Super Mario Run is out and so far Nintendo is having a lot of success with the game in just a short amount of time it was released on iOS devices. We can only imagine how much money the company will make when the title is made available on Android devices in 2017.
The big question right now, is whether or not Super Mario Run is a game worth playing and ultimately, worth purchasing in the end. It's not your typical Super Mario game due to the simple controls, but it does feel like the traditional game with its bright colors and the same great characters.
What Are Critics Saying
Jose Otero from IGN seems to really love the game because he rated it 8 points out of 10. However, he did say it doesn't feel fresh when compared to a full-fledged Mario game because there's no new powerups or any new enemies. It's everything we've known of the Mario world, but toned down to fit the mobile experience.
He also likes the visuals, but he went on to add than when the player stops moving, there's nothing much going on in the background when compared to other mobile runners.
"Super Mario Run is an elegantly designed platformer with strong hooks that kept me coming back. Once I wrapped up the main campaign, the addictive, replayable stages urged me to perfect my coin runs. Kingdom Builder and Toad Rally provided further motivation to keep dashing for the finish line, so I could invest the spoils in my own Mushroom Kingdom."
Next up we have Peter Brown from GameSpot who like others, praises the game for its beautiful design and solid levels that warrants a return every time. He rated it a 7 out of 10, mainly due to the always online requirement, not enough levels, and the $9.99 Nintendo requires everyone to pay if they want to play the full game.
Still, with a vast amount of rewards and the ability to unlock other characters to run with, Super Mario Run is considered one of the best of the mobile runners.
"It's easy to fault Run for various reasons, but it's hard to totally lose appreciation for how well it's brought the series' core gameplay to smartphones. Simple controls be damned, Run offers great platforming and that distinct Mario charm that Nintendo's perfected over the years."
At the end of the day, we have to consider the fact that most runners are free and just as good, if not better than Super Mario Run. Personally, I'm not in agreement with the cry that $9.99 is too much to pay seeing as it's a one-time payment. Other platforms are filled with advertisements to make money, and no doubt the makers of those games will earn a lot more than $9.99 from each player if they play long enough.
This type of thinking is the reason we have so many free games with micro transactions that can allow a developer to make hundreds of dollars from a single individual.
