Android users will need to wait 3 months for 'Super Mario Run' after iOS-exclusive debut

The extremely popular Super Mario Run will soon end its iOS App Store exclusivity with Nintendo advising it will be bringing the game to Android sometime in March, three months after it launched on the iPhone and iPad.

Nintendo posted on Twitter that it is going to make Super Mario Run available for Android through Google Play in March this year, though not an exact date of when it will go live. Just as with the iOS launch, potential players can sign up for notifications for when the game can be downloaded.

The three-month delay between the iOS and Android launches of Super Mario Run stems from issues with security and piracy, which Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto revealed concerns about in an interview. The game's requirement for an always-on Internet connection also assists in mitigating the risk of piracy, as well as providing asynchronous multiplayer elements.

It is highly probable that the Android version of Super Mario Run will share all the graphics and features as the iOS version. The Unity engine was used to in the game's production, allowing it to be produced for multiple platforms at the same time while keeping feature parity across both iOS and Android releases.

The auto-running platform game with a simple control system has been highly successful, and profitable, since its iOS launch in December. It quickly reached the highest position in Apple's Top Free Apps and Top Grossing Apps leaderboards within hours of launch, though it has since dropped down in both charts.

Unlike typical free-to-play games, which offer advantages to players in microtransactions, Super Mario Run instead provides the first part of the game and multiplayer free. A $9.99 in-app purchase provides access to all the remaining levels, as well as more multiplayer tickets.