It’s no surprise that one of Nintendo’s main Holiday 2016 experiences has to do with Mario doing what he does best: running. Except this time, he is not being controlled by a controller, but the touch of a finger. Mario games have never been very complex in terms of gameplay, and that is likely why Nintendo made their most iconic figure transfer over to iOS devices (Android sometime next year). Mario running and jumping is a Nintendo staple, and even people who could not be more disconnected from video games surely are at least familiar with the physics behind the game. That is why I think it was brilliant for Nintendo to do this. The price point for the full game will turn some of the crowd away, but I predict this is going to be a massive success for Nintendo, and long term, they will be a big contributor to mobile gaming.

So, what’s next? I feel that some franchises will migrate over to mobile better than others. I have a tough time picturing a mobile Zelda game that brings the expansiveness and feeling of adventure that we are all used to with a console. I could possibly see Nintendo bringing it back to the classic style (per Link Between Worlds), but the mobile limitations alone would most likely water down what could be an otherwise rich experience.

Another direction Nintendo could take this would be to remake classic games (Ice Climbers, Balloon Fight, Excitebike, etc.) on mobile devices, since these games tend to have a simpler play style. With the recent release of the NES Classic Edition, these games are on the forefront of Nintendo’s radar, so maybe it’s a possibility that one day they will hit the mobile market. Of course, this is purely speculation, and Nintendo has proven time and time again that speculation usually amounts to no more.

Whatever the case, it will be interesting to see exactly where Nintendo goes with this, because right now, the market is still being tested. Are mobile devices better suited for $1.99 puzzle games, or $9.99 games that have had much more development invested in them. The money will talk, and Nintendo will surely respond. This season, however, the more Mario runs, the happier Nintendo will be. Who knows, he may even pave the way for other franchises.