Super Mario Run Gets New Mode (Sort of)

Super Mario Run has received an update, introducing a new mode into the game--sort of.

Friendly Run is a new way of playing the existing Toad Rally mode. As well as using tickets to compete in the challenges, you can now take part for free in a non-competitive fashion.

Friendly Run is the same as Toad Rally then, but any items, coins, or new Toads you collect will not count toward your public totals.

You can only play Friendly Run once per day, unless you've cleared World One in World Tour mode, in which case you can play it three times. Finish World Two and you can play five times per day. Since players who haven't bought the full version of the game cannot access the final level of World One, they will be limited to one Friendly Run per day.

The Friendly Run update comes soon after Nintendo stated it wouldn't be adding any new content to Super Mario Run. The publisher has also announced, after multiple third-party reports, that the mobile game hit 40 million downloads in four days.

Super Mario Run launched on December 15 to much controversy: some fans were unhappy at the USD $10 / £8 full game unlock microtransaction, while the game's requirement for an always-on internet connection wasn't popular, either. Nintendo's share price fell immediately after Super Mario Run's release and has continued to fall since.

At GameSpot, critic Peter Brown awarded it a 7, saying "Run offers great platforming and that distinct Mario charm that Nintendo's perfected over the years." For more, check out our full Super Mario Run review.