I am a Mario superfan. I’ve been playing “Super Mario” games as long as I can remember, from “Super Mario Bros.” on NES through “Super Mario 3D World” on the Wii U.
I am, to put it lightly, very excited for the debut of “Super Mario Run” on Apple’s iPhone and iPad – the first Mario game for Apple’s hardware. The game comes out today, December 15!
But it’s not out quite yet.
There is, however, one way to play it early: Apple stores across the US loaded up their iPhones and iPads with a demo version of the game.
When Nintendo and Apple announced as much last week, I booked it over to the Chelsea Apple Store location to check it out.
So, what's the game like? Allow me to explain:
First and foremost: "Super Mario Run" is a traditional two-dimensional Mario game.
Foto: source Nintendo
Remember "Super Mario Bros."? Like that.
Foto: Nintendo's 1985 classic video game "Super Mario Bros." for the Nintendo Entertainment System. source Nintendo
Graphically speaking, little Mario has seen some pretty huge improvements over the past 30 years — "Super Mario Run" continues that evolution:
Foto: The art style is from the modern era of "New" Mario games. "New Super Mario Bros. U" was the most recent iteration in that series. source Nintendo
There are coins, Goombas, green pipes, and various other Mario standards:
Foto: My man Lakitu, up there in the cloud, is back. source Nintendo
And there's a twist: The whole game is played in portrait mode. No turning your phone sideways and playing with two hands; this is a one-handed "Super Mario" game:
Foto: source Nintendo
To that end, you're not pushing forward to make Mario move forward — he moves by himself!
Foto: Think "Temple Run," but good. source Nintendo
All you're doing is tapping on the screen at the right time to make Mario jump. The longer you hold (after tapping), the higher he jumps:
Foto: source Nintendo
There's no swiping or pinching. The idea is you can play the game with one hand:
Foto: To that end, you can't play the game in landscape mode — only portrait. source Nintendo
So, how is it? What's it like? It's rad!
Foto: Mario takes to the monkey bars to swing above danger. source Nintendo
It *feels* like a "Super Mario" game. Enemy placement and level design in general is clearly intentional and well thought out.
Foto: Mario automatically vaults over small enemies (like Goombas). You can tap while hopping to spring from their heads ever higher. source Nintendo
That's not a huge surprise: The game was designed by the same folks at Nintendo's Japanese development studio who create major Mario games!
Foto: Nintendo creative director (and the creator of Mario) Shigeru Miyamoto led development of "Super Mario Run." source NBC
One caveat: It's a slightly easier Mario game. If you get hurt or fall down a pit, Mario simply reappears in a floating bubble:
Foto: You have a limited number of bubbles (lives), however, so you can't rely on that to brute force through tough levels. source Nintendo
There are colored coins to collect in each level, which adds some challenge to the game.
Foto: source Nintendo
If you collect all five colored coins, the coins will get a new placement so you can try again!
Foto: source Nintendo
There are two other modes to "Super Mario Run" that, unfortunately, weren't playable in the demo at Apple stores: Kingdom Builder and Toad Rally.
Foto: In Toad Rally, you challenge other players' level records. Can you beat, say, Level 3-1, faster than Linda? Here's how you find out. source Nintendo
And in Kingdom Builder, you construct your own "Super Mario Run" map:
Foto: source Nintendo
This mode actually looks ridiculously addictive — you buy Mario houses/decorations with coins you earn in-game through normal play. Then you build a fresh-looking kingdom.
Foto: source Nintendo
Better yet, it looks as if Kingdom Builder is how you'll unlock the ability to play as Luigi, Yoshi, and Toad!
Foto: source Nintendo
Anyway, what I played of the game was genuinely fantastic, and it has me excited to play more when the game arrives December 15 for $10. Check out more right here:
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