What was all the fuss about? The most downloaded app globally on New Year’s Day (2017) and on Christmas Day 2016 was, wait for it, Super Mario Run. At long last, Nintendo’s iconic mascot can be played on smartphones and a whopping 90 million people were at the ready to download it (according to a Newzoo report). This game is one of Nintendo’s first games developed for mobile gaming and a rare instant that the Mario series is playable on non-Nintendo hardware. The die-hard supporters had waited a long time for this release.
Despite its popularity in terms of downloads, criticism is rife. In fact, just 3% of fans went on to buy the full game after their free of charge trial. You can download it without paying and try out the modes such as World Tour, Toad Rally and Kingdom Builder before purchase. After you buy the game, you get to play all 24 courses. At £7.99, it is one of the more expensive games on the market – perhaps too pricey?
One of its biggest design fault is that users are unable to play the app offline. You need internet connectivity meaning that it’s not viable to play without WiFi or when your monthly data allowance has run out. It is also currently only obtainable on iOS devices although will be released for Android sometime this year. Players cannot compete against friends in rallies (rather a strange and unexpected limitation from Nintendo) although you can rally against other online players, just not friends.
So we’ve assessed the negatives, but what are the positives? You can play it one handed and anyone can pick it up without prior experience. ‘Super Mario Run was a faithful adaptation of the Mario franchise to non-Nintendo hardware, with all of the essential Mario-ness,’ says video games and technology writer Dave Thier for Forbes.com. In true Mario style, there is lots of jumping and running. It is zany and crafty mobile gaming; players travel through plains, caverns, ghost houses, airships and castles as you try to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser’s clutches.
Apple and Nintendo are hoping that Super Mario Run will imitate the success of Pokémon Go. Time will tell but critics are so far hot on its heels.
January 2017