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

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.