Super Mario Run Android Release Date Revealed

Super Mario Run hit the iPhone, iPad, and even the iPod touch late last year. After a lengthy pre-registration period, Nintendo has finally revealed when you can play it on Android devices.

According to a tweet from Nintendo of America, Super Mario Run for Android will be available from March 23. It will come with the version 2.0.0 update which teases new features such as the ability to unlock World 1-4 in the free version of the game by completing a challenge, and being able to play as new characters. The Super Mario Run page on Google Play has been up since December last year and you can pre-register here.

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The reason for not being available on Android devices at the same time as iOS had to do with piracy.

“For us, we view our software as being a very important asset,” Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto said in an interview with Mashable. “And also for consumers who are purchasing the game, we want to make sure that we’re able to offer it to them in a way that the software is secure, and that they’re able to play it in a stable environment.”

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“The security element is one of the reasons that we decided to go with iPhone and iOS first,” he said. When asked whether security means risk of piracy, he confirmed that this was indeed the case.

“We wanted to be able to leverage that network connection with all three of the [Super Mario Run] modes to keep all of the modes functioning together and offering the game in a way that keeps the software secure. This is something that we want to continue to work on as we continue to develop the game,” Miyamoto said.