Super Mario Run will need an active internet connection to play

Super Mario Run is coming out December 15th, but to play it you’ll need an active internet connection. That means no using the game on a subway or plane — unless you’re above ground or connected to Wi-Fi. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto conformed this detail in an interview with Mashable, saying the requirement was introduced to curb piracy.

“For us, we view our software as being a very important asset,” said Miyamoto. “And also for consumers who are purchasing the game, we want to make sure that we're able to offer it to them in a way that the software is secure [...] We wanted to be able to leverage that network connection with all three of the [game] modes to keep all of the modes functioning together and offering the game in a way that keeps the software secure.”

When asked if “security” referred to the risk of piracy, Miyamoto said: “That’s correct.” He added that Nintendo had considered making the single-player World Tour story mode available offline, but that doing so would have “[complicated] the connection back to the Toad Rally and Kingdom modes,” which rely on mobile data. In Toad Rally you can challenge “ghost” versions of other players to complete a course fastest, and in Mushroom Kingdom you can create and share your own courses.

The news will be a disappointment for Mario fans hoping to get to grips with the game during (offline) commutes, but if Nintendo has created a compelling-enough title, it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.