Apple has announced Nintendo will be launching a Mario game on iOS called Super Mario Run. As the name implies, the game is an autorunner in which Mario automatically sprints from left to right, but players need to tap the screen to make him jump over gaps and collect coins.
As the game progresses there will be power-ups that change the way this mechanic works, but the goal is to get to the flagpole as quickly as possible. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto appeared on stage during the Apple event to talk about the game.
“For the past 30 years every time Mario has encountered new platform he has evolved and continued running towards a new goal. Now Mario is running towards his next goal: iPhone,” said Miyamoto.
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“We want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy playing as Mario and they’ll be doing it in a brand new game: Super Mario Run.
There’s also a new Battle Mode called “Toad Rally,” in which you pick an opponent and compete agains their high scores. You can compete against include friends and people online. There’s no flagpole in this mode, so it’s a matter of running and collecting coins until time runs out. Other players are represented by a sticker.
An App Store listing for Super Mario Run has also appeared, further explaining the game’s mechanics.
“At long last, Mario jumps into a new adventure on iPhone and iPad, this time playable using only one hand. Even if this is your first Mario game, you won’t be able to put it down,” it reads.
“In this game, you constantly move forward through the courses while using a variety of jumps to navigate. Your character will behave differently depending on the timing of your taps, so it’s up to you to show off particularly smooth moves, gather coins, and reach the goal.”
It continues: Super Mario Run offers three different game modes. The first mode features challenging courses for you to complete. In the second mode, you challenge the play data of other people’s completed courses. You compete to see who can finish the course with the most style! In the third mode, you can create your own Mushroom Kingdom using coins collected by playing the first two game modes.”
Although Miyamoto said Super Mario Run will be a single purchase, the App Store listing states “this app offers in-app purchases.” It is unclear what these purchases will provide, but extra levels and different characters seem like possibilities.
The game will be available in time for holiday 2016. During the announcement, Apple boss Tim Cook said Super Mario Run is coming to iOS platforms “first,” indicating it could be on Android in the future.
As part of the announcement, Miyamoto also revealed a selection of iMessage stickers will be available when iOS 10 launches, which is expected to be in late September.