Super Mario Is Coming To Your iPhone — The Dream Is Alive!

First came Angry Birds, then Candy Crush, then 100 Balls. But, the latest iOS game to make smartphone history will eclipse all others. One word: Nintendo.   Okay, so that's not one game. It's a million possibilities, including some of our most beloved video games of all time. Because today, the Japanese consumer-electronics company, famous for making Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Princess Peach household names, announced a groundbreaking venture to bring its gaming experience to your smartphone, powered through the Tokyo-based mobile software giant DeNA.  As The Daily Dot reports, there were more than, um, a few obstacles to navigate before the happy partnership came into being. Nintendo, which forged its path as a gaming institution back in the 1970s and '80s with Donkey Kong, has been outspokenly anti the recent iOS gaming boom. In fact, back in 2013, CEO Satoru Iwata dissed the need to franchise Nintendo onto smartphone devices, telling a Wall Street Journal reporter, "But if we think 20 years down the line, we may look back at the decision not to supply Nintendo games to smartphones and think that is the reason why the company is still here."  Whatever the cause for the change of heart, we couldn't be happier. No date yet on when to kick off your "don't-distract-me-I-need-to-get-past-level-5" addiction, or the specific games on deck, but a joint statement promises that "both companies will develop and operate new game apps based on Nintendo's IP, including its iconic game characters, for smart devices." "Iconic" can only mean a Super Mario revival, with all the kids in the Mushroom Kingdom in tow, and possibly some Pokémon and Pikachu action. We don't consider ourselves hardcore gamers by any means, but we're kind of freaking out here. Koopa Troopas, we're comin' for you.... (The Daily Dot)