‘Super Nintendo World’ is coming to Universal Studios Hollywood.
The long-awaited and highly anticipated Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood will officially open on Friday, February 17, 2023.
It’s the most immersive and significant new addition to the Los Angeles theme park since The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was added in April 2016.
At the heart of the 360-degree themed area on the Lower Lot area, which guests will access via a recreation of the iconic green Warp Pipe, will be the Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge ride.
The groundbreaking signature ride, inspired by the iconic Mario Kart games, will have riders climb into four-seater vehicles and don augmented reality goggles before they speed along a network of tracks as part of Team Mario. The race, which has a variety of possible outcomes, will take participants from the dungeon of Bowser’s Castle, where the ride is housed to the clouds and underwater as they compete for the Golden Cup.
Aside from Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Super Nintendo World will also offer themed dining at the Toadstool Café, offering a ranged of Nintendo-inspired food offerings, and the Nintendo-centric store, 1-Up Factory, where fans will be able to buy a range of merchandise and collectibles.
A look at ‘Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.’
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An additional interactive touch that visitors can enjoy while in the Mushroom Kingdom will be the wearable Power-Up Band, which fans can purchase in the park or the nearby CityWalk area. It will allow users to collect digital coins and keys after competing challenges, keep scores, and elevate experiences with characters including Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach.
Super Nintendo World, nestled between Jurassic World and Transformers, arrives two years after a companion area at Universal Studios Japan which opened to great acclaim in 2021. Universal Orlando Resort will also be getting its own version at the Epic Universe park, which is due to open in 2025.
2023 looks set to be a big year for Nintendo. It marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the Mario Bros. arcade game, which landed in 1983. The themed area at Universal Studios Hollywood debuts two months before The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which boasts an ensemble voice cast including Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key, and Seth Rogen.
Nintendo’s Mario game franchise, the best-selling of all time, has sold over 776.80 units worldwide, with Nintendo having a market cap of around $53.97 billion. That gives you some idea of how popular this new addition will likely be.
