'Super Mario Run' Now Available For Free Download in App Store

By Rea Gabriel
Super Marion Run
Super Marion Run release on iPad and iPhone this December

Nintendo finally released "Super Mario Run" for free download designed for iPhone and iPad. Its initial free download allows the user to get a glimpse of the game's features, courses, and navigations.

In order to continue playing, a $9.99 in-app purchase is required for the player to open the whole game. Internet connectivity is also necessary for the users to play.

The classic game from the 1980s has been redesigned to cater for a new platform. The leading character, Mario, has been programmed to run continually throughout the game. The player can navigate the character by jumping to gather coins and reach the goal. Other characters, like Princess Peach, Luigi, and Yoshi, can be unlocked through a series of activities.

The creator of Super Mario Bros, Shigeru Miyamoto, stated that the concept of "Super Mario Run" came from YouTube's Mario speedruns where expert players of the "Super Mario" games finish an entire course without stopping from running.

"Our feeling was that by having this iPhone game in which Mario runs automatically, and all you do is jump, we would actually have quite a bit of leeway to be able to create something that's simple and easy for anyone to play, but still has some of that challenge and skill that super players desire," Miyamoto said in an interview with Wired.

For the less experienced players who tend to play more slowly, Miyamoto said that he wanted them to enjoy the experience of playing Mario at an exhilarating speed.

The character can exhibit different kinds of jump at every level which can be used by using a combination of controls. "By taking that approach, it would give even beginner players an opportunity to get a taste for what's fun about the more skilled style of Mario play," he said.

Many fans of the classic game that awaited "Super Mario Run" to be released expected to play the original Mario game on their phones. Miyamoto stated that he did not want to do 'anything that boring.' He reiterated that each time Mario is introduced to a new platform, the game keeps on evolving.

Hours after release, "Super Mario Run" topped the free chart and grossing chart in the App store, according to 9to5Mac. Players have mixed reaction about certain issues, like the use of the internet, the in-app purchase, and the running concept of the game. Overall, players expressed satisfaction and excitement in playing the game.  

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