The $580 million Super Nintendo World debuts Feb. 4 at Universal Studios Japan with soft opening previews already underway.
The world’s first Super Nintendo World themed land will let Universal Studios Japan visitors climb behind the wheel of a life-size Mario Kart race car and step inside a real-world version of a video game filled with interactive piranha plants, thwomps and question mark boxes. The $580 million Super Nintendo World debuts Feb.4 at Universal Studios Japan with soft opening previews already underway. SEE ALSO: Top 21 for 2021: Best new attractions coming to U.S. theme parks The new video game-inspired land was initially scheduled to open in July at Universal Studios Japan in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo — but that was before the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe. The Japanese theme park outside Osaka reopened in June after an extended coronavirus closure. Super Nintendo World will feature the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge augmented reality racing car ride, Yoshi’s Adventure indoor-outdoor kiddie ride, Kinopio’s Cafe restaurant, Pit Stop Popcorn and Yoshi’s Snack Island food stands and 1Up Factory retail shop. Visitors will enter Super Nintendo World through a green warp tunnel that takes them into a compact and colorful landscape alive with animatronic scenery. Spinning gold coins, question mark boxes and other video game booty frame life-size versions of Peach’s Castle and Bowser’s Castle. Throughout the land, visitors wearing Power-Up Bands can take part in game play inspired by Nintendo video games. SEE ALSO: Imagineer Joe Rohde reflects on 40 years of dreaming up Disney theme park attractions Universal announced plans to build lands based on Nintendo video games and characters in 2016. Universal Studios Hollywood will get a more compact version of Super Nintendo World — although an opening date has not been announced. The California Nintendo land will reportedly include the Mario Kart ride, restaurant and shop without the Yoshi ride. A larger version of Super Nintendo World was planned for Universal’s upcoming Epic Universe theme park — which has now been put on indefinite hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
