Super Mario Run will require an internet connection

Super Mario Run will be available for iOS starting Dec. 15. Image Nintendo

In what could be a slight disappointment for some Nintendo fans, word has gone out that Super Mario Run will require a persistent internet connection to play.

The information apparently comes from the creator himself, Shigeru Miyamoto, during an interview with Mashable, reports The Verge.

“For us, we view our software as being a very important asset,” said Miyamoto. “And also for consumers who are purchasing the game, we want to make sure that we’re able to offer it to them in a way that the software is secure […] We wanted to be able to leverage that network connection with all three of the [game] modes to keep all of the modes functioning together and offering the game in a way that keeps the software secure.”

Miyamoto confirmed during the interview that “security” for the game referred to the risk of piracy. He added that it was previously intended to offer the single-player World Tour story mode as an offline version. However, doing so “[complicated] the connection back to the Toad Rally and Kingdom modes,” which would need internet access.

In any case, if the game offers content compelling enough for fans to enjoy, the need for an internet connection may just be a small and tolerable bump on a long and happy road.  Alfred Bayle