Mario Coming to iPhone and iPad in Super Mario Run

Apple has announced Nintendo will be launching a Mario game on iOS called Super Mario Run. As the name implies, the game is an autorunner in which Mario automatically sprints from left to right, but players need to tap the screen to make him jump over gaps and collect coins.

As the game progresses there will be power-ups that change the way this mechanic works, but the goal is to get to the flagpole as quickly as possible. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto appeared on stage during the Apple event to talk about the game.

"For the past 30 years every time Mario has encountered a new platform he has evolved and continued running towards a new goal. Now Mario is running towards his next goal: iPhone," said Miyamoto.

"We want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy playing as Mario and they'll be doing it in a brand new game: Super Mario Run.

A Battle Mode called "Toad Rally" was also discussed during the announcement. In this players pick an opponent and compete against their high scores. You can compete against friends and other people online. There's no flagpole in this mode, so winning is based on running and collecting coins until time runs out.

"We have created Super Mario Run to be perfect for playing on your iPhone," Miyamoto said in a press release published after the game's announcement. "For the first time ever, players will be able to enjoy a full-fledged Super Mario game with just one hand, giving them the freedom to play while riding the subway or my favorite, eating a hamburger."

"The App Store has made so many things better in our lives--the way we communicate, the way we work and the way we have fun," added Apple boss Tim Cook. "But for gamers of all ages, the story just hasn't been complete without Mario, so we are thrilled that Nintendo is bringing him to iOS for the first time this December."

An App Store listing for Super Mario Run has also appeared, further explaining the game's mechanics.

"In this game, you constantly move forward through the courses while using a variety of jumps to navigate. Your character will behave differently depending on the timing of your taps, so it's up to you to show off particularly smooth moves, gather coins, and reach the goal."

It continues: "Super Mario Run offers three different game modes. The first mode features challenging courses for you to complete. In the second mode, you challenge the play data of other people's completed courses. You compete to see who can finish the course with the most style! In the third mode, you can create your own Mushroom Kingdom using coins collected by playing the first two game modes."

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Super Mario Run is being developed with Miyamoto as lead creator for Nintendo. Mobile game studio DeNA, which Nintendo partnered with for Miitomo, is also working on the game. This is the second of five mobile games Nintendo has pledged to launch by March 2017. Mobile games based on Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem are also known to be in development.

A limited version of Super Mario Run will be available for free, but more content can be unlocked with a set purchase price. Nintendo has said it will discuss details on pricing and content "at a later date."

The game will be available in December 2016. During the announcement, Cook said Super Mario Run is coming to iOS platforms "first," indicating it could be on Android in the future.

As part of the announcement, Miyamoto also revealed a selection of iMessage stickers will be available when iOS 10 launches, which is expected to be in late September.