Monday 19 December 2016

Super Mario Run Review

Super Mario Run Reivew

Super Mario Run's iPhone release date has been and gone, which means you can now play Nintendo's first proper smartphone game on Apple devices - and no, Miitomo doesn't count.

With a £7.99 price tag, Super Mario Run certainly isn't cheap, but it's easily one of the best smartphone games around, and proof that Nintendo mobile games are here to stay.

But there is one major problem that may hamper your enjoyment, and it's something that we hope Nintendo fixes before the 2017 Android release date.

The main problem with Super Mario Run is that you can't play offline, which kind of defeats the purpose of having Mario on your mobile to begin with.

Granted, it's not the first smartphone game to require a constant connection – Pokemon Go needs one, for example, and it hasn't done that any harm.

But in Pokemon Go's case the internet connection felt like a necessity for the gameplay. In Super Mario Run it doesn't.

That requirement means you can't play Super Mario Run on the tube to work, or on a long journey where there's no WiFi or signal.

It's a shame, because Nintendo really wasn't lying when it said you could play Super Mario Run with one hand, and it's this simplicity that makes it such an ideal game to play in a cramped train carriage, as you desparately avoid making eye contact with strangers.

But if none of these things bother/affect you, then you'll be pleased to hear that Super Mario Run is a true delight, and you should definitely give it a download, even if it's just to try the three free stages.

The Super Mario Run experience begins with World Tour mode, which features 24 levels packed with coins, power-ups, traditional boss fights, secret routes and lots more.

It doesn't sound like many stages, and determined/highly skilled players will be able to get through it pretty quickly, but it does have bags of replayability thanks to the collectible coins.

Collecting all of the craftily placed pink coins unlocks a set of purple coins - which are even more inaccessible - followed by a set of black coins (and good luck collecting those).

It's a clever way of making levels more challenging, without actually changing the way they're laid out.

It's also incredibly addictive, and gives each stage enormous replay value - not that you really need an excuse to try many of these levels for a second time, because they're impeccably designed.

In fact, the Rings of Fire level from later in the game must surely rank as one of the best 2D Mario levels ever made.

With Mario now automatically running from left to right, Super Mario Run also feels different to past Nintendo platformers, and it's something that gives the game hidden depth.

Players can jump, double jump, wall jump, climb up ledges, roll, and even vault over enemies. Our plumber friend can also slightly delay his landing, which is handy for making it over those extra long gaps, or narrowly avoid a nasty fireball.

Elsewhere, there are pause blocks that stop you in your tracks, bubbles that fly you back to an earlier part of a level - in case you miss any special coins - and arrow blocks that send you back the way you came. It's all very intuitive, but it will take some time to master it in full, especially if you want to succeed in the second major game mode, titled Toad Rally.

Toad Rally feels more like traditional endless runner games, taking place in modified stages that run on a timer. Bizarrely, you have to pay unlockable Toad Rally tickets to play this mode, although Nintendo has been generous with their allocation.

You'll rack up close to 100 of these tickets as you play through World Tour mode, and that's without collecting all of the pink coins, let alone the other colours.

The aim in Toad Rally is to collect as many coins as possible, perform stylish jumps and rolls, and basically just outperform your opponent.

Playing against the ghost of another player, the winner receives new Toad characters for the game's Kingdom Builder mode, and the more you unlock, the more structures you can purchase.

Of course, the flipside of this is that whoever comes last will lose a portion of their Toads, so the stakes feel suitably high.

While we would maybe like to see this mode fleshed out with additional competitors and even more stages, scoring a victory is enormously satisfying, and it definitely has that 'just one more go' factor, especially if you lose a game and want revenge.

The Kingdom Builder mode, which lets players restore the Toad Kingdom to its former glory, is definitely the weak link of the game, although it does at least give you a reason to collect those coins.

You can use your coins to unlock additional characters, and purchase new decorations and buildings, some of which let you play mini-games for new Toad Rally tickets. The inclusion of mini-games is an admittedly nice touch, but there's not enough depth to make your creations feel truly unique and personal, although this might change the more you expand.

While it's not our favourite mode, the requirements to purchase new structures certainly gives you something to aim for, and a reason to keep plugging away at those other two game modes.

Not that you need an excuse when the game is this good. Super Mario Run feels like such a perfect fit for smartphones that it's a wonder Nintendo didn't make it sooner - and we feel sorry for the Android users that have to wait.

If this is the company's first attempt at a proper smartphone game, then the future is bright for Nintendo fans.


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