In the early month of September, Apple revealed a lot of big news. As usual, Apple's keynote featured a variety of speakers that introduced tons of new features for the future of iPhone users; however, one feature caught the attention of not just Apple fans but Nintendo fans as well. During the conference, Shigeru Miyamoto joined the stage to reveal Apple's newest app, Super Mario Run.
While the Mario app was revealed in early September, the app was not officially released until December 15th. During the long period of anxious fans awaiting the release, Apple created a lot of hype for the game by using ads on social media and keeping it at the top of the App Store for advertisement as well. Within two days of its release, the game already has over 40,000 reviews on the App Store and over 5 million downloads. Although, its reviews have only one star, so many people are asking, why?
In regards to the actual game, many users argue against how the game works. Now, of course this is a mobile game, so it does not work how the actual Mario game works, but in Super Mario Run, Mario continuously runs without being controlled by the player. Also, the entire idea of the game is after finishing levels and collecting coins, Mario needs to rebuild his kingdom and save Peach, which is a nice new addition to the game. The graphics and game itself would make any player question, "This is a mobile game?" Mobile gaming has taken an entire new meaning in the past few years, and it has continuously grown to impress players. The fact that you can play such in-depth games with one hand is insane.
With all of that being said, let's discuss the down sides to the game. When I first downloaded the game, which was free, I did not expect all of it to be free. I assumed there would be some in-app purchases somewhere throughout the game. After about fifteen minutes of playing, I did not expect to be asked, "Would you like to purchase the nine other worlds for $10?" I was so shocked. I knew, of course, I would eventually have to pay for something, but I most certainly did not think it would be within the first 20 minutes of the game. For all the hype it was given, it was certainly a let down to have to pay so much, for not being able to play very long without paying. However, unlike most players, I do agree that something needs to be paid, for I think it's a great game over-all for a mobile device.
The Apple and Nintendo fans will soon see what changes will come to the game. Maybe the developers will add new levels or make things less of a cost. Hopefully, so. I hope you find the game as much fun as I do. Happy gaming!