Super Mario Run Currently The Top Grossing iOS Store App

At least people are supporting a well developed game with a 1-time fee.

3 out of 5 stars so far kinda sucks. Might mean people not playing it soon enough. As long as Nintendo gets that money I guess it doesn't matter if they keep playing. This way Nintendo doesn't have to keep updating the game to hold attention.

Alot of people are probably rating it low for one of these reasons:

1) They think it's too easy (just racing to the end of the level)

2) They think it's too hard (mobile game casuals)

3) They get salty about the $10 pay wall after the demo

I do think that Nintendo could have reduced some outrage by allowing access to a portion of the game for $4.99 and then access to the rest for $4.99... but I'm sure their analysts decided that a $10 one-time price would be the most profitable... and it would go against Nintendo's philosophy of "we're gonna make a good, complete game... and this is what it will cost"... and I respect them for that.

It has 3456 reviews already but Pokemon Go only has 436.

@Spoony_Tech It's probably getting voted down soon as they realise their demo is over and they need to actually pay for it.

All I wanted was a traditional controller. Doomed.

I'll have to try the demo soon.

@WiltonRoots All I wanted was a really well polished game for nothing. Doomed.

Downloaded it. Seemed too easy. Played the first world and got all the pink,purple and black coins. Short game.only good thing is road rally. Seems fun

@UK-Nintendo That's really sending me mixed messages.

I like it. It will be useful for meetings later. I'll be unlocking it once I get an itunes card next paycheck.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy its good. It's short but enjoyed it. It's a good quick game when on the bus or waiting

I like it, but not a fan of how it handles the in-app purchase and the online-only. The £7.99 price tag is more than fair however - £4.99 would've been the sweet spot - and they need to make it very clear the cost is pay once and never again!

@aaronmclaren but even angry birds is always online. Most mobile are

I think most people that downvoted the game, did so because they belong to the breed that feels entitled to free games on smartphones.
A large portion of downloaders must have never spent a cent in a videogame in their lifetime. It's against that culture that Nintendo struggles.

@Spoony_Tech For me, stars in the app store are like youtube comments. They're there, but are completely meaningless and un-representative of the subject.

Now watch all those investors come scuttling back into the room like cockroaches when the light goes out.

@Samurai_Goroh Literally one of the comments: 'Why do u have to buy the ready of the levels that's just sooo dumb [...] U guys just want money you've taken it too far.'

Another one star review says: 'Not a bad game only been playing for five mins.'
'after you get to world 1-4 they want you to pay £8 to play the rest of the game .......um no thanks'

Now imagine if we Android users could buy it too!

In less than 24hrs a highly anticipated app is the #1 download? Shocking!

In other news, analysts (boo!) predict that Star Wars: Rogue One will be #1 at the box office this weekend!

and to think nintendo has their own version of mario maker with slopes that they use to make these games.

@WiltonRoots Nintendo actually makes several consoles along with handhelds that have traditional controller buttons. They actually also just released the NES mini which has actual controllers that look and feel like a controller.

Asking for them to have a controller for a smartphone game is like complaining that your microwave can't toast bread. A toaster is something completely different than a microwave, and should not be combined. Just like smartphones and solely gaming devices.

@natsuki 'it's because people feel like they are scammed and it seems falsely advertised'
Despite it not only mentioning that only the first three levels are free, but you not having to pay anything to access the game in the first place. You cannot be 'scammed' if you're getting something for free.

@MrGuinea I think my sarcasm was lost on you slightly. I was just mocking the typical kneejerk reactions around here.

From what I have heard the majority of reviews aren't even real
reviews at all. Most of it is just female dogging about the price and always online deal

@natsuki I'm afraid goroh's comments are probably correct though. I've seen a lot of games that you can download for free (although it warns of microtransactions on the download page) and then you get to a certain point and things are locked out for you because you haven't bought the new section of the game. It's incorrect to say that people were 'fooled' into getting it.

The review numbers are higher on SMR compared to PG because the reviews are segmented per release.

I must admit that I'm delaying paying for SMR for each of our family members. Hoping for iTunes gift cards as presents. I wonder if I'm the only one.

Wait, why is Pokemon Go number 2? Everyone has stopped playing that. I read it on the World Wide Web.

@WilliamCalley Not #1 download, #1 Grossing. With the price scheme that flies in the face of other mobile games, it is significant and not something everyone was expecting.

@UK-Nintendo So you are talking about the demo only it sounds like. "Short game" is missing quite a bit about what it offers. Especially as you try to outdo your friends and build the world and unlock new characters and try to get all those coins on all the levels.

Also, I'm guessing there will be more. If Nintendo lives up to what has been said about understanding how mobile games are about keeping engagement up, this game will have plenty of added features over time.

In researching this today - I looked at Mobile Strike, game of War and Clash Royale.
Mobile Strike and Game of War are just re-skinned dreadful clones of each other with no satisfying gameplay - just pay to bombard your enemies - Clash Royale was a bit more interesting but the pay to win more often than your opponent aspect is just what really should not be happening in 'Gaming' - I did used to enjoy Hearthstone until people with far better paid for decks than me were beating me all the time. . .
Well done Nintendo for sticking to your principles - a lot of ignorance needs to be re-trained within the general public as they don't know how much they are being scammed by these dubious business models. .

@TearTheRoofOff
You know what ? There are some kids 4 - 5 years old can't play Super Mario Bros style, even the first stage. They can't controlling the D-pad and Command buttons so well, at the end they caught difficulty and gave up , thought it was too hard to play or understand. Maybe Nintendo want to try to make Super Duper Easy Mario games even Kindergarten kids can play it easily just by one finger.

@natsuki 'it's because they think they are getting something for free but it turns out it actually isn't.'

Yeah, because Nintendo doesn't actually say that in the game's description on the App Store:
'*Access to all 6 Worlds subject to purchase.'
'*You will be able to download and enjoy a portion of Super Mario Run for free and can also enjoy all of the game content available after paying a set purchase price.'
'Top In-App Purchases
Worlds 1-6 £7.99'
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/super-mario-run/id1145275343?mt=8

If anyone thought the whole game was free, maybe they should actually read the description before complaining.

@the-madprofessor
Yup. The biggest mistake for those customers is : They DON'T read and understand first before purchasing. Their tardiness and apathetic level was very acute. They need some Shock theraphy to realized their mistakes.

More than Tinder?!
Wow, I guess there are people more into gaming than into the oldest kind of fun in the world.

@aaronsullivan

You didn't expect that an official Super Mario game on Apple would be the top grossing app less than 24hrs after its release? You thought it might lose to the 2-3 year old Candy Crush?

If you didn't expect that, I don't know what to say. It seemed quite obvious that would happen.

@Anti-Matter I think your right. It's more user friendly with kids and if you want a challenge you can always try and get the coins

@natsuki it states that it offers in game purchase on the download screen like all other iOS games. Maybe the people here don't like you generalizing the nl users. This was the second iOS game I have picked up in five years and I noticed the in app purchases disclaimer. I'm sure regular users would if they opened their eyes.

It may be the most downloaded, but how many people downloaded (and paid for it) the complete version?!

Cant wait to buy for Android!

@Spoony_Tech Mobile app reviews are practically meaningless. If an app works fine for a month and then crashes (and it may not even be the app's fault), then it's straight to the store page with a one-star review. I've seen it dozens of times. And many poor reviews are even more petty than that.

@natsuki Yes, I have an iPhone. The App Store has the same functionality as the website. Once you click on the icon, you scroll down and there's the description, saying exactly the same things. If you fail to read it, it's your own fault. Trying to pass the blame for other people's mistakes is just ridiculous.

Sell sell sell

Buy buy buy

"Gross"ing is just such an apt word to use in conjunction with the App Store chart's otherwise dearth of quality or, y'know, actual freakin' games.

How many levels?

@natsuki It has a plus symbol on the 'Get' button, denoting in-app purchases. Immediately that informs you that it's not strictly free. Again: 'If you fail to read it, it's your own fault. Trying to pass the blame for other people's mistakes is just ridiculous.'

In reality though, you are judging people: the majority of people out there understand how these things work by now (especially after around 7/8 years of this), and they're not as stupid as you're trying to make them out to be. It is overwhelmingly due to a sense of entitlement - they believe that Nintendo should cater to them and give them exactly what they want - over a lack of understanding.

Wasn't in any doubt.

New Super Mario Bros Wii is charting on Amazon's best sellers list.

It's working.

@Spoony_Tech Too many people throwing down 1 star reviews because they came expecting either a console Super Mario game or Super Mario Maker on the phone. The game isn't perfect but it is fun in short bursts, and the point is to get people thinking about Mario again. In this it seems to have succeeded.

I bring good news and tidings of great joy, which will be to all people(no, I am not Linus)!
MARIO RUN IS NOW THE NUMBER ONE FREE APP ON THE AMERICAN APP STORE!
wee-ooo🎉🎉🎉
No, I don't mean top grossing

Well, at least Miyamoto/Nintendo successfully accomplished what they set out to do. For me, I wouldn't bother with it. It's much too watered down of an experience compared to past entries. I expect something closer to Infinity Blade, Chaos Rings, or Banner Saga at the $10 price range.

Also... Here's a little tidbit for you all...

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/280852/Miyamoto_Mario_is_coming_to_mobile_because_thats_where_people_play_games.php

"We believe Nintendo can create very profitable games based on in-game revenue models with the right development team. Just think of paying 99 cents just to get Mario to jump a little higher," wrote Investor Seth Fischer in an open letter to then-president Satoru Iwata."

How far away from this are we, when unlocking 21 short levels for 48¢ each is so widely accepted in 2016? It sounds like we need a phone update of that "IT PRINTS MONEY!" GIF... And as to why it's not on Android?

http://time.com/4482878/super-mario-run-apple-iphone-shigeru-miytamoto/

"Of course there are other mobile devices we’ll be bringing the game to later. But with the Apple devices, their hardware design is such that there’s not much you have to do from a compatibility standpoint across multiple different devices. It’s very streamlined. And I think just from a philosophical standpoint, there are elements of their design that are similar to ours. So that’s why we’re bringing it to iPhone first."

So there you have it... Nintendo is limiting their initial audience based on "compatibility concerns." More like, they don't want people to pirate the .apk... And it's easier on an Apple device to collect your information by forcing you to report in at the beginning and end of every level, like a forced virtual toll booth.

@DonaldTrump I expected it. Don't have to look far to find others who didn't. Just look at stories about need for internet connection and premium pricing. Plenty of naysayers.

@IceClimbers That's crazy. Not quite what Nintendo nintended — hmm I should trademark that — but hopefully it carries over to excitement about the Switch Mario offering...

@the-madprofessor That is absolutely not what the + symbol on the button means in the App Store. The + symbol means that it works on both iPhone and iPad and you are not buying something for just one type of device. There are plenty of other places on the store where it's described but people just mash buttons, "me want!". That's fine. There's no bait and switch here though. You get to play for free and get some fun especially if you try to outdo friends even on the first 3 levels.

I think people judge the number of levels too harshly as I haven't even bought yet and my family and I are playing it daily. Getting friends is easy, too, because most people will try Mario.

@aaronsullivan Just looked it up and you're right. What an incredibly weird UI choice!

Cheap Chinese junk! 6 levels for $10? RIPOFF! Very disappointed!

@DonaldTrump Actually, it's 21 (short) levels for 48¢ each... But you can probably afford it just fine, by taking a small loan of $1,000,000.

@aaronsullivan you don't have to buy it for each family member. Simply log into your itunes account on their device then proceed to DL the game and reinstall purchases.
After this log out of their device and log back into their account.
Hope this helps.

@PlywoodStick *Plus extra Toad Rally content, access to 4 more playable characters, 15 special coins to get per level, 3 expert levels that are a quite a bit longer than the others, and access to more world builder objects.

I bought this piece of CRAP. Stay away from this poop.

I finished the main in 1 hour. The worst design for any mario game, ever. Im so very dissapointed. 1 $ would have been a reasonable price.

"It prints money"
Well, that's good for Nintendo. But thanks to Nintendo's DRM for this game I will not buy into it. I'll play it for free on my ipad air 2 for however long it will last. So... Yeah, good job Nintendo.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Those are all nice extras. However, the meat of the product in the purchase, meager as it is, pertains to the 21 levels for 48¢ each.

@PlywoodStick "Nice extras"

No, these "nice extras" are a major part of the product you're buying and calling them what you are is underselling the product as a whole.

@daggdroppen The main game is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to everything there's to do in the game.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy They are merely "nice extras" because they all boil down to being incentives to go through the same 24 levels multiple times. Even an ancient game like Super Mario Bros. Deluxe for the Game Boy Color included extra levels that were specifically made for multiplayer functions, in addition to the original levels, while this new Super Mario Run game just uses the same 24 levels for that purpose. SMB Deluxe had several extras, including the Challenge Mode, as an incentive to go through it's 32 levels multiple times as well. One of the highlights among the extras was unlocking a modified version of The Lost Levels for the Famicom. That's right, an entire extra game could be unlocked by getting a high enough score in the main game! That was a newer concept 18 years ago, though. Seeing the extras in SMR, been there, done that. Still not even as meaty as a Game Boy game.

On the italian iOS chart the top grossing app is still Clash Royale. it was before the launch of SMR and it still is. Actually SMR is taking the second place and candy crush saga the third. Pokemon go is actually at the tenth place.

@PlywoodStick So the other stuff in Super Mario Tun don't matter to you at all, but the "extras" in SMBDX do?

Also, you're comparing a $10 mobile game to a ~$60 handheld game (factoring in inflation).

Yeah... I'm not falling for the hype around this.
It may look good, but it's obvious it was made relatively quickly just to get another smartphone app released by the end of the year.
The whole one-off purchase approach just proves this... they're not going for long-term profits, just a quick initial pay-out, and were building hype for it in order to make the most of that.

@DragonEleven Not at all my impression while playing it. It's fun and polished and especially engaging if you have friends who also play. Great little mobile game trying to buck trends a bit. Nothing more, nothing less.

@darthstuey Interesting approach. Looking it up I'm not loving messing with what account is signed in. Not sure it's worth the trouble.

@the-madprofessor That UI choice made more sense at the time. It was added when iPad was first introduced to make it easy to tell what you were getting. I agree it's a bit too subtle with all the information up there now.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Actually, it would be closer to $45 factoring in inflation, since Game Boy/Color games were typically sold for $30. That kind of reasoning is silly, though... It was a much different time period, and there wasn't nearly as much tech/data available. A lot has changed in almost 20 years. I expect a game like SMR to have evolved to match that time frame, yet it doesn't really have anything particularly different or new compared to old games like SMB: Deluxe.