Super Nintendo World

Super Nintendo World is a themed area at Universal Studios Japan, and under construction at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Singapore and the upcoming Universal's Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort. The area is based mainly on the Super Mario, Mario Kart and Yoshi’s Island franchises, and it is planned to have a Donkey Kong themed expansion in the future.

Not to be confused with Super Mario World or Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
Super Nintendo World
ThemeNintendo
Attractions
Total2 confirmed
StatusUnder construction
Universal Studios Japan
Coordinates34°39′53″N 135°25′59″E
StatusOperating
Opened4 February 2021 (2021-02-04)
Universal Studios Hollywood
StatusUnder construction
OpensTBD
Universal's Epic Universe
StatusUnder construction
OpensTBD
Universal Studios Singapore
StatusPlanned
OpensTBD

History

Following several years of declining gaming revenue and console market share, Nintendo sought avenues to leverage and develop its intellectual properties, entering into a theme park partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts.[1][2] The partnership, announced in May 2015[1] and detailed the next year, would use Mario[3] and other Nintendo franchises as themes in the dedicated areas of Universal theme parks.[4][5] The ¥40 billion ($351 million U.S.) collaboration built for Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is similar in scale to Universal's investment in the Harry Potter franchise.[4] The first concept image of the land was unveiled on December 12, 2016.[6]

Construction on the land at Universal Studios Japan began in June 2017 with a groundbreaking ceremony.[7][8]On January 13, 2020, Nintendo released a video on YouTube for the upcoming land, using the song "We Are Born to Play" by Galantis ft. Charli XCX.[9] The land's opening was initially planned for completion before the 2020 Summer Olympics, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 15, 2020, Universal Studios Japan released a new promo image featuring several details of the land.[10] On December 18, 2020, a Nintendo Direct about the land went live on Nintendo's official YouTube channel, featuring Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto hosting a tour around a small fraction of the land. On December 26, 2020, the land soft opened to limited previews for Universal Studios Japan annual passholders.[11]

On November 30, 2020, Universal officially announced that the land would open at Universal Studios Japan on February 4, 2021, however in January the opening was once again delayed indefinitely after the city of Osaka reimposed a state of emergency in response to a third wave of COVID-19 infections in the city. However, guests with a Universal Studios Japan annual pass are allowed to visit the area as of February 4, 2021.[12] [4]

Design

Universal Studios Japan

At Universal Studios Japan, Super Nintendo World is wedged in at the northern end of the park, west of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and south of the Ivano Studios Center and the 1924 Hubs that are just outside of the property. Guests enter the park through a warp pipe from an entrance plaza. The entrance plaza can be accessed from a walkway that branches right next to the WaterWorld sign. The entrance plaza has lamp posts, a power star in the pavement, and Super Nintendo World signage next to the pipe. The pipe leads into Princess Peach's Castle. When guests exit the castle, they enter the 2 level courtyard on the 2nd floor, immersed in the Mushroom Kingdom with Bowser's Castle across the area.

Future locations

On January 24, 2020, Universal confirmed that a Super Nintendo World themed area would be included in the upcoming Epic Universe park at Universal Orlando Resort.[13] The park was originally scheduled to open in 2023 however construction has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction has begun on the land at Universal Studios Hollywood, although it has yet to be officially announced or acknowledged by Universal.[14] [5][15] There are also plans to bring Super Nintendo World to Universal Studios Singapore,[16] but no timeframe has been announced.

Attractions (Universal Studios Japan)

Attractions
  • Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge – An interactive dark roller coaster-like ride attraction featuring augmented reality technology based on the Mario Kart franchise.[17]
  • Yoshi's Adventure – An omnimover ride themed after the Yoshi character and series.
  • Power Up Band Key Challenges - A treasure-hunt style interactive attraction which tasks players with retrieving keys to defeat Bowser Jr. requiring a separately sold Power Up Band and the official Universal Studios Japan app.

Dining & Shopping
  • 1UP Factory
  • Mario Motors
  • Kinopio's Cafe
  • Pit Stop Popcorn
  • Yoshi's Snack Island

Future Donkey Kong expansion

On July 7, 2019, official models of Super Nintendo World leaked, including models of a Donkey Kong area. The leaked models were dated 2016.[18]

Later, on November 30, 2020, Bloomberg Quicktake's Kurumi Mori said that Nintendo is already building a rumored Donkey Kong area next door to Super Nintendo World.[19] The next month, following December 18's Super Nintendo World Direct hosted by Shigeru Miyamoto, a dataminer and Donkey Kong fan on Twitter named Kremling Kampaigner datamined the Universal Studios Japan app after it was updated to include a Super Nintendo World tab. The datamine unearthed Donkey Kong stickers, and Kremling Kampaigner posted the datamined stickers on Twitter, suggesting a Donkey Kong expansion is on the way.[20]

References
  1. Villas-Boas, Antonio (May 7, 2015). "Nintendo's huge new deal with Universal shows just how far it'll go to turn the ship around". Business Insider. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  2. Pallotta, Frank (May 7, 2015). "Nintendo and Universal power up for theme park attractions". CNN. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  3. Loo, Egan (November 29, 2016). "Universal Confirms Nintendo Attractions Are Coming to Both Orlando & Hollywood Parks". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  4. Ashcraft, Brian (March 5, 2016). "First Details on Nintendo's Universal Studios Collaboration". Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 15, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  5. McWhertor, Michael (December 12, 2016). "Nintendo's first Universal Studios park attraction is called Super Nintendo World". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  6. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 12, 2016). "Universal Studios Japan Reveals 1st Concept Image for 'Super Nintendo World' Attraction". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  7. Frank, Allegra (June 8, 2017). "Super Nintendo World's groundbreaking ceremony is weird and wonderful". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  8. Kim, Matt (June 8, 2017). "The Trailer for Universal's Super Nintendo World Continues to Raise Serious Questions About Mario". USgamer. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  9. "SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ JAPAN: Galantis ft. Charli XCX - WE ARE BORN TO PLAY (Music Video)". Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  10. https://nintendowire.com/news/2020/10/15/pikmin-spotted-in-new-official-super-nintendo-world-art/. Retrieved October 15, 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. Carpenter, Nicole (30 November 2020). "Super Nintendo World theme park opens Feb. 4 — see the new Mario Kart ride". Polygon.
  12. "Surging virus cases in Japan tank Nintendo theme park opening". The Japan Times. January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  13. https://www.travelpulse.com/news/entertainment/super-nintendo-world-confirmed-for-new-universal-theme-park.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. Blake, Vikki (September 16, 2019). "First Super Nintendo World theme park will open in spring 2020". MCV/Develop. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  15. Frank, Allegra (June 8, 2017). "Super Nintendo World looks like a dream come true in first teaser". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  16. Mohan, Matthew (April 3, 2019). "Singapore's two integrated resorts set to grow with S$9 billion investment plan". CNA. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  17. Mochizuki, Takashi (30 November 2020). "Universal Studios to Open $580 Million Nintendo Park in February". Bloomberg.com.
  18. https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/super-nintendo-world-model-photos-leak/
  19. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nintendos-theme-park-opening-confirmed-for-february-donkey-kong-area-in-construction
  20. https://gamerant.com/super-nintendo-world-donkey-kong-datamine/
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