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[test_account]

The explanation Miyamoto gives seems entirely plausible: it's primarily an anti-piracy system and there were technical hurdles that made it tricky to make the single-player portion of the game function offline, so they simply didn't bother and made the entire thing online-only.

I cant see how thats tricky. Nintendo themself have made several of games with both online and offline portions, assumingly without any problems. I doubt that the next e.g Mario Kart for Switch will have always online because it also have online functionalities. That said, it being an anti piracy system is most likely the only reason indeed.

 

[KORNdoggy]

so a game i literally cannot play on my commute then? lol, yeah, i won't be bothering.

 

[Jito]

Oh no , please anything but requiring internet on my Apple device in 2017 ! Come on people, I could kinda-sorta get your outrage at the Xbox One thing (though, I'm bitter because you guys took away the Xbox One game sharing feature over this,) but please don't go on an embarrassing "ANTI CONSUMER POLICE" riot over this. It's almost 2020 for god sake. If you care so much about people out in the sticks maybe not having a decent internet connection today, then donate your $10 to some Wi-Fi hotspot for all charity instead.

Well this is cringe worthy. Its more impressive that in 2016 you can't comprehend that not everyone has constant internet access on a portable device.

 

[Blastoise]

Once again pirates will get a better experience.

 

[guybrushfreeman]

Christ, this whole conversation has been about comparing what SMR is doing to what other apps are doing.

First people were saying it shouldn't require a connection because other similar apps don't. I pointed out that a lot of current F2P games do require internet, so people said "Well, but this is a paid app. It shouldn't require internet because it's paid. So I pointed to paid apps that were always online that a lot of people played, and now you're trying to narrow the field even further and hold only $10 apps up to scrutiny.

That's the definition of moving goalposts.

No you tried to compare it to every app being released but that makes no sense, no one else ever did that only you. I'm not narrowing the field at all. I have always been comparing it to other paid apps. It is a $10 paid app of course it makes sense to compare it to other $10 apps. I'm saying the people in this thread complaining often buy apps to play when they have no connection and those apps don't usually have an online connection that is why they're commenting. You're trying to accuse them of actually lying and secretly using other apps and complaining about this one but that isn't true and you've provided no evidence.

Some people buy apps that don't require a connection so they can use them when they don't have a connection. That is in fact the only apps I buy on iOS. There's no narrowing of goalposts people are saying that when they buy apps, especially $10 apps they don't expect them to require an online connection. You're trying to stay they secretly just hate Nintendo which is not what's happening. If you read what people are writing instead of accusing them of secret bias the whole thread is easy to understand.

 

[zoukka]

Too bad but I'm used to it being the case in all the mobile games I actively play.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Oh no , please anything but requiring internet on my Apple device in 2017 ! Come on people, I could kinda-sorta get your outrage at the Xbox One thing (though, I'm bitter because you guys took away the Xbox One game sharing feature over this,) but please don't go on an embarrassing "ANTI CONSUMER POLICE" riot over this. It's almost 2020 for god sake. If you care so much about people out in the sticks maybe not having a decent internet connection today, then donate your $10 to some Wi-Fi hotspot for all charity instead.

Is that worst neogaf posts twitter still around?

 

[Zojirushi]

Do we know the gameplay features for this to make sense?

 

[BocoDragon]

I feel like the only time I really cozy up to mobile games is when I'm on an airplane, so a big to this news.

I'm sure it's fine most of the time...

 

[Piers]

So basically you should buy it a few weeks after launch.

 

[AgeEighty]

No you tried to compare it to every app being released but that makes no sense, no one else ever did that only you. I'm not narrowing the field at all. I have always been comparing it to other paid apps. It is a $10 paid app of course it makes sense to compare it to other $10 apps.

No, it doesn't, because you've narrowed the field of comparison to such a tiny sample size that it has no real meaning. And I already explained this once before up-thread: the kind of game apps that cost between $5 and $10 are generally things like console ports, and a lot of those are older games that never had online to begin with. So of course they wouldn't have an online requirement.

The only way to have a meaningful comparison of SMR with other apps is to include ones at different price points, even free. The features are what really matters in the comparison, not the price.

You're trying to accuse them of actually lying and secretly using other apps and complaining about this one but that isn't true and you've provided no evidence.

I'm wasting my time on you if you're going to misread what I'm saying this badly. I never said anyone is "lying". What I think is that a lot of people in this thread have played games that required them to be persistently online without even realizing it... because they themselves were always online with their device when they played them.

 

[M3d10n]

"We wanted to be able to leverage that network connection with all three of the [Super Mario Run] modes to keep all of the modes functioning together and offering the game in a way that keeps the software secure."

the fuck does that even mean?

It means "always online DRM". Nintendo is probably not fond of jailbreakers being able to play the game for free.

 

[valeu]

the data plans are so expensive where i live, i have to save mine for whatsapp and emergencies. so, no internet-only games for me. i could play at home where there's wifi, but then it wouldn't feel portable. i would want to play on the bus on my long commute to work. maybe they can change this

 

[Dunkley]

Oh no , please anything but requiring internet on my Apple device in 2017 ! Come on people, I could kinda-sorta get your outrage at the Xbox One thing (though, I'm bitter because you guys took away the Xbox One game sharing feature over this,) but please don't go on an embarrassing "ANTI CONSUMER POLICE" riot over this. It's almost 2020 for god sake. If you care so much about people out in the sticks maybe not having a decent internet connection today, then donate your $10 to some Wi-Fi hotspot for all charity instead.

Not sure if bait or genuine, but either way there are people like me who don't have spotless mobile phone data connectivity. Not everyone stays at home to play these games over their Wi-Fi router, people normally do go outside and if the internet connection at all times it is true they are left at their mercy for their mobile phone connection to work, that is if they haven't already exceeded their bandwidth and can't play the game at all.

Personally I admit I am less than thrilled too especially considering just how long Miitomo needed to load after losing connection.

 

[guybrushfreeman]

No, it doesn't, because you've narrowed the field of comparison to such a tiny sample size that it has no real meaning. And I already explained this once before up-thread: the kind of game apps that cost between $5 and $10 are generally things like console ports, and a lot of those are older games that never had online to begin with. So of course they wouldn't have an online requirement.

The only way to have a meaningful comparison of SMR with other apps is to include ones at different price points, even free. The features are what really matters in the comparison, not the price.



I'm wasting my time on you if you're going to misread what I'm saying this badly. I never said anyone is "lying". What I think is that a lot of people in this thread have played games that required them to be persistently online without even realizing it... because they themselves were always online with their device when they played them.

What? No, of course it makes sense to compare to other apps that have the same cost. What you're not getting is that the people commenting don't use those apps and games. Some people only buy apps to use them offline. Those are the people who are commenting and they are openly saying so. You're also wrong about the type of apps that cost $10. Very wrong. It's clear you don't really know what you're talking about here at all. There's no bias here. Some people don't use always online games on iOS and it's not common for games of that cost to be online.

Edit: Read what people are writing. They aren't secretly biased they're just honestly explaining their situation and why this sucks for them

 

[LAA]

Hate this practice so much. I noticed a lot of games that literally didn't seem to require online at all suddenly did to work, they got uninstalled pretty fast. I only really play mobile games on commutes or when I'm out, because honestly I have better things to play on consoles and PC at home, so when they do things like this, might as well bring my Vita or 3DS or something of I'm going to need Internet all the time.

I know some mobile games essentially require online to work, like KH gets online events and quests, players medals to use, log in bonuses, but I'm sure they could implement ways for it to function offline, at least some of if. You're not playing with other people simultaneously for these games usually, and I think that would pretty much be the only case where I can see online is required.

 

[Joelstinton14]

Not sure if bait or genuine, but either way there are people like me who don't have spotless mobile phone data connectivity. Not everyone stays at home to play these games over their Wi-Fi router, people normally do go outside and if the internet connection at all times it is true they are left at their mercy for their mobile phone connection to work, that is if they haven't already exceeded their bandwidth and can't play the game at all.

Personally I admit I am less than thrilled too especially considering just how long Miitomo needed to load after losing connection.

This is a genuine rebuttal to your point. Nintendo has just helped release a game that requires always online play in outside areas - Pokemon Go that was download as of September 500 million times.

I think the scenarios that you are not able to play the game will be far less than the situations you will be able too. Most people have internet at home, there are millions of free wifi hotspots, and general 3g/4g coverage is good.

So i don't think in the long run this will be an issue. Also the game is releasing on high end smartphones only (iPhone se/6/7) so it already as an entry barrier to it.

It not great that the game is always online, but i can understand (as you can) why they have done it.

 

[AgeEighty]

What? No, of course it makes sense to compare to other apps that have the same cost. What you're not getting is that the people commenting don't use those apps and games. Some people only buy apps to use them offline. Those are the people who are commenting and they are openly saying so. You're also wrong about the type of apps that cost $10. Very wrong. It's clear you don't really know what you're talking about here at all. There's no bias here. Some people don't use always online games on iOS and it's not common for games of that cost to be online.

"The people commenting don't use those apps and games" is nonsense. I'm sure that's true of some people, but like I said before: if you want to believe that the majority of people commenting here never played WWF Classic or Draw Something, or any other app with an online requirement, be my guest... but I don't buy that for a second. I've seen enough lengthy OTs for mobile games on NeoGAF, a bunch of which were online-only ones, to know better.

I'd also love to see evidence of how "very wrong" I am about other $5-10 games being largely ports of major franchises. I just went and scanned the Top Paid charts on my phone and I know that I'm not. Minecraft, Bully, NBA 2K, GTA San Andreas. Those are the top paid games right now in that price range.

 

[Neoriceisgood]

Do trains in America not have free wi-fi or something?

 

[AgeEighty]

Do trains in America not have free wi-fi or something?

Trains yes, subways no. A lot of subways are getting cellular, but it's been a slow process.

 

[guybrushfreeman]

"The people commenting don't use those apps and games" is nonsense. I'm sure that's true of some people, but like I said before: if you want to believe that the majority of people commenting here never played WWF Classic or Draw Something, or any other app with an online requirement, be my guest... but I don't buy that for a second. I've seen enough lengthy OTs for mobile games on NeoGAF, a bunch of which were online-only ones, to know better.

I'd also love to see evidence of how "very wrong" I am about other $10 games. I just went and scanned the Top Paid charts on my phone and I know that I'm not. Minecraft, Bully, NBA 2K, GTA San Andreas. Those are the top paid games right now.

Ohhhh you scanned the top paid apps? What an expert! I'm so sorry I didn't realise you scanned the top paid apps once! Yes they have probably never played those games. They are different people who exist in real life. I suggest you read the comments instead of assuming they are secretly lying and yes you are saying they're lying. Perhaps you don't want to admit it but they would have to be lying for your comment to be true. They are saying they don't use always online games because of their life situations you are saying that just secretly hate Nintendo.

Some people use online apps, they are not the people posting in this thread.

 

[Jo Shishido's Cheeks]

It has cloud saving and online multiplayer so this was a given *shrug*

 

[Transhuman]

Preorder cance-

Well, i'm not going to download it.

 

[Despera]

I only buy mobile games that work offline. In my case it's not an issue of whether or not I'm against this practice, I simply can't justify paying for a mobile game that doesn't work when the connection is either slow or non-existent. I move around a lot and don't have access to stable internet 24/7.

So it's a shame but I'll have to skip this one. I'm sure they'll sell a ton either way.

 

[AgeEighty]

Ohhhh you scanned the top paid apps? What an expert! I'm so sorry I didn't realise you scanned the top paid apps once! Yes they have probably never played those games. They are different people who exist in real life. I suggest you read the comments instead assuming they are secretly lying and yes you are saying they're lying. Perhaps you don't want to admit it but they would have to be lying for your comment to be true. They are saying they don't use always online games because of their life situations you are saying that just secretly hate Nintendo.

Some people use online apps, they are not the people posting in this thread.

You say I'm "very wrong" about what kind of paid apps cost that much, I show you you're wrong, and you scoff at my having looked at the rankings because... why? Because you think those rankings have changed a lot recently? I have news for you: the top-ranked paid apps on the App Store at $5-10 have been GTA, GTA, and GTA, and Minecraft... and they've been that way for a long, long time.

I already told you, I don't buy your argument that everyone in this thread has never used an online-only app before. That beggars belief and the unlikelihood of it is staggering given the prominence of the ones I've mentioned. But you go on believing it if you want to.

 

[ClivePwned]

I have a very long plane trip the week after the game is released so this would be great if there's someway to play this offline.

there was a period where I wasn't driving to work so I was catching the local bus and there happened to be a Vodafone mobile black spot in my town for the first 15 minutes of my bus trip (and at the stop) so for a while I tried to kill time with single player mobile games. The vast majority needed at least a 3G internet connection just to boot up.

The only one that didn't was that Uncharted game, but I didn't really enjoy that so I ended up playing bejewled and funnily enough PvZ 2 because they seemed to be ok without the net. The weirdest thing is the ones that wouldn't load with at least 3G were all single player FREE games needing an online check.

 

[Vince_Russo]

Is that worst neogaf posts twitter still around?

Because I use the internet? Even the poorest migrant workers here in China have 4G at all times. Maybe Nintendo isn't targeting people who can't afford to turn on the data feature on their smart phone.

 

[Brianimaniac]

Do trains in America not have free wi-fi or something?

Trains? That sort of thing exists in a handful of cities. America is a very big place and there's no such thing in an overwhelming chunk of it.

 

[guybrushfreeman]

You say I'm "very wrong" about what kind of paid apps cost that much, I show you you're wrong, and you scoff at my having looked at the rankings because... why? Because you think those rankings have changed a lot recently? I have news for you: most of the top-ranked paid apps on the App Store at $5-10 have been GTA, GTA, and GTA... and they've been that way for a long, long time.

I already told you, I don't buy your argument that everyone in this thread has never used an online-only app before. That beggars belief. But you go on believing it if you want to.

You know that list changes over time right? It doesn't stay the same, you can't just look at it once. People are saying they don't use online only apps in this thread. You are saying that can't be true but it is. Look around you, read people's comments and you'll see it's true. You've provided no evidence this is some anti-Nintendo thing, you're choosing not to believe the people posting in this thread with no evidence.

 

[jelly]

I've never come across this in any mobile game that isn't intentionally online like Wordament.

Bad decision.

 

[AgeEighty]

I have a very long plane trip the week after the game is released so this would be great if there's someway to play this offline.

If your plane trip is that long, are you really not going to spring for the in-flight wi-fi? I wouldn't do it just for the game, but I'd go crazy without being able to log on that whole time.

there was a period where I wasn't driving to work so I was catching the local bus and there happened to be a Vodafone mobile black spot in my town for the first 15 minutes of my bus trip (and at the stop) so for a while I tried to kill time with single player mobile games. The vast majority needed at least a 3G internet connection just to boot up.

The only one that didn't was that Uncharted game, but I didn't really enjoy that so I ended up playing bejewled and funnily enough PvZ 2 because they seemed to be ok without the net. The weirdest thing is the ones that wouldn't load with at least 3G were all single player FREE games needing an online check.

I don't know. According to GAF those games don't exist or they're all shovelware.

 

[toythatkills]

My bus to work goes through a few places where my phone can't pick up a signal, and I get fuck all on the London Underground too, probably the two places I'd be most likely to play a game like this.

lol, I guess.

Hope this thing can cope better than Pokémon Go did if they're forcing everyone to be online at all times. That's gonna be a lot of traffic in the first few hours.

 

[Lyng]

Does clash of clans work like that?

That's f2p not b2p

 

[AgeEighty]

You know that list changes over time right? It doesn't stay the same, you can't just look at it once. People are saying they don't use online only apps in this thread. You are saying that can't be true but it is. Look around you, read people's comments and you'll see it's true. You've provided no evidence this is some anti-Nintendo thing, you're choosing not to believe the people posting in this thread with no evidence.

I already told you: it hasn't changed much at all. I've looked at the list frequently over time. Minecraft has been at the top in that price range for years. The PS2 GTA ports have been there for a very, very long time. They don't change a lot at all, in that price range.

F2P games change a lot more often. Even cheaper paid ones change, albeit somewhat less often. But the expensive ones tend to have a lot of staying power, and those are the ones you said you were interested in comparing SMR with, remember?

One last time: This isn't about me "believing" people. In fact most people here have never even said "I have never played a game app with an online requirement,"; I think maybe one or two people have said this. Most of them have just been bitching that it doesn't fit with their travel plans. So you're inventing that on your own. And even among those who would say that, I also explained to you: I think a lot of them played ones they didn't even realize required them to be online, because they always were online when they played them. I'm sure there are a few who really never have, but I don't think it's anywhere remotely close to "everyone in the thread" like you're insisting it is.

We're wasting our time here going around in circles, and I'm done. You think what you want and I will think what I want.

 

[MUnited83]

"The people commenting don't use those apps and games" is nonsense. I'm sure that's true of some people, but like I said before: if you want to believe that the majority of people commenting here never played WWF Classic or Draw Something, or any other app with an online requirement, be my guest... but I don't buy that for a second. I've seen enough lengthy OTs for mobile games on NeoGAF, a bunch of which were online-only ones, to know better.

I'd also love to see evidence of how "very wrong" I am about other $5-10 games being largely ports of major franchises. I just went and scanned the Top Paid charts on my phone and I know that I'm not. Minecraft, Bully, NBA 2K, GTA San Andreas. Those are the top paid games right now in that price range.

I'm not even sure what you're trying to say anymore tbh. Yes, we know that games with online requirements are a thing. We also know there's a crapload of games that do not have it, and a game like Mario does not need such a thing. There's nothing left to discuss here.

 

[oti]

Lame.

 

[guybrushfreeman]

I already told you: it hasn't changed much at all. I've looked at the list frequently over time. Minecraft has been at the top in that price range for years. The PS2 GTA ports have been there for a very, very long time. They don't change a lot at all, in that price range.

F2P games change a lot more often. Even cheaper paid ones change, albeit somewhat less often. But the expensive ones tend to have a lot of staying power, and those are the ones you said you were interested in comparing SMR with, remember?

One last time: This isn't about me "believing" people. In fact most people here have never even said "I have never played a game app with an online requirement,"; I think maybe one or two people have said this. Most of them have just been bitching that it doesn't fit with their travel plans. So you're inventing that on your own. And even among those who would say that, I also explained to you: I think a lot of them played ones they didn't even realize required them to be online, because they always were online when they played them. I'm sure there are a few who really never have, but I don't think it's anywhere remotely close to "everyone in the thread" like you're insisting it is.

We're wasting our time here going around in circles, and I'm done. You think what you want and I will think what I want.

So your conclusion is that you don't like what they're saying so it must be a lie? Of course it's about you believing them, you're making up reasons to suggest what they're saying is untrue. If you believed them there'd be no reason to suggest they just secretly hate Nintendo in the first place

 

[hemo memo]

Not really on the go then becuase it requires Internet connection at all times. Rayman games on ios don't require an internet connection..

Rayman > Mario

 

[Clunker]

As a pretty regular iOS gamer, I think this generally won't effect too much of the way I play iPhone games, buuuuut the only thing staying my hand from the game (which I otherwise was going to buy right away) is that now I'm worried about how the game handles service interruption, getting a phone call or any server crashes/hiccups.

If any of those things mean that the game instantly craps out and I lose a good run, that would be a major buzzkill and might get me to not buy it. I'll happily wait a week or two and wait for you beta testers to report back on it.

Nintendo of all people should know the value and audience for an offline only mode, even if it is just a separate portion of the game. The tragic irony of Nintendo of all companies now under fire for actually forcing online on everyone.

Hope this thing can cope better than Pokémon Go did if they're forcing everyone to be online at all times. That's gonna be a lot of traffic in the first few hours.

Yep. Now imagine people paid 10 bucks to play it!

 

[Alpha_eX]

Do people honestly think that this game will constantly send/receive data, it's just going to be to rack up coins at the end of the level like in Street Fighter or something. Baffling decision as most players will want to play on commute.

Someone mentioned iPad, and that's a huge issues for kids in the backseats of cars, but like Pokemon Go, this game wasn't designed for iPad, it's marketed as a game you can play one handed.

I'm not happy about it because I'd like to play it on the commute and unlike Japan, we don't have mobile data underground.

 

[Shizuka]

Pass.

 

[Kouriozan]

Switch games to be online only.

"Cause piracy" isn't really a good answer, by the way.

 

[Forkball]

Guess you gotta bring out that Switch for your airplane Mario.

I don't think it will be a dealbreaker for many. People who often game on mobile are probably used to this aspect anyways, not to mention the prevalence of 3/4G. I do feel icky that an online-only Mario game does exist now though.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Do you know what an underground tunnel is

I travel through one every day back and forth to work and never lose connection.

In fact I'm posting this from an underground subway tunnel.

 

[m23]

Most of my commute is on the subway, so this automatically kills any chance of me buying the game...whenever it comes to android.

 

[toddhunter]

You say I'm "very wrong" about what kind of paid apps cost that much, I show you you're wrong, and you scoff at my having looked at the rankings because... why? Because you think those rankings have changed a lot recently? I have news for you: the top-ranked paid apps on the App Store at $5-10 have been GTA, GTA, and GTA, and Minecraft... and they've been that way for a long, long time.

I already told you, I don't buy your argument that everyone in this thread has never used an online-only app before. That beggars belief and the unlikelihood of it is staggering given the prominence of the ones I've mentioned. But you go on believing it if you want to.

I have 0 of these games because I do not buy them. I have hundreds of paid games I did buy, which do not require an online connection.

So do you agree with me that this is garbage? Fair enough to disagree with those "other people", but I know you have got my back.

 

[AgeEighty]

There isn't a paid version of the app anymore.

By the way, I just checked, and the version of the game I have—the one that prompts me to go online—is the current version of the app.

WWF Classic is a separate entry in the app store for me. The current version says "open" and the old version has a cloud download icon.

So if the new version has an offline mode, my app sure doesn't seem to have gotten the memo.

I have 0 of these games because I do not buy them. I have hundreds of paid games I did buy, which do not require an online connection.

So do you agree with me that this is garbage? Fair enough to disagree with those "other people", but I know you have got my back.

Not really. I also doubt that, as the owner of hundreds of paid apps, you've checked every single one of them when you were offline to verify that they booted and let you play, but hey, if you say so. And even if you have, I don't think your case really matches the majority here.

 

[@MUWANdo]

I cant see how thats tricky. Nintendo themself have made several of games with both online and offline portions, assumingly without any problems. I doubt that the next e.g Mario Kart for Switch will have always online because it also have online functionalities. That said, it being an anti piracy system is most likely the only reason indeed.

When they say it's tough to do I assume they mean it's tough to implement before the holiday season--they did admit that they brought Mario forward to capitalise on the success of Pokemon Go, after all.

I'm optimistic that they'll add offline mode for the core game eventually, maybe even sooner rather than later.

 

[ugly]

I saw verge posted about this, too. Fuck, I'm wondering if this will cost Nintendo. With how well Pokemon Go did, eyes are on SMR to take off. Always online seems like a catch thatll stop it being as much of a hit. If people cant commute and play, thats a yuge fault

 

[Linkstrikesback]

I don't remember the last time I played a phone game where I didn't have wifi. Even buses (and some trains) are getting wifi nowadays where I live so... Can't really be mad.