Nintendo's 'Super Mario Run' for iPhone requires a persistent internet connection for play

Posted:
in iPhone
The awaited "Super Mario Run" will be available in a few days, but the game's designer notes that for both "security" and gameplay reasons, the game requires a persistent internet connection to play that will consume 75 MB per hour or less on wireless.




In an interview with Mashable, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto spoke about the decision to make the game require a constant Internet connection.

"We wanted to be able to leverage that network connection with all three of the modes to keep all of the modes functioning together and offering the game in a way that keeps the software secure." said Miyamoto. "This is something that we want to continue to work on as we continue to develop the game."

Miyamoto added that the security element is one of the reasons that Nintendo chose to deploy the game on iOS first. Clarifying his statements, the designer added that piracy is a real risk for the company as well, as it has been for GameBoy Advance and DS games.

"We had thought at one point that it would be nice to have the World Tour mode available standalone, to be able to play without that connection. But then the challenge is when that's operating in a standalone mode, it actually complicates the connection back to the Toad Rally and Kingdom modes," added Miyamoto. "And because those two modes are relying on the network save, we had to integrate the World Tour mode as well."

AppleInsider has learned that the title will require 75 megabytes of data per hour of "constant, involved" play after the initial download, and in most cases significantly less.

"Super Mario Run" is an endless runner title with the same graphical style used for Mario for decades, adapting the long-running platforming series to single-tap interaction. Users tap on the screen to make Mario jump to avoid obstacles, strike objects, and clear gaps.

The longer a user taps, the higher Mario jumps. On-screen items or tiles can reverse Mario's direction, or stop forward progress to allow for precise timing of a jump.

The title also includes a battle mode called "Toad Rally," where victory is determined by the number of coins you collect, with the "ghost" of your competition visible as you run, and by the number of Toad characters you impress. Progress across all modes is tracked by the number of coins the player has collected, as well as with persistent scorekeeping.

The initial download will be free, and will feature three game modes with limited progress available. The entire title will unlock for $9.99.

"Super Mario Run" debuted at Apple's September iPhone 7 release event. A set of stickers for the iOS 10 version of iMessage was made available shortly after the reveal.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 83
    My celluar data use is on lockdown due to some $300+ bills. I just be playing this on wifi thank you very much.
    bdkennedy1002
  • Reply 2 of 83
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Well that sucks.  I only normally play games on the tube or train, so this won't work at all on the former, and patchily on the latter.
  • Reply 3 of 83
    Hi, foot. Look at this great new gun I made!

    Oh …

    The antipiracy thing seems utterly bogus on iOS. Can anyone convince me Apps  are getting pirated today? Last I heard of it was with iOS 8, and even then the proportion of jailbroken iPhones that could run them was trivial.

    Android's another story, of course. 
    h2pdysamoriacornchiptallest skilargonaut
  • Reply 4 of 83
    Chaa ching. An innovative way to make high margin money from the app store. 
    dysamoria
  • Reply 5 of 83
    luxuriant said:
    Hi, foot. Look at this great new gun I made!

    Oh …

    The antipiracy thing seems utterly bogus on iOS. Can anyone convince me Apps  are getting pirated today? Last I heard of it was with iOS 8, and even then the proportion of jailbroken iPhones that could run them was trivial.

    Android's another story, of course. 

    If you replaced Playstation or Xbox into your sentence then it would be valid, but on iOS piracy is very straightforward and you don't need to be jailbroken to get all apps for free. Yes a jailbroken phone is used to decrypt the app but once signed with a certificate it can run on non-jailbroken. With an enterprise cert it can be signed once and run on any device (until Apple find out and revoke the cert), and with a developer certificate it can be signed for multiple devices or distributed using a paid sign and download service of which there are a few of. There are some limitations such as depending on how well it was signed some features might not work, like keychain, push notifications, CloudKit, sharing of data with other apps by same developer. I'm not up to date on the situation with in-app-purchases but in the past it was possible to use a man-in-the-middle attack to steal those too.
    gatorguy
  • Reply 6 of 83
    Let's be patient with this.  I see why they did this but I also see why this can be an issue for many.  I believe one of the first updates will be an offline mode to address this.
    Soliargonaut
  • Reply 7 of 83
    Apple can't be too happy with a public statement from Nintendo that they need their game to be online because "iOS App piracy" is allegedly a problem.

    It exists, but in a microcosm. Also, I read the actual transcription and it was the translator's interpretation that it was about piracy, while Miyamoto was emphasizing cohesive experience across modes and security.
    williamlondoncalirandominternetpersondysamoriatallest skilargonaut
  • Reply 8 of 83
    wigbywigby Posts: 692member
    My celluar data use is on lockdown due to some $300+ bills. I just be playing this on wifi thank you very much.
    This should not consume any significant amount of data. It's primarily to prevent piracy.
  • Reply 9 of 83
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    sog35 said:
    This is another of example of the Genius of Cook.

    Closing this deal with Nintendo is just the beginning of the Apple+Nintendo partnership. Cook is a master of closing deals. Great job Mr Cook
    Cook is a genius now? But you have 62,017 rants each day, raging that he's not fit to lead Apple and demanding he step down ASAP, and you consistently call him every name in the book. Are you bipolar or something? You're really a piece of work. Maybe you took your meds today? Who knows.
    singularitylightknightStrangeDaysh2pbrucemcicoco3
  • Reply 10 of 83
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Apple can't be too happy with a public statement from Nintendo that they need their game to be online because "iOS App piracy" is allegedly a problem.

    It exists, but in a microcosm. Also, I read the actual transcription and it was the translator's interpretation that it was about piracy, while Miyamoto was emphasizing cohesive experience across modes and security.

    Interviewer question: "Just to be clear: When you say “security,” you mean the risk of piracy, right?"

    Miyamoto: "That’s correct."

  • Reply 11 of 83
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    luxuriant said:
    Hi, foot. Look at this great new gun I made!

    Oh …

    The antipiracy thing seems utterly bogus on iOS. Can anyone convince me Apps  are getting pirated today? Last I heard of it was with iOS 8, and even then the proportion of jailbroken iPhones that could run them was trivial.

    Android's another story, of course. 

    If you replaced Playstation or Xbox into your sentence then it would be valid, but on iOS piracy is very straightforward and you don't need to be jailbroken to get all apps for free. Yes a jailbroken phone is used to decrypt the app but once signed with a certificate it can run on non-jailbroken. 
    Something like Zerghelper? I thought I remembered a story about Apple patching for that type of thing but perhaps I'm mistaken? 
    edited December 2016
  • Reply 12 of 83
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    sog35 said:
    This is another of example of the Genius of Cook.

    Closing this deal with Nintendo is just the beginning of the Apple+Nintendo partnership. Cook is a master of closing deals. Great job Mr Cook
    This might remain iOS exclusive. Wish Apple would acquire the company as they share the same thinking a lot of times.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 83
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    sog35 said:
    This is another of example of the Genius of Cook.

    Closing this deal with Nintendo is just the beginning of the Apple+Nintendo partnership. Cook is a master of closing deals. Great job Mr Cook
    Surely you forgot the /s tag?  But I will keep a copy as is to use as a default response for you in the future ;)
    StrangeDayscornchip
  • Reply 14 of 83
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    cali said:
    sog35 said:
    This is another of example of the Genius of Cook.

    Closing this deal with Nintendo is just the beginning of the Apple+Nintendo partnership. Cook is a master of closing deals. Great job Mr Cook
    This might remain iOS exclusive. Wish Apple would acquire the company as they share the same thinking a lot of times.
    According to a Nintendo statement: "We do intend to release the game on Android devices at some point in the future." Pretty open-ended I agree. 
  • Reply 15 of 83
    slurpy said:
    sog35 said:
    This is another of example of the Genius of Cook.

    Closing this deal with Nintendo is just the beginning of the Apple+Nintendo partnership. Cook is a master of closing deals. Great job Mr Cook
    Cook is a genius now? But you have 62,017 rants each day, raging that he's not fit to lead Apple and demanding he step down ASAP, and you consistently call him every name in the book. Are you bipolar or something? You're really a piece of work. Maybe you took your meds today? Who knows.

    Come on.  You called on him to change.  He's changed.  Enjoy the new Cook-admiring sog.
  • Reply 16 of 83
    wigbywigby Posts: 692member

    luxuriant said:
    Hi, foot. Look at this great new gun I made!

    Oh …

    The antipiracy thing seems utterly bogus on iOS. Can anyone convince me Apps  are getting pirated today? Last I heard of it was with iOS 8, and even then the proportion of jailbroken iPhones that could run them was trivial.

    Android's another story, of course. 

    If you replaced Playstation or Xbox into your sentence then it would be valid, but on iOS piracy is very straightforward and you don't need to be jailbroken to get all apps for free. Yes a jailbroken phone is used to decrypt the app but once signed with a certificate it can run on non-jailbroken. With an enterprise cert it can be signed once and run on any device (until Apple find out and revoke the cert), and with a developer certificate it can be signed for multiple devices or distributed using a paid sign and download service of which there are a few of. There are some limitations such as depending on how well it was signed some features might not work, like keychain, push notifications, CloudKit, sharing of data with other apps by same developer. I'm not up to date on the situation with in-app-purchases but in the past it was possible to use a man-in-the-middle attack to steal those too.
    Piracy occurs on all platforms, much more so on game consoles (especially Nintendo's). Most of the developer backdating certificate issues have been addressed by Apple in iOS 8 and the other issues are dealt with on a case by case basis. This sounds bad but remember that developer certificates cost money and are tied to real enterprises so it's doubtful this would ever play into any real piracy for a game like this. Piracy on non jailbroken iOS devices is insignificant. Piracy on jailbroken drives is rampant but that's because it's the main reason people jailbreak in the first place. I don't even consider a jailbroken iPhone to be the same platform as a regular iPhone and I doubt Apple feels any differently.
    hlee1169
  • Reply 17 of 83
    wigbywigby Posts: 692member
    slurpy said:
    sog35 said:
    This is another of example of the Genius of Cook.

    Closing this deal with Nintendo is just the beginning of the Apple+Nintendo partnership. Cook is a master of closing deals. Great job Mr Cook
    Cook is a genius now? But you have 62,017 rants each day, raging that he's not fit to lead Apple and demanding he step down ASAP, and you consistently call him every name in the book. Are you bipolar or something? You're really a piece of work. Maybe you took your meds today? Who knows.
    I assumed it was sarcasm but who knows with some of these commenters.
    Soli
  • Reply 18 of 83
    luxuriant said:
    Hi, foot. Look at this great new gun I made!

    Oh …

    The antipiracy thing seems utterly bogus on iOS. Can anyone convince me Apps  are getting pirated today? Last I heard of it was with iOS 8, and even then the proportion of jailbroken iPhones that could run them was trivial.

    Android's another story, of course. 

    If you replaced Playstation or Xbox into your sentence then it would be valid, but on iOS piracy is very straightforward and you don't need to be jailbroken to get all apps for free. Yes a jailbroken phone is used to decrypt the app but once signed with a certificate it can run on non-jailbroken. With an enterprise cert it can be signed once and run on any device (until Apple find out and revoke the cert), and with a developer certificate it can be signed for multiple devices or distributed using a paid sign and download service of which there are a few of. There are some limitations such as depending on how well it was signed some features might not work, like keychain, push notifications, CloudKit, sharing of data with other apps by same developer. I'm not up to date on the situation with in-app-purchases but in the past it was possible to use a man-in-the-middle attack to steal those too.

    This is news to me.  Perhaps AI could do a story on this.
  • Reply 19 of 83
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    luxuriant said:
    Hi, foot. Look at this great new gun I made!

    Oh …

    The antipiracy thing seems utterly bogus on iOS. Can anyone convince me Apps  are getting pirated today? Last I heard of it was with iOS 8, and even then the proportion of jailbroken iPhones that could run them was trivial.

    Android's another story, of course. 

    If you replaced Playstation or Xbox into your sentence then it would be valid, but on iOS piracy is very straightforward and you don't need to be jailbroken to get all apps for free. Yes a jailbroken phone is used to decrypt the app but once signed with a certificate it can run on non-jailbroken. With an enterprise cert it can be signed once and run on any device (until Apple find out and revoke the cert), and with a developer certificate it can be signed for multiple devices or distributed using a paid sign and download service of which there are a few of. There are some limitations such as depending on how well it was signed some features might not work, like keychain, push notifications, CloudKit, sharing of data with other apps by same developer. I'm not up to date on the situation with in-app-purchases but in the past it was possible to use a man-in-the-middle attack to steal those too.

    This is news to me.  Perhaps AI could do a story on this.
    It's happened even in Apple's own App Store. One app in particular was home to its own mini-pirated-AppStore within the App store.
    edited December 2016
  • Reply 20 of 83
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    If a company like Nintendo wishes to release a game that requires an internet connection to prevent privacy, then that is their prerogative.

    Just getting Nintendo to publish on iOS is a great step forward.

    You can thank jailbreakers, android users and other sorts of pirates and cheapskates for such policies.

    If somebody doesn't like it, then don't buy the game. Nobody is forcing anybody.
    randominternetpersonwatto_cobra
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