Super Nintendo World, the innovative, immersive and highly-anticipated themed land, officially opens at Universal Studios Hollywood on Friday, February 17, 2023. This exciting debut marks Super Nintendo World’s official arrival to the United States.
The all-new, dynamic land at Universal Studios will be located within a newly expanded area of Universal Studios Hollywood. Super Nintendo World will feature the groundbreaking Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge ride, as well as many thrilling and interactive activities designed to engage the entire family within the Mushroom Kingdom. Along with themed dining at the Toadstool Café and shopping at the 1-UP Factory retail store, Super Nintendo World will be an inspiring, game-changing addition to the world-famous theme park.
From the moment guests pass through the iconic green pipe, they experience a journey filled with exploration, discovery, and play. Their journey begins as they enter Peach’s Castle before venturing further into the colorful Mushroom Kingdom.
Super Nintendo World will sweep guests into the 360-degree world of Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach where they will become an integral part of their exhilarating universe. Plus, with purchase of a Power-Up Band — wearable, interactive wristbands — guests will be able to deepen their interactions.
As the countdown to the grand opening begins, here’s a sneak peek of what to expect:
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge: This all-new, technologically advanced ride, inspired by the popular Mario Kart video game series, will seamlessly fuse cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces along a moving ride track. Set against a multi-sensory backdrop of color, sound and movement, guests will be seated in stadium-style, four-seat vehicles as they navigate familiar courses through the creative use and integration of head-mounted AR goggles. This unique feature is a key point of differentiation that distinguishes this ride from other theme park attractions.
- The premise of Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is simple but equally inspiring and challenging, appealing to guests of all ages regardless of gaming experience. As part of Team Mario, guests will steer through underwater courses and courses in the clouds to compete for the Golden Cup while collecting coins to defeat Team Bowser and win. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge raises the stakes for guests as an intriguing and repeatable ride with a variety of outcomes.
- Mount Beanpole: This towering landmark sits at the heart of the land and also serves as the entry queue for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
- Bowser’s Castle: Adorned with a breathtaking sculpture of a large and powerful Bowser, this structure serves as a key centerpiece of the land, home to Super Nintendo World’s signature ride, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. As guests navigate the winding corridors and pass through the hall of medallions and trophies of the ominous castle towards the Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge ride, they will learn more about Bowser’s calculated plans to defeat Team Mario for the coveted Golden Cup.
- Power-Up Band: These wearable, state-of-the-art wristbands sync with Universal Studios Hollywood’s free downloadable app to level-up the guest experience within the land and enhance its many interactive elements. These include, but are not limited to, keeping individual and team scores, collecting digital coins, and obtaining keys after winning challenges throughout the land. Power-Up Bands will also invite guests to enjoy extra-special interactions with Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach. They will come in six design options with character themes and will be available for purchase both within the land and at Super Nintendo World retail shops located in the theme park and on City Walk.
- Interactive Gameplay: Within the land, guests will become fully engulfed in an engaging world of real-life gameplay, including punching ? Blocks to collect digital coins and a variety of interactives. They will discover a new dimension of Super Nintendo World via the interactive binoculars employing augmented reality technology positioned within the land. Guests can beat the four Key Challenges and collect keys from Goomba, Koopa Troopa, Piranha Plant, and Thwomp interactive activities to ultimately allow access to the culminating boss battle with Bowser Jr. These energetic, familiar, and fun interactive games will further enhance the entire kinetic experience within the land and immerse guests into the unique world of Super Mario.
- Toadstool Café: The land’s signature restaurant Toadstool Café will serve a gourmet menu perfected by Chef Toad where he will greet guests upon entry. Menu items prepared fresh daily include Toadstool Cheesy Garlic Knots, Super Mushroom Soup, Piranha Plant Caprese, Mario Bacon Cheeseburger, Luigi Pesto Chicken Burger, ? Block Tiramisu, and Princess Peach Cupcake.
- 1-UP Factory: What better way to commemorate a visit to Super Nintendo World than to visit the 1-UP Factory retail shop to purchase collectable memorabilia. The 1-UP Factory will offer an extensive selection of merchandise from Mario and Luigi themed apparel to iconic character hats and an array of plush characters, including Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Bowser.
Universal Studios released a teaser video in conjunction with announcing the opening date, which you can check out below:
Super Nintendo World is conceived in partnership with Nintendo and the visionaries at Universal Creative to deliver exhilarating entertainment with innovative technological achievements inspired by characters and video games that have appealed to Nintendo fans for generations.
More information and details will be shared soon. In the meantime, guests can visit Universal Studios Hollywood for theme park updates.
