Nintendo Co. will release "Super Mario Run" worldwide for Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad on Dec. 15 in U.S. time zones, a highly anticipated launch that has a high bar for success after this summer's "Pokemon Go" phenomenon.

The game, the first mobile edition starring one of Nintendo's most iconic characters, will be free to download initially, and include an optional one-off payment of $9.99 to unlock all of the features. In addition to English and Japanese, "Super Mario Run" will be available in several other languages, Nintendo said in a statement Tuesday.

The model of luring in players with a free version and then a one-time price is "a great strategy by Nintendo," said Neil Campling, an analyst at Northern Trust Capital Markets. Many successful mobile games, such as Supercell Oy's "Clash of Clans," which is also free but lets players buy "gems" with real-world currency, have seen annual spending of $100 a year per gamer, he said.