On Thursday, Nintendo released “Super Mario Run”.
The newest spin-off in the “Super Mario Bros.” franchise is supposed to be one of the biggest mobile games of the year. Analysts predicted that the company will earn $100 million in the next few weeks. However, by Friday Nintendo’s stock price dropped nearly 8%.
What is Super Mario Run?
With the Nintendo’s new mobile gaming app, the gameplay is simplified mirroring the earliest versions of Mario. The game works like many other side-scrolling mobile gaming apps. Players essentially guide Mario over hurdles, enemies, and collect coins.
The goal is to reach and save the princess after completing several levels and defeating major bosses in the process as fast as possible.
However, Super Mario Run features a new and modern twist called “Toad Rally”. Mixing a social network with multiplayer gaming, Super Mario Run users can compete against other players and friends in the app.
Playing the game mode can earn the player coins used to buy items for customizing their “Mushroom Kingdom”, a gameplay mode similar to Farmville. In addition, players can unlock other characters including:
- Yoshi
- Toadette
- Princess Peach
- Luigi
For all intensive purposes, Super Mario Run is a freemium app. While the first few levels of the game are free, if a player is interested in completing the full game they would have to pay $9.99 for all of the features.
Nintendo of America’s Senior VP of Sales and Marketing hailed the new mobile application in a statement saying “Super Mario Run brings a new take on the series’ beloved action-platforming gameplay to iPhone and iPad for the first time.”
Why did Nintendo make Super Mario Run?
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata argued that the company would lose their identity and “cease to be Nintendo”, if they designed mobile gaming apps. But, by 2014 as the video game company announced a $240 million loss in the financial year, due to the lack of video game sales.
Iwata then explained in 2015 a new mission to transition Nintendo into the mobile gaming arena. Nintendo would partner with Niantic, Inc and The Pokémon Company to release the critically acclaimed and the hugely successful Pokémon Go.
On September 7th during Apple’s annual iPhone event, Super Mario Run was officially announced to the world. Currently available as an iOS app with a scheduled release on Android device at a later time.
Since the release of Super Mario Run reports estimate that the app was downloaded nearly 3 million times on the first day it was was released – beating Pokémon Go.
By Friday morning, Super Mario Run was the most downloaded app in the App Store.
A consumer report by Newzoo expects the mobile gaming app to earn $100 million revenue in the next few weeks. Arguing the the combined promotional campaign alongside Apple’s iPhone 7 and the anticipation surrounding the strong Mario branded game will prove highly profitable for Nintendo.
However, by Friday evening Nintendo’s stock (NTDOY) dropped 7.67%.