Despite its most recognized mascot running across the screen and grabbing coins, Nintendo's "Super Mario Run" has apparently received less than stellar reviews from fans. The mobile game registered 5 million downloads in just a day after it was released. Sadly enough, the app's negative reviews apparently knocked Nintendo's stock a notch.
"Super Mario Run" appears to have received a 2.5-star review from iOS users. Close to 10,000 reviews have criticized the game's supposedly high asking price of $9.99, according to CNET, and fans were annoyed that the game requires a data connection to play. The first three levels are free while the rest of the game is only unlocked by making the payment.
Nintendo saw their stock fall down 16 percent with the past five days after "Super Mario Run" released. Sources speculate that the company might have been too confident after the global success of its "Pokemon Go" mobile game. They could have overlooked the high expectation fans had for the new game. The gaming giant has recently announced their commitment to publish games for smartphones.
After the disappointing sales of the Nintendo Wii U, the company probably speculated that their success would center on portable gaming. Their Nintendo 3DS console is still enjoying massive success due to its games like "Pokemon Sun & Moon," the "Monster Hunter" series and others. While the current reviews might appear daunting for Nintendo, they still have the "Super Mario Run" Android release to anticipate. The game's sales and reviews on Android smartphones would most likely determine if drastic changes are needed.
Other than "Super Mario Run," Nintendo continues to earn from its other mobile game "Pokemon Go." The latest updates have brought new monsters for players to catch or hatch. Perhaps the bad review scores can also be related to the abundance of free games that offer the same experience.
