Get your jumping thumbs ready, Android users.
If you’ve been staring longingly at iOS users playing Super Mario Run, sighing heavily while looking down at your Android phone, a melancholy violin playing in the background… maybe stop being so dramatic.
Rejoice! For Super Mario Run is actually coming to Android much sooner than expected.
Nintendo of America tweeted yesterday that their first Mario app game is available for pre-register on the Google Play Store.
Attn @Android users: Pre-Register now to be notified when the official #SuperMarioRun is available on @GooglePlay https://t.co/rYJAIDUdO5
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 29, 2016
This isn’t a pre-order, so the game won’t automatically download when it’s released. But you’ll get a notification from Google Play when it’s up and ready to play!
Full disclosure: I signed up for the same notification on the iOS App Store, and it didn’t alert me that Super Mario Run was available until about 8 hours after it was actually up. So you might want to keep a close watch on Nintendo’s announcements for the game instead of trusting your smart phone.
Super Mario Run released earlier this month on iOS to mixed reviews. Most people love the game itself, but many have issues with its $10 charge for access to every feature and its Wifi requirement.
But when?
When the game was announced, Nintendo said they planned on bringing it to Android “at some point in the future,” but that’s all we got. They highlighted their decision to partner with Apple for Mario’s mobile debut due to their security worries, implying that the game’s code would be easier for hackers to snag from Android devices.
We thought we wouldn’t see Mario on Google Play for months, but it’s listed on the app store now!
The Google Play listing for Super Mario Run does not specify a release date or a price. It does list all the gameplay modes–World Tour, Toad Rally, and Kingdom Builder–with details for each. The listing also says, “You will be able to download and enjoy a portion of Super Mario Run for free and can also enjoy all of the game content available after paying a set purchase price.”
“Set purchase price,” huh? I wonder if Mario will come to Android users at a different price… Only time will tell.
