Whether or not you’ve outgrown standard theme parks, it’s hard to deny the appeal of being completely immersed in an idiosyncratic world of pop culture references, rides – for both kids and adults – and questionable themed food. There are many grown folks out there who still crave a good theme park, so the market should be as solid as ever when Super Nintendo World opens next year at Universal Studios Hollywood.
The very first Super Nintendo World outside of Japan will start welcoming guests from February 17, 2023 which is just a few months before the theatrical release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie with Chris Pratt and Jack Black. Following that will be another Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Orlando in Floria, although the opening date for that one has not yet been revealed.
The project serves as a video game-themed sector of the existing Universal Studios, located in the lower section of the park. From details released so far, it appears that this project will mostly mirror the original Super Nintendo World which was opened under the Universal imprint in Japan in 2021.
RELATED: ‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’ Now Lets You Race Through The Streets Of Sydney
The major appeal for adults heading to the new theme park will be Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Super Nintendo World’s main attraction with custom racetracks built for the AR go-kart simulator that turns riders into the game’s best-known characters.
Only enough, the gaming theme park doesn’t go heavy on the rides. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is pretty much the only one there, aside from the more relaxing Yoshi’s Adventure ride which is mainly for children.
Instead of the rides, Super Nintendo World relies mainly on its design and the “immersive Nintendo experience” the space offers. Since Nintendo always banks big on nostalgia – and usually wins – it’s probably more than enough to turn a profit for Universal.
Themed dining options (A Cooking Mama restaurant, perhaps?) and shopping locations make up the rest of Super Nintendo World Hollywood, which is described in a press release as “a visual spectacle of vibrant colours and architectural ingenuity located within a newly-expanded area of [Universal Studios].”
