Isai RochaUniversal Studios Hollywood announced it would be opening a new area of the park called Super Nintendo World on February 17, 2023.
The theme of the park will be heavily focused on Super Mario, led by a Mario Kart ride, multiple castles featured in the videogame and a new restaurant.
Bowser statue inside Bowser’s Castle where the Mario Kart ride (Courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood)
The track ride, officially titled Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, will be a 4D attraction where riders will be given goggles, similar to Universal’s Transformers ride, and travel through a course alongside Princess Peach, Toad and Mario, with 3D screens covering the walls.
For those looking for new eats at the park, the “Toadstool Cafe” will be opening up, although a menu has yet to be announced.
I video board of Toad greeting guests at the Toadstool Cafe in Universal Studios Super Nintendo World. (Courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood)
A version of Super Nintendo World first opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2020, with seemingly similar attraction concepts. In Japan, the ride seems to go with Bowser’s alternate name of King Koopa for the ride, but the Toad-themed restaurant looks to be similar from what has been shown in promotional videos, as has the merchandise shop.
Universal will adopt a “Power-up Band” concept, where guests can purchase a wearable device that can be scanned at different areas of the Nintendo land where challenges are set up. The bands allow the wearer to collect digital coins and if applied similarly to the Japan park, can be tracked through a Universal Studios mobile app.
The Super Nintendo World Shop will not be inside the park, however, with Universal opting to place it within its CityWalk, just outside the park.
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