How to Play Super Mario Run Early
Super Mario Run won't dash into the iOS app store until next Thursday (or on the Google Play store until next year), but you can get your hands on the iconic plumber's latest adventure right now.
All you need to do is get to your nearest Apple store, where you'll find a demo version of the auto runner on iPhones and iPads starting today (Dec. 8).
Super Mario Run Demo on the Tonight Show
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé announced this exciting news on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night (Dec. 7). In one of those rare moments where the talk show host's unbridled enthusiasm was in fact merited, Fallon got to play Super Mario Run for himself, and learned that gameplay consists of tapping to jump, bouncing off walls, collecting special coins and hunting for a special area with an invincibility star.
MORE: 30 NES Classic (2016) Games Ranked Best to Worst
Fils-Aimé detailed the game's three modes of play: World Tour (the level-based platform adventure), Toad Rally (where you compete against players around the world), and Kingdom Builder. That third mode will allow players to build their "own Mario Kingdom," and looks to be one part Mario, one part Sim City, and based on that equation, completely addictive.
Credit: ThomasDeco / Shutterstock.com
Early hands-on reports suggest you'll want to run to your nearest Apple Store as fast as you safely can. Engadget notes that the game fits the mobile phone perfectly "while still featuring surprisingly deep gameplay and a level of polish seen in a small percentage of games, regardless of platform."
Console gamers worried about how well the controls will work should breathe a sigh of relief, as IGN says the game is "easy to play with one-hand," and MacWorld UK agrees, claiming "the surprising thing ... is how full a game it feels, and how quickly you stop missing the old control method."
If there's a line to wait on before you can play Super Mario Run, and knowing Apple stores, there probably will be, here's something else to keep you occupied. As a fun surprise, Mario's creator Shigeru Miyamoto and The Roots (Philadelphia's finest and Fallon's house band) teamed up for a rendition of the Super Mario Bros. Theme Song.
See also : Here Are the Biggest Game Releases in December 2016
