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Video Games

'Super Mario Run' review: A great game, with a pricey paywall

By Matthew Curry , Fox News
Published | Updated
NINTENDO-SUPERMARIO/

Takuya Nishya shows Nintendo's "Super Mario Run" game on his smartphone by the request of a photographer in Tokyo, Japan, December 20, 2016. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

Nintendo has joined the mobile gaming market with their new story-driven game, "Super Mario Run." In this new adventure, the Mushroom Kingdom is under siege and Princess Peach has been captured. It is your job to travel throughout the kingdom from castle to castle and find her. "Mario Run" comes complete with customization features and leaderboard competitive play. The game feels like a classic Mario adventure, until you hit level four--when a $10 fee takes you by surprise.

While playing through "Mario Run," it is easy to appreciate the quality the game presents. The visuals are crisp and clean throughout the six worlds available in the initial release. Each world has four levels with looks similar to previous Mario titles; they are all well constructed so that they never feel tedious. After completion, the levels are available for competitive play against your friends and other players on the leaderboards.

'THE LAST GUARDIAN' REVIEW: A BEAUTIFUL GAME WITH A BOND AT ITS HEART

"Mario Run" is a great example of always-running gameplay. Mario will constantly run, and the player needs to jump to collect coins and complete the course. The game runs smoothly and it’s very easy to pick up for any Mario fan. Its play style, beautiful graphics, and integration of classic Mario themes makes it an amazing title that is a step in the right direction for the future of mobile gaming.

There is, however, a pitfall that tarnishes the great aspects of the game. After completing the third course of the first world, the game hits you with a serious paywall. "Mario Run" may be a quality game, but $10 is a lot of money for any mobile app. But even with a giant paywall, this game shows the world the potential of the mobile gaming market.

Verdict: 7/10

'FINAL FANTASY XV' REVIEW: A LONG-AWAITED MASTERPIECE

"Mario Run" brings the Mushroom Kingdom to your mobile device. It is a fun and beautiful adventure with plenty of customization options including the ability to change your runner to one of your favorite Mario characters. The paywall may scare off some users, but should not affect your decision to pick up the app— you will enjoy every part of it.