{"id":1500,"date":"2016-12-23T11:30:05","date_gmt":"2016-12-23T16:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wyomingjarbo.com\/blog\/?p=1500"},"modified":"2016-12-23T13:57:57","modified_gmt":"2016-12-23T18:57:57","slug":"super-mario-fun-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wyomingjarbo.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/23\/super-mario-fun-run\/","title":{"rendered":"Super Mario Fun Run"},"content":{"rendered":"

The third Nintendo mobile app should have been its first.<\/h2>\n

Super Mario Run is here! Finally! The one thing that no one wanted was Mario on the mobile phone1<\/a><\/sup>. We were wrong. After Miitomo launched and was unapologetically a classic Nintendo move2<\/a><\/sup>, we got Pok\u00e9mon Go, which Nintendo benefitted from but wasn\u2019t directly involved in. People loved it! Nintendo previously announced Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem games in 2015. But to our surprise, an announcement of Super Mario Run came at an Apple keynote presentation in September with Miyamoto himself on stage. A surprise indeed3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Super Mario Run falls in line with a genre of similar games on mobile devices called \u201cendless runners,\u201d but Super Mario Run isn\u2019t endless. There are obstacles and a goal. The only difference is Mario keeps moving. He\u2019s on a mission and he\u2019s not going to stop. Some have said the game doesn\u2019t feel like a Mario game<\/a>. This game is called Super Mario RUN<\/strong> after all4<\/a><\/sup>. Mario always feels different based on his venue. The first time he showed up on the Nintendo 64, it felt nothing like the Mario we were used to – but it wasn\u2019t bad, it was great!<\/p>\n

\"Kingdom
Kingdom building <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Are
Are any of these Toads going to do some work? <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Toads
Toads love running around pipes. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Collectibles\"
Collectibles <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Among
Among the clouds and bullets. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Always
Always be bubblin’ <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Super Mario Run is the first Mario game you can play with one hand. It makes it super accessible. It is also one of the largest reaching Mario games, as it was released in over 100 countries. It\u2019s a new frontier for Nintendo to make software on non-Nintendo devices5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

This game is one of the most polished gaming experiences on a mobile phone, period. It has great level design6<\/a><\/sup>, a simple yet deep control mechanic, and all levels require skill and can be mastered without cheap hits or other lame mobile game mechanics. It\u2019s simply one of the best games to come out on a mobile device since the iPhone debuted.<\/p>\n

Super Mario Run does have flaws, however. The Toad Rally mode feels like grinding, and it has inconsistent difficulty with the opponents. The World Tour mode feels like a game though. A real game. It\u2019s not perfect by any means, but it\u2019s a Mario game and it\u2019s fun.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t write about this game without talking about the price. Nintendo is asking $10 for this game. Compared to other mobile games out there this may seem expensive, but mobile pricing for apps and games has been unsustainable for quite some time. I\u2019ve had friends who have told me they were unwilling to pay $3 for an app they use everyday. But the fact is, developing and maintaining software or games is expensive. If you like something, support the developers with your wallet. Several great apps and companies have closed their doors because people were unwilling to sustain them, which hinders competition and allows for shit to flood your app stores. Most app stores have a refund policy now, so if you don\u2019t like something, you can return it – just like real stores. It really disturbs me that everyone expects everything for free but will complain about what they get.<\/p>\n

Nintendo is going about their pricing scheme the right way. They are presenting three levels of the game you can play without limits. If you like the game, you can pay $9.99 and unlock the full game forever. Nintendo is not presenting it with any micro-transactions. One and done. Try it out – if you want more you can pay, and if not, don\u2019t. This seems to be hurting the success of the game<\/a>, but I think it\u2019s better than if you saw a $10 price tag for a game you couldn\u2019t try. I don\u2019t agree it\u2019s a bait and switch even if it does show up in the \u201cFree\u201d category.<\/p>\n

All and all it\u2019s a good start for a new world for Nintendo, and I\u2019ve had a ton of fun playing it. I think it\u2019s fun for everyone and my friend explained it best:<\/p>\n

\n I’m not a very strong video game player. This game is great for someone like me though, because the worlds are short and survivable, and the lives are essentially infinite. It takes the pressure off, a LOT.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Sidenote: I\u2019ve also really enjoyed the marketing Nintendo has done for the game. See the two videos below:<\/em><\/p>\n