Mobile Application Development For Game Theory

Evaluation of Super Mario Run on game theory

Discuss about the Mobile Application Development for Game Theory.

The Game Theory includes the concept of mechanics, usability, design patterns, playability heuristics, and context of the game (Myerson 2013). The modern games consist of various technological equipments and postures for developing the features of games and provide the gamers with discrete experiences. The games can be classified into action, racing, board, simulation, sports, and role playing. The following essay has been made on the topic of the application of game theory for reviewing a game. The game selected is Super Mario Run that is currently available only in IOS platform (Apple Newsroom 2017). The game play would be reviewed on the basis of the factors of the game theory.

The game Super Mario Run was launched in the mid of December 2016 on the IOS platform. Nintendo had developed the game for the mobile users and made it available for the I-phone and I-pad users (Expert Reviews. 2017). The launch of the game was already in buzz and Nintendo saw millions of downloads of the game within the week of the launch. The elite game has been the friend and best time pass for billions of children from all over the world. The game has kept the same features of plumber moves, jumps and smacks that was available in the old video games. However, Nintendo had added its flavor of technology for the game and kept it limited to IOS platform. They want to test the game on the IOS platform before launching it for the Android and Windows platform as IOS has the most secured features and there would be no chances of game server being hacked (Forbes.com 2017). The Game Theory includes the concept of mechanics, usability, design patterns, playability heuristics, and context of the game. Hence, the Super Mario Run would be evaluated on these factors.

Game Mechanics of Super Mario Run: The game mechanics are rules and methods that define the interaction of the users with the game state (Myerson 2013). Although all the games work on mechanics, their styles and theories are different. The game mechanics has set of rules and it involves input from the players to cause any response in the game. The game mechanics are the technical implications of the project operations. The game Super Mario Run on IOS has auto running feature along with hops and jumps as in the video games (Hoggins 2016). The game allows the users to tap on screen for making the plumber character flips, wall jumps, dashes, and slides. The character can be made to response on the fingertips of the users. The sprinting of the Mario allows it to pass thorough the various levels of the game. The mechanics of the game is based on the single tap of the users. The tap functions according to the required activity of the character. Sometimes, the Mario has to jump, wall jumps, flips, slides or dashes with just one tap on the screen.

Game Mechanics of Super Mario Run

Game Usability of Super Mario Run: The gaming experience of the users has been improved with the ease of controls used. The usability of the game depends upon the functions and their simplicity for operating any work. The usability can also be defined as the efficiency of the program for elegantly completing the allocated work (Colman 2016). The better functionality of the game would make the system more compatible to complete the operations. The Super Mario Run on IOS has the one tap activity feature. The game can be played single handed by just tapping on the screen. The use of the single tap has made Super Mario Run very effective and better performing game. The game has the most prior function of operating all the functions of Mario character (flips, wall jumps, dashes, and slides). The options of the game movements are automatically defined with the surroundings. The character would adapt the functions required for overcoming the blockage and rigor of the path (Martin 2016). The simple usability would help in easing the process of playing the game and getting best user experience.

Game design patterns of Super Mario Run: The game design is the structure of the game interface and its description for activities. The game design patterns include the function of the games that can be used for providing the active user experience in the game (Express.co.uk 2016). The game design patterns are based on the type of game (action, racing, board, simulation, sports, and role playing). The game design patterns are made from the ideas and inspiration accrued in the designer of the game. Super Mario Run in IOS has been inspired from the video game that was played on television for years. Nintendo has made the game available for mobile devices (IOS platform for now). The design of the game consists of a plumber (Mario) going through various pipeline and dealing with various obstacles in the path. According to Nintendo Co. (2017), the game can be played on three modes one is core mode where the users would actually play the story line game play, second is the toad rally mode where the users would compete with other ghost players, and third is the mushroom kingdom area where the players would collect coins and awards.

Playability heuristics of Super Mario Run: The Playability heuristics is the analysis of the playable function of the game (Price 2016). The method is useful for evaluating and revealing the experimental aspects of the game. The application of the playability heuristics is based on the typical evaluation of the expert session. It is the most cheap and fastest method for analyzing the functionality of the game. There is no requirement for analyzing the activities by any expert concepts or theories. The analysis is simply based on the user experience from the game (Sorensen, Olsen and Risi 2016). The Super Mario Run provides the most simple and affective playability option for the users. The appearance of the Super Mario Run is traditional side scrolling game UX. The character Mario runs automatically like in games like Temple Run (RUN 2017). The user can control the jumps and there are some variations too. Single tap would allow the user for hop and the holding down of the finger would provide longer jumps. The character is capable of wall jumps, catapult action, fluttering in the air, and grabbing on the ledges. Environmental features include the change of the game to vertical progression by tilting the phone in portrait mode. The Mario can also use the zigzag movement option for crossing some higher levels.

Game Usability of Super Mario Run

Game Context of Super Mario Run: The game context includes the structure of the 24 levels and it has been named world tour as it crosses six worlds (Stickers and Nintendo Co. 2017). The player had to go through various levels of the game while collecting coins and prizes. The player would have to go through a game stage multiple times with different routes and paths taken. The game allows one hand motion for the 2D structured game. The Super Mario Run game has been formed and launched in the IOS platform. The game supports two types of motions for Mario (The Sydney Morning Herald 2016). One is the long right directional automatic sprint across the fields and valleys and the other one is vertical motion in which the users would have to make the Mario character jump and hop through the levels.

However, the game is sluggish and it requires lot of patience for getting through the vast level. The unlocking of the new character is also a pain. The app requires a onetime purchase of the game and the cost of the game is of $9.99. The cost of the game is a problem as everyone does not want to spend such amount only for a game. Furthermore, the game requires the mobile device to be online. It would exhaust the data of the mobile and network connection. The network requirement results in game malfunctioning in absence of the strong network.

Conclusion

The development of the gaming technology has resulted in formation of the most significant and affective gaming experience for the users. The allowances of the innovative tools and techniques have resulted in formation of the graphically advanced games and applications. The Super Mario Run is a mobile game that Nintendo had developed the game for the mobile users (I-phone and I-pad users). The launch of the game had seen millions of downloads of the game within the week of the launch. The Game Theory that includes the concept of mechanics, usability, design patterns, playability heuristics, and context of the game had been used for evaluating the functionality, design, and operations of the Super Mario Run game available on IOS platform.

References

Apple Newsroom. (2017). Super Mario debuts on iPhone and iPad. [online] Available at: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/12/super-mario-debuts-on-iphone-and-ipad.html [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

Colman, A.M., 2016. Game theory and experimental games: The study of strategic interaction. Elsevier.

Expert Reviews. (2017). Super Mario Run UK review: iOS gets a price hike, with Android launch date looming. [online] Available at: https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/nintendo/1405444/super-mario-run-uk-review-ios-gets-a-price-hike-with-android-launch-date-looming [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

Forbes.com. (2017). Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/games/2016/12/19/super-mario-run-review-one-step-forward/#7e825a215c8c [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

Hoggins, T. (2016). Super Mario Run review. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gaming/what-to-play/super-mario-run-review/ [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

Martin, L. (2016). Super Mario Run REVIEW: A high price to pay for no offline play. [online] Express.co.uk. (2016). Available at: https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/743953/Super-Mario-Run-review-Apple-iOS-Android-release-date [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

Myerson, R.B., 2013. Game theory. Harvard university press.

Nintendo Co., L. (2017). Nintendo Co., Ltd. Apps on the App Store. [online] iTunes. Available at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/developer/nintendo-co.-ltd./id1062496488 [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

Price, D. (2016). Review: Super Mario Run is a free auto runner, except it’s good. [online] Macworld UK. Available at: https://www.macworld.co.uk/review/ios-games/super-mario-run-review-out-now-3651463/ [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

RUN, S. (2017). SUPER MARIO RUN. [online] Nintendo.com. Available at: https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/super-mario-run-ios [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

Sorensen, P.D., Olsen, J.M. and Risi, S., 2016, July. Interactive Super Mario Bros Evolution. In Proceedings of the 2016 on Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Companion (pp. 41-42). ACM.

Stickers, S. and Nintendo Co., L. (2017). Super Mario Run Stickers on the App Store. [online] App Store. Available at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-mario-run-stickers/id1152842283?mt=8 [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].

The Sydney Morning Herald. (2016). Super Mario Run: will Nintendo and Apple’s partnership take off?. [online] Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/technology/games/super-mario-run-will-nintendo-and-apples-partnership-take-off-20161213-gt9u8u.html [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017].