Super Nintendo World Opening Day, Rides, And Location - What We Know So Far
The Mushroom Kingdom is soon going to be a real place that real people can visit in the real world, as long as they purchase a ticket to a Universal Studios theme park. Super Nintendo World, as the attraction is called, is scheduled to be added to Universal Studios parks first in Osaka, Japan, and then in Universal City, California. It will also be a part of Epic Universe, which is supposed to open in Orlando, Florida on a date yet to be determined in 2024 or later, a result of construction delays caused by the ongoing pandemic.
A recent trailer for the inaugural Super Nintendo World in Osaka, Japan, revealed, among other details, the date of its opening to be February 4, 2021 — barring any new pandemic-related complications. California, meanwhile, will have to wait a currently nebulous amount of time, as its debut is planned for some time in either 2021 or 2022. The lack of details on that park are likely a cushion for the comparatively worse pandemic conditions stateside.
Drive like Mario
The new trailer for Super Nintendo World focuses primarily on the attraction's centerpiece: a Mario Kart ride.
First, before being given the chance to hop into their appropriately cartoony vehicles, riders will pass through a replica of Bowser's Castle, which serves as the ride's waiting area. Shown in the trailer is a wide, red-carpeted staircase leading up to a sepia-toned statue of King Koopa himself at just the hulking size Bowser should be when stacked up against a regular human being.
Each kart can hold up to four riders. The trailer shows off a red Mario-themed kart and a green Luigi-themed cart, trailed by what appears to be a kart in a third color. Vehicles are separated onto two parallel tracks, approximating the experience of a race as closely as a preset, on-rails ride possibly could.
The ride is also rumored to include an AR component, making use of goggles allowing riders to see and throw items, just as their virtual counterparts do.
Earlier this year, a lawsuit filed by Nintendo put a stop to an unlicensed Mario Kart-themed tour company in Japan. This makes Universal the only source for a licensed, in-person Mario Kart experience.
Be like Mario
While Mario Kart will likely be Super Nintendo World's main draw, both a mockup of the park and an aerial photo taken of its construction paint a clearer picture of the attraction overall.
One ride, called "Yoshi's Adventure," lets participants board one of the lovable Dinos and progress through what appears to be a fairly standard, slow-moving track. While most of Super Nintendo World resembles a basic outdoor Mario level, one corner is devoted to a replica of Princess Peach's castle.
The closest attendees can come to feeling like Mario himself is thanks to a smartphone app that adds AR functionality to the entirety of the Super Nintendo World zone. With the purchase of a wristband that connects to the app, visitors can jump and hit actual, physical Question Blocks that award coins, making the quintessential Mario action a real possibility in the real-life adaptation of his home world. Points earned from coins and other challenges will apparently allow players to face bosses from the video game series' own rogues' gallery.
If all goes according to plan, more details should come to light about Super Nintendo World leading up to and following its opening in Osaka, Japan on February 4, 2021.