Growing up, one of my favorite childhood memories was when one Christmas, my parents bought me my very first Nintendo. It was something I never expected to see, I remember waking up and playing Super Mario and exploring all of the different worlds with my sisters as we took turns trying to complete the levels. Nintendo is what brought me my love for video games, I grew up wanting to be in those games, wanting to explore those worlds and being able to do all the things Mario did. When I heard that Super Nintendo World was opening up at Universal Studios Hollywood, it brought a smile to my face not just because I will finally be able to be live out my dream by I get to share it with my girls. They too will be able to experience something I could only dream about.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™, the innovative, immersive and highly-anticipated themed land officially opens at Universal Studios Hollywood on Friday, February 17, 2023. So, get ready; this exciting debut marks SUPER NINTENDO WORLD’s official arrival to the United States.
This all-new, dynamic land will be a visual spectacle of vibrant colors and architectural ingenuity 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 captivating Mushroom Kingdom. Along with themed dining at the Toadstool Cafe™ 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, a journey filled with exploration, discovery and play awaits that is entirely unlike anything they’ve experienced before. 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 across the land.
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 CityWalk.
- 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 Cafe™: The land’s signature restaurant Toadstool Cafe 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.
Want a sneak peek at what you can expect at the new SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™? Check out this cool video on all the fun! Sneak Peak
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Toodles for now. Stay tuned for our upcoming adventures.
Aaaahhhh….the 17th of February gives me about a month to prepare myself best for this launch! Thank you for sharing about it.
Oh wow, that’s incredibly fun and I would love to be there and experience such joy soon! Thanks for letting us know about this!
What great news, I will add the super Nintendo to check it out when it’s open. It would be so cool to go there. Thank you for sharing!
I loved playing Mario when i was a kid. I’m sure this would be an exciting event to attend.
My niece would love to visit Nintendo world when it opens! She just discovered Mario games a few months ago and is obsessed! Heck I would love to visit this soon too!
Awesome! This is so cool, the place looks so amazingly mesmerizing! A perfect family getaway as kids will definitely love it here! In the first place, who doesn’t know Mario? Looking forward to the opening day!
I can’t wait to visit! We are hoping to visit a month or two after it opens, we’ve never been to Universal in generally and planned on going this year so this opening is just a huge bonus.
Oh my gosh, this looks amazing! I grew up on Nintendo games and my boys love them, too. I can’t wait until this comes to the Florida park since that’s where we go all the time.
Yet another reason why I would loove to go to Universal Hollywood, so many exciting attractions!
How exciting, I have seen videos about the one in Japan. Can’t believe one is coming to California
I grew up playing Nintendo too and it was always a fun experience. This will be magical to a lot of kids too.