirgedast@usa.net
