Nintendo is working on its first ever free-to-play game, in a sign that the Japanese videogame giant may be willing to experiment with its decades-old business model after all.

The creator of Super Mario Bros. is considering releasing by March next year a free version of its submarine strategy game Steel Diver for its consoles, such as the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Through the move the company hopes to win new users and expand its digital business, a Nintendo spokesman said Thursday, citing comments by executives over the last week.

Nintendo has always focused on developing exclusive software with a broad enough appeal to get people to buy the hardware to play them. President Satoru Iwata has so far stubbornly resisted any suggestion that the company might veer from its console-based strategy to create content for mobile phones. Nintendo has been proven right time and again, with blockbusters such as Zelda, Donkey Kong, Pokemon, and Super Mario Bros. attracting hordes of gamers to its consoles.

But after navigating all manner of complex obstacles and defeating a diverse range of enemies, it seems Nintendo's Mario may have met his match with the smartphone, unless he changes tactics. The company's latest willingness to try out free-to-play games reveals an awareness that some changes, even on a small-scale at first, need to be made.

A new generation of young users is downloading game apps for smartphones and tablet computers by the millions, bypassing the game consoles favored by previous generations and contributing to disappointing sales for Nintendo's latest game machines. Smartphone game makers typically make money out of free-to-play games by charging for additional items that enhance users' game-playing experience--a business model that has turned out to be surprisingly profitable.