The partnership between Nintendo and Universal was announced in May 2015. The construction of a Nintendo-themed area for Universal Studios Japan and both American locations was announced the following year. Construction began on the Universal Studios Japan area in June 2017. Following several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the area opened at Universal Studios Japan on March 18, 2021. The Universal Studios Hollywood location opened on February 17, 2023. Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, was heavily involved in the design of the area and attractions.[4]
History
Following several years of declining gaming revenue and console market share, Nintendo sought avenues to leverage and develop its intellectual properties, entering into a theme park partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts.[5][6] The partnership, announced in May 2015[5] and detailed the next year, would use Mario[7] and other Nintendo franchises as themes in the dedicated areas of Universal theme parks.[8][9] The ¥40billion ($351million U.S.) collaboration built for Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is similar in scale to Universal's investment in the Harry Potter franchise.[8] An interview video that previewed objects being constructed for the land was uploaded on November 29, 2016.[10] Later that day, Universal announced that Super Nintendo World areas would also be built at both American Universal locations in Hollywood and Florida.[7] The first concept image of Japan's iteration of the area was then unveiled on December 12, 2016.[11]
Construction on the land at Universal Studios Japan began in June 2017 with a groundbreaking ceremony,[12][13] while construction on the land at Universal Studios Hollywood began in early 2019. Following months of leaked information and patents, photographs of Universal Creative's scale model for the Japan iteration of the area were leaked on July 8, 2019.[14] On January 13, 2020, Universal unveiled the interactive Power-Up Bands and released a music video on YouTube for the upcoming land, using the song "We Are Born to Play" by Galantis & Charli XCX.[15] The land's opening was initially planned for completion before the 2020 Summer Olympics, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 18, 2020, a Nintendo Direct about the land went live on Nintendo's official YouTube channel, featuring Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto hosting a tour around a small fraction of the land. On December 26, 2020, the land soft-opened to limited previews for Universal Studios Japan annual passholders.[16]
On November 30, 2020, Universal officially announced that the land would open at Universal Studios Japan on February 4, 2021;[17] however, in January the opening was once again delayed indefinitely after the Japanese government reimposed a state of emergency in response to a third wave of COVID-19 infections in the city. However, guests with a Universal Studios Japan annual pass are allowed to visit the area as of February 4, 2021.[18] It eventually opened to the public on March 18, 2021.[19][20] A month after opening, the entirety of Universal Studios Japan closed from April 25 to June 7 of 2021, due to COVID-19.[21]
On March 10, 2022, Universal Studios Hollywood announced that its version of the land would open in 2023[22][23] with the specific date of February 17 then being announced on December 14, 2022. The area soft-opened under technical rehearsals for reserved-guests on January 12, 2023, and officially opened as planned on February 17, 2023, about a month and a half before the release of Universal/Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie.[1] To celebrate Super Nintendo World's second anniversary in Japan, a limited-edition gold colored Power-Up Band was made available to purchase on March 18, 2023.[24]
Design
Universal Studios Japan
At Universal Studios Japan, Super Nintendo World is wedged in at the northern end of the park, west of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and south of the Nintendo headquarters that are just outside of the property. Guests enter the area through a Warp Pipe from an entrance plaza. The entrance plaza can be accessed from a walkway that branches right next to the WaterWorld sign. The entrance plaza has lamp posts, a power star in the pavement, and Super Nintendo World signage next to the pipe. The pipe leads into Princess Peach's Castle. When guests exit the castle, they enter the courtyard on the 2nd floor, immersed in the Mushroom Kingdom with Bowser's Castle across the area. Several Pikmin can be found across the land on ledges, with some carrying objects like coins and a berry.[25] The area includes tower viewer binoculars based on Super Mario 3D Land that utilize AR technology, and include a cameo of Rosalina and her Comet Observatory.[26]
Guests can use the separately sold Power-Up Bands and the official Universal Studios smartphone application to keep track of their character stamps, Key Challenges, coins collected, and their high-score on Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge. Team, individual, and daily scores for the area are viewable within the app as well. The Power-Up Bands also function as Amiibo for their respective characters within Amiibo-compatible Nintendo Switch video games.[27]
Several costume character meet-and-greets are located throughout the area. Princess Peach is stationed inside a gazebo-like structure next to her castle, while Mario and Luigi are near the entrance to the Yoshi's Adventure attraction. Toad has no set meet-and-greet spot, with guests being able to visit him in different parts of the lower-level.
Since 2022, the area is annually decorated in festive winter-themed decorations as part of the theme park's "No Limit! Christmas Event!".[28]
On September 28, 2021, an expansion themed after the Donkey Kong series was announced to open in spring 2024, featuring a roller coaster, interactive experiences, and themed merchandise and food.[29][30][31] The land was officially revealed on December 5, 2023 with the name of "Donkey Kong Country", as well as new details on the roller coaster "Mine-Cart Madness".[32]
Universal Studios Hollywood
Super Nintendo World Hollywood under construction in September 2021
Universal Studios Hollywood's smaller Super Nintendo World area is located in the park's Lower Lot, wedged between the Jurassic World area and Transformers: The Ride. Due to the Lower Lot having severely limited available space, Universal demolished and relocated soundstages to make room for the land's construction.[33]
A view of the condensed Hollywood iteration of the land at night
The area's soft-opening in January 2023 revealed what this condensed iteration of the land had to exclude. This location lacks the interactive "Bob-Omb Kaboom Room", "Note Block Rock", and "Slot Machine" sections, and the Yoshi's Adventure attraction. Despite the absence of the Yoshi attraction, the extended-queue for Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge features Yoshi's Adventure-themed corridors.[34][35] The area also lacked meet-and-greets with Toad until July 15, 2023.[36]
Future locations
On April 3, 2019, Resorts World Sentosa announced that Super Nintendo World, alongside Minion Land would be brought to Universal Studios Singapore, replacing the park's Madagascar area. This version is expected to open as soon as 2025. As of 2023, no attractions have been confirmed for this iteration.[2][3]
On January 24, 2020, Universal confirmed that a Super Nintendo World themed area would be included in the upcoming Universal Epic Universe park at Universal Orlando Resort. Several Comcast executives reaffirmed it one week later.[37][38] The park was originally scheduled to open in 2023, but the planned opening has been delayed to 2025 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[39][9][40] Epic Universe's iteration of the land was officially announced in February 2023, with Universal Destinations & Experiences CEO Mark Woodbury calling it the "worst-kept secret in history".[41]
Attractions and food services
Universal Studios Japan
Name
Opened
Description
1UP Factory
2021
A store selling various Mario and Nintendo-related merchandise.
Kinopio's Cafe
2021
A quick service restaurant themed after the Toad character's Japanese name, featuring Mario-inspired food and drinks.
A Mario Kart themed store selling various merchandise based on the series.
Mine Cart Madness
2024
An outdoor roller coaster based on the minecart sections from Donkey Kong Country.
Pit Stop Popcorn
2021
A stand featuring Mario-inspired popcorn flavors and themed popcorn containers.
Power-Up Band Key Challenges
2021
An assortment of interactive mini-attractions where guests can interact with a Koopa Troopa, Piranha Plant, Goomba, Thwomp, and Bob-Omb. Winning at least three of these gives entry to a room where guests battle Bowser Jr. by moving in front of a motion-tracking video wall. These require the separately sold "Power Up Bands".
An interactive dark ride attraction featuring augmented reality technology based on the Mario Kart franchise.
Power-Up Band Key Challenges
2023
An assortment of interactive mini-attractions where guests can interact with a Koopa Troopa, Piranha Plant, Goomba, and Thwomp. Winning at least three of these gives entry to a room where guests battle Bowser Jr. by moving in front of a motion-tracking video wall. These require the separately sold "Power Up Bands".
Universal Epic Universe
Name
Opened
Description
1UP Factory
2025
A store selling various Mario and Nintendo-related merchandise.
An interactive dark ride attraction featuring augmented reality technology based on the Mario Kart franchise.
Power-Up Band Key Challenges
2025
An assortment of interactive mini-attractions where guests can interact with a Koopa Troopa, Piranha Plant, Goomba, and Thwomp. Winning at least three of these gives entry to a room where guests battle Bowser Jr. by moving in front of a motion-tracking video wall. These require the separately sold "Power Up Bands".
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