#1stImpressions: Super Mario Run

Hong Kong - Had the opportunity to try Super Mario Run at the Apple Store in Hysan Place, Causeway Bay.

I didn't like it.

That was my first impression at least of what surely is going to be one of the hottest apps yet since Pokemon Go launched early this year.

Coming from the first generation Super Mario Bros., I guess I was expecting to see onscreen directional buttons and the A, B, Select, Start. Playing a Mario game that required me to just tap on the screen to make him jump felt a little less like a Mario game and more of Flappy Bird.

Just by tapping (and making Mario jump), I was able to clear the first course (World 1-1) easily. I missed a lot of coins and may have missed mushrooms but I was able to finish it. That got me thinking what would be the game's replayability factor?

Then it hit me that yes, maybe I'll replay the course just to get all the coins and who knows what else. I haven't been reading much about the game because I want to rekindle that feeling of surprise I used to get when I would first play games on the Family Computer. So I'm really in the dark about this game, which is exactly how I like it. Although I did read that you can't play the game without an internet connection so that may be a bummer for some.

As you will see in the video gameplay below (taken with my iPhone 7 Plus), the graphics are of course fantastic and I'm quite certain that there are missions in Super Mario Run that would really have gamers playing hours to complete them, not to mention the opportunity to post screenshots of your achievements on Instagram much like how it was during the early Pokemon Go days (was it really just this year?)

I'm not knocking on Pokemon Go but I really don't even remember when was the last time I opened the app but I believe Super Mario Run won't be suffering the same fate. There's enough nostalgia in there for me to make me give it a chance.

Super Mario Run has a December 15 release date for iOS.