When many people think about video games, they still think about Nintendo. Though the company is far from the only competitor out there, there's still a degree of cultural cache to be found within the company's brands that just isn't found anywhere else. While the company's games are best known for being made for consoles, Nintendo has begun branching out into mobile games. Super Mario Run was one of the first, and whether it captures the old Nintendo magic really has quite a bit to do with what any given consumer wants out of the game as well as how well one can deal with microtransactions.

Features and Benefits

Super Mario Run is a great example of the Endless Runner genre. This genre centers around the player's ability to navigate complex courses while the player character is constantly moving forward. Super Mario Run applies these mechanics to a number of different levels that look and feel like classic Mario Brothers levels, complete with enemies, bottomless pits, and other obstacles. The major difference between this game and others is the fact that players can allow Mario to stop on command, giving them a number of options for how to proceed through levels.

The major benefit of this game is, of course, that it gives players access to a real Mario Brothers experience on a mobile platform. Though the game certainly doesn't play like a traditional entry in the series, all of the usual sounds and images are there. Every screen of the game looks fantastic and like it could be at home on a traditional portable console, but the game does leverage the sense of momentum inherent in this genre to create an experience that really feels new. If you're looking for a new way to play a Mario game, you'll certainly wind up loving this entry in the series.

Pros

• Incredible use of the Mario Bros. license
• Some legitimately challenging levels
• Music and graphics feel like they were taken straight from the main series
• Plays well as an endless runner even if you don't love Mario

Cons

• Microtransactions feel out of place and unnecessary
• Game does feel a little thin - no real reason to go back once you've played a few levels
• There is a good bit of repetition in the game, though it takes a while to wear thin

Conclusion

Super Mario Run is an odd entry into the Mario series. It's certainly the closest one is likely to see to an entry in the series on a mobile device, but it feels both like a really strong case for bringing over other Mario games to mobile devices as well as an argument against doing so. For every great level of clever puzzle, there seems to be a weird microtransaction or a strange bit of pacing. This is a Mario game to be certain, but simply not necessarily the one for which you might be hoping.

At the end of the day, this is an easy download that will be a fair bit of fun for most Mario fans. It's less egregiously after your money than many other endless runners, though you may find yourself tempted to spend on this one just to get more of the Nintendo experience. At the end of the day, though, that's actually a sign of a great game design.