The Forgotten Super Mario Game Just Got a New Update and New Event

Nintendo has released a new update for the mobile game Super Mario Run, alongside a special event meant to celebrate the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Nintendo has gone all out promoting the latest Super Mario movie, with a Happy Meal collaboration, new toys from Jakks Pacific, and a giant popcorn bucket shaped like Yoshi. The company has gone to great lengths to make people aware of the new movie, even launching a line of Mario-themed deodorant options from Old Spice.

Released in 2016 for iOS and Android devices, Super Mario Run marked the very first time Nintendo released a game on mobile platforms. 10 years after its release, Nintendo will occasionally show support for the game, usually to promote something else related to the Super Mario franchise. For example, Super Mario Run got a Super Mario Bros. Wonder event in March, to celebrate the latter game’s recent Nintendo Switch 2 version.

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Super Mario Galaxy Comes to Super Mario Run

Super Mario Run players can now participate in an event inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Through May 29, players can complete a series of in-game missions to unlock a set of seven statues based on different characters that appear in the animated film. Yoshi plays a big part in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, so it should come as no surprise that Mario’s dinosaur companion has his own dedicated statue. Players can also acquire statues based on Mario, Luigi, Peach, Captain Toad, Bowser Jr., and Bowser. As with previous events, players can then use the statues to decorate their kingdom.

There are three different sets of missions in the event, each with assigned rewards. There are nine missions in each set, and rewards are unlocked in succession as players complete three of them. Not all missions can be completed without purchasing Super Mario Run, so players that want to obtain all the statues should keep that in mind. Considering that Super Mario Run made $14 million in its first three days, it’s a safe bet many people went ahead and purchased the full game several years ago. Still, it’s something to keep in mind for players that have thus far stuck to the free version.

Super Mario Run was the beginning of Nintendo’s mobile strategy. When the game debuted, Switch had not yet been released, and the Wii U’s dismal sales had left the company’s future in question. Stockholders thought that mobile games could be a big part of Nintendo’s future, and the company did release several titles as a result, including Mario Kart Tour and Fire Emblem Heroes. However, there’s evidence to suggest Nintendo has largely moved on, thanks to the success of platforms like Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. For one thing, games like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp are no longer getting new content. Thankfully, many of Nintendo’s mobile games have remained playable, even as the company’s development teams focus on other priorities.

While Nintendo seems to have largely moved on from mobile games, Super Mario Run has not been completely forgotten. That’s great news for those that don’t own a Nintendo system, or anyone that wants to play a Mario game when it’s not convenient to do so on Switch. While the mobile adventure isn’t quite as deep as games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, it remains a pretty impressive technical achievement. Nintendo managed to create a Mario game that can only be played with one hand, and it’s one that found a pretty big audience, at least at launch. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is already making tons of money, and fans flying high after seeing the film might want to jump back into Super Mario Run to see just what the game has to offer.