Super Mario Run to make the jump to Android in March 2017

Any gamer in the world recognizes the little Italian plumber who goes around jumping. Anyone who doesn’t has to have been living the past 30 years in a cave, but it’s never too late to meet him. Super Mario, that Nintendo hero, has confirmed the news that now has us Android gamers on tenterhooks: the new smartphone game Super Mario Run is coming to Android in March. This game is the perfect addition to the platformer genre that’s already so popular on Android. Soon the days of glaring at iOS gamers with envy will be behind us.

The arrival of this Android game was always a sure thing, confirmed by Nintendo since the game came out for Apple devices. But we’ve still been biting our nails down to nubbins while awaiting the announcement of the actual release date. And though it’s true that we don’t have the full date yet, at least we now know it will be sometime in March. Two months that are sure to fly by.

#SuperMarioRun will arrive on Android in March. You can pre-register in Google Play to be notified when it launches! https://t.co/u4H9bxVi9R pic.twitter.com/Hd5uzRcYcK

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 19, 2017

This announcement came during the recent Nintendo Direct, alongside the release date announcement of Fire Emblem Heroes, another of the game franchises from the Japanese developer that’s also on the way to smartphones. And that strategy game actually does have a date to mark on your calendars: February 2 for Android, though the date for iOS is still a mystery. The year 2017 is looking great for Android gamers.

Super Mario Run hasn’t gotten quite as warm a welcome on iOS as our little plumber may have wished, but controversies surrounding how much it costs aside, we’ve gotta say that the game has all the real essence of Nintendo condensed down for smartphones. Which Android users can find out for themselves very soon. Meanwhile, you can always enjoy these eight Super Mario Run alternatives that are already available for download.