The Fun of Super Mario Run

The estimated reading time for this post is 6 minutes

The Wonder of Tech is delighted to welcome back Arielle Mohr as a guest author. She has been a fan of Nintendo’s Mario games for many years and is here to let us know about the long-awaited Super Mario Run app that arrived in the iTunes App Store last week.

Last Thursday, Nintendo released their highly anticipated Super Mario Run app for iPhone and iPad, which is Nintendo’s first venture into mobile gaming. Previous versions of Nintendo’s most popular series have all be on gaming consoles and this app soon soared to the top of iTunes Free and Highest Grossing App charts.

Playing Super Mario Run

Even if you’ve never played a Mario game before, you will quickly learn how to play Super Mario Run. The controls of this game are simple, the only gesture is tapping the screen which makes Mario jump. Mario automatically runs to his right, which differs from Mario console games that give you more control over Mario’s movements.

Nintendo advertises this game as a one-handed play game since the only controls required are tapping the screen to make Mario jump. The strategy involved is the timing and intensity of the jump, which is determined by how fast you tap.

Mario runs on his own, which to some can be somewhat frustrating because you can’t go backwards and you have little control of his direction other than when Mario jumps.

To avid Mario fans, the visuals of the game are very familiar and if you’re a fan of the classic green tubes, question blocks and koopa troopas then this app does not disappoint.

In addition to normal Mario levels there are other features to this game such as the Toad Rally feature and the Kingdom Builder.

Toad Rally is a battle between you and another player from anywhere around the world. You and your opponent each try to score the most points through coins, doing tricks and defeating enemies. This can be fun but also can easily get boring since it becomes very repetitive. As your skill increases, however, so does the level of the players you battle, making the game more challenging.

There’s also the Kingdom Builder feature which allows you to customize your Mario Kingdom by adding flowers, castles, mushrooms, tubes etc.

[tip] You must be connected to the Internet to play Super Mario Run.[/tip]

For Player Who Are New To Mario

If you’ve never played Mario before, you’ll probably enjoy this game because it’s simple and fun. Many other Mario games require puzzle solving and intense thinking but this game is much more relaxed and not a brain crusher at all.

This app allows you to see into the world of Mario, but not too deeply, so you may find yourself motivated to try more Mario games after you get a taste with this one.

Mario Legacy

I have been a huge Mario fan and ever since I got my first Nintendo GameCube I have purchased nearly every Mario game ever released. From playing Super Mario Sunshine to Super Mario Galaxy to Super Mario 3D World, I have a pretty good feel for a wide range of Mario games.

In comparison to past Mario games, Super Mario Run isn’t nearly as satisfying as some of my other favorite Mario games. After owning the full version for less than 24 hours, I have beaten nearly every single level. This could be due to the fact I’m familiar with Mario games but this game requires completely different controls than the other games, so I think it’s more due to the fact that the levels are just easier than with other Mario games.

After reading many reviews, I found that I am not the only one who finds this game quite easy. I would say if you’re a hardcore gamer this game will be easy for you to complete in one sitting which can be a huge disappointment if you’re looking for a game to occupy you for hours.

I don’t really see the point of spending your hard-earned virtual coins on adding flowers to your Kingdom, besides for the aesthetic pleasure. You can add toad houses, which may add a bonus level, but this level is just to earn more rewards and doesn’t progress you in the game.

There isn’t anything else to spend your virtual coins on though. So while it can be fun to see your Kingdom grow as you earn more coins, there is no game advantage or reward for decorating your Kingdom.

Availability

This game is free to download from the iTunes App Store but the full version costs $9.99 through an in-app purchase. You can play the first three levels of the game for free, but after that if you want to continue to play you must pay the $9.99.

Although this price may seem steep compared to other apps in the app store, in comparison to other Mario console games, which usually retail for around $60, the price isn’t bad. I’m hoping that this means any updates added to the game are also free since $10 is a lot to pay for only 24 levels.

Super Mario Run App for iPhone and iPad

Super Mario Run is not available on Android yet, however there are plans for it to be released on Android in 2017.

Final Thoughts

I think this game is a lot of fun but in comparison to some of my other favorite Mario games it’s not anywhere close to that level of enjoyment. My favorite Mario games engross me in the game world and I can play them for hours on end.

I can see myself playing Super Mario Run for fun during some downtime but I probably wouldn’t play this game for more than an hour and even an hour is probably an overestimation. I’d call this game what I categorize as a “waiting room” game, meaning if I have to wait for something such as a dentist appointment I might pull it out for the quick 15 mins I’m waiting or maybe I’d play it before bed for a little bit, but I definitely wouldn’t spend an entire day playing this game like I would with some other Mario games.

I suspect that since the anticipation for this game was so high, Nintendo was eager to release it which I’m hoping means that this is just the very beginning and there’s still a lot to come for this game (which Nintendo has said is the case). I think this game has a lot of potential but there needs to be more levels added and with higher difficulty.

The Kingdom Builder is a good idea and would be even better if it had more benefit to it. Toad Rally will hopefully receive more levels as well.

I think with some fine-tuning this app could revolutionize the gaming world for Nintendo since it makes Nintendo games available to a much broader audience. I’m now also hoping for a Legend of Zelda or Mario Kart app available in the future.

Bottom line, I’d say if you’re a huge Mario fan you have to get the game since it’s unlike any other Mario game, however, if you’re debating whether or not to spend the ten dollars you may want to wait to see if any updates are added first since there aren’t many levels at the moment.

Your Thoughts

Have you tried Super Mario Run yet? Will you give it a go? Are you a fan of Mario games or are you new to the series?

Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!

Arielle Mohr is a student at Drexel University majoring in Interactive Digital Media with a focus on User Experience Design. She hopes to work for a company that designs websites and mobile applications with their users’ needs always at the forefront. For more information, visit her website at ariellemohr.com.