Check out this awesome video by Mari Lesterberg (via Laughing Squid). It’s a MIDI Drawing where she draws a story—about Mario, in this case—with MIDI notes. That makes it both a soundtrack and a story, which is intensely clever. She has many more, including a still dedication to Frank Zappa, stories about cars and trains, and childrens’ fairy tales. Ms. Lesterberg is a performing musician, which is always awesome, but these MIDI projects are just too cool.
Super Mario
![Report: 3% of Super Mario Run Users Paid to Unlock the Game [Updated]](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/super-mario-run-purchase.jpg)
Report: 3% of Super Mario Run Users Paid to Unlock the Game [Updated]
Many hoped that Nintendo’s single in-app purchase approach for Super Mario Run would save us from the microtransaction free-to-play hell that is the iOS App Store. And while heavy marketing from Apple and the Nintendo brand gave it a boost, in the end only about 3% of users are estimated to have paid.
Super Mario Run Collects $5 Million in Coins in 24 Hours
Super Mario Run has garnered as many as five million downloads and US$5 million in revenue in just the first 24 hours since the game launched. VentureBeat rounded up estimates from three third party app metric services, with two of the three offering estimates in that range. If accurate, it would represent a 20% conversion rate of people who have download the free-to-download game. Nintendo gives users access to three levels, plus a tiny taste of the boss level, in the free download. For $9.99, users can unlock the whole game. $5 million is not a lot of money to a company like Apple—and Apple’s cut would be roughly $1.5 million—but it’s likely to be significant for any gaming company. Especially in the first 24 hours. Mobile gaming is big, and Apple has been pushing Super Mario Run hard (as Jeff and I discussed in Friday’s Daily Observations). It would seem that Apple’s user base is responding well to that push. Just for fun, the game’s trailer is below.
Super Mario Run, Astra for iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-16
Super Mario Run hit Apple’s App Store yesterday, so today Bryan Chaffin joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the game and whether or not it’s worth the US$9.99 in-app purchase. They also talk about why Astra is an awesome iPhone app for Amazon Echo and Echo Dot owners.
Super Mario Run Already the Top Grossing App Store Title
Nintendo released Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad Thursday afternoon, and by early Friday morning it was already the top grossing and top free title on Apple’s App Store. The game is a free download with a US$9.99 in-app purchase to unlock extra levels, and considering Mario’s top spot on the App Store plenty of players are happy to pay up.
Super Mario Run Available for iPhone and iPad
As promised, Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad launched on Apple’s App Store on Thursday. The game marks Mario’s first official appearance on Apple’s mobile devices and was first teased this fall, and if the hype is any indication productivity is going to take a serious hit for the rest of today.
Super Mario Run Requires an Internet Connection to Because Nintendo is Afraid of Piracy
If you’re planning on playing Super Mario Run on your next flight the plane better have WiFi because it requires an always-on internet connection. Nintendo says that’s by design because they want to prevent game piracy.
Shigeru Miyamoto Playing Super Mario Bros Theme is the Coolest Thing this Week
If you don’t know the Super Mario Bros. theme, odds are you’re in one of those South American tribes that hasn’t ever had contact with modern man, which also means you’re missing out on one of the most awesome thing of this week: Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto playing the game’s theme song. He teamed up with The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’s band, The Roots, and it’s more fun than a bag full of Koopas. Check it out, and if you aren’t smiling along with Shigeru then you’ll probably fail the Voight-Kampff test, too.