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Super Nintendo World

Coordinates:34°39′53″N135°25′59″E/ 34.66472°N 135.43306°E/34.66472; 135.43306
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Not to be confused withSuper Mario WorldorNintendo Land.
Super Nintendo World
Super Nintendo World atUniversal Studios Japan
StatusOperating
ThemeNintendovideo game franchises
Attractions
Total2 (Universal Studios Japan)
1 (Universal Studios Hollywood)
Universal Studios Japan
Coordinates34°39′53″N135°25′59″E/ 34.66472°N 135.43306°E/34.66472; 135.43306
StatusOperating
OpenedDecember 26, 2020(2020-12-26)(soft opening)
February 4, 2021(2021-02-04)(annual pass holders only)
March 18, 2021(2021-03-18)(grand opening)
Universal Studios Hollywood
StatusOperating
OpenedJanuary 12, 2023(2023-01-12)(soft opening)
January 29, 2023(2023-01-29)(annual pass holders only)
February 17, 2023(2023-02-17)(grand opening)[1]
Universal Studios Singapore
StatusUnder construction
Opens2025(2025)[2][3]
ReplacedMadagascar: A Crate Adventure
(Madagascar)
Universal Epic Universe
StatusUnder construction
Opens2025

Super Nintendo World[a]is a themed area atUniversal Studios JapanandUniversal Studios Hollywood.Further areas are under construction atUniversal Studios Singaporeand the upcomingUniversal Epic UniverseatUniversal Orlando Resort.A result of a partnership betweenNintendoandUniversal Destinations & Experiences,the area is based on Nintendo video game franchises, primarily theMarioandDonkey Kongfranchises.

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 theCOVID-19 pandemic,the area opened at Universal Studios Japan on March 18, 2021. The Universal Studios Hollywood location opened on February 17, 2023.Mariocreator,Shigeru Miyamoto,was heavily involved in the design of the area and attractions.[4]

History[edit]

Following several years of declining gaming revenue and console market share,Nintendosought avenues to leverage and develop its intellectual properties, entering into a theme park partnership withUniversal Parks & Resorts.[5][6]The partnership, announced in May 2015[5]and detailed the next year, would useMario[7]and other Nintendo franchises as themes in the dedicated areas of Universal theme parks.[8][9]The¥40billion ($351million U.S.) collaboration built forUniversal Studios JapaninOsakais similar in scale toUniversal's investment intheHarry Potterfranchise.[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 agroundbreakingceremony,[12][13]while construction on the land atUniversal Studios Hollywoodbegan in early 2019. Following months of leaked information and patents, photographs ofUniversal Creative'sscale modelfor 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 onYouTubefor the upcoming land, using the song "We Are Born to Play"byGalantis&Charli XCX.[15]The land's opening was initially planned for completion before the2020 Summer Olympics,but was delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.On December 18, 2020, aNintendo Directabout the land went live on Nintendo's official YouTube channel, featuringMariocreatorShigeru Miyamotohosting 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 astate of emergencyin 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 ofUniversal/Illumination'sThe 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]The gold band was also released in Universal Studios Hollywood's area for its first anniversary on February 17, 2024.[25]

Design[edit]

Universal Studios Japan[edit]

At Universal Studios Japan, Super Nintendo World is wedged in at the northern end of the park, west ofThe Wizarding World of Harry Potterand south of the Nintendo headquarters that are just outside of the property. Guests enter the area through aWarp Pipefrom 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 intoPrincess Peach's Castle.When guests exit the castle, they enter the courtyard on the 2nd floor, immersed in theMushroom KingdomwithBowser's Castleacross the area. SeveralPikmincan be found across the land on ledges, with some carrying objects like coins and a berry.[26]The area includestower viewer binocularsbased onSuper Mario 3D Landthat utilize AR technology, and include a cameo ofRosalinaand herComet Observatory.[27]

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 onMario 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 asAmiibofor their respective characters within Amiibo-compatibleNintendo Switchvideo games.[28]

Severalcostume charactermeet-and-greets are located throughout the area.Princess Peachis stationed inside agazebo-like structure next to her castle, whileMarioandLuigiare near the entrance to theYoshi's Adventureattraction.Toadhas 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!".[29]

On September 28, 2021, an expansion themed after theDonkey Kongseries was announced to open in 2024, featuring aroller coaster,interactive experiences, and themed merchandise and food.[30][31][32]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".[33]On May 2, 2024, it was confirmed that the ride would simulate the sensation of "Jumping The Track" without the use of screens.[34]

Universal Studios Hollywood[edit]

Super Nintendo World Hollywood under construction in September 2021

Universal Studios Hollywood's smaller Super Nintendo World area is located in the park'sLower Lot,wedged between the Jurassic World area andTransformers: 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.[35]

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 theYoshi's Adventureattraction. Despite the absence of the Yoshi attraction, the extended-queue forMario Kart: Bowser's ChallengefeaturesYoshi's Adventure-themed corridors.[36][37]The area also lacked meet-and-greets with Toad until July 15, 2023.[38]

Future locations[edit]

On April 3, 2019,Resorts World Sentosaannounced that Super Nintendo World, alongside Minion Land would be brought toUniversal Studios Singapore,replacing the park'sMadagascararea. 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 upcomingUniversal Epic Universepark atUniversal Orlando Resort.SeveralComcastexecutives reaffirmed it one week later.[39][40]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.[41][9][42]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".[43]On May 2, 2024, the official Nintendo and Universal channels announced that Super Nintendo World at Universal Epic Universe will arrive in 2025 with the Donkey Kong Country area in addition to Super Mario Land.[44][45]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Japanese:スーパー・ニンテンドー・ワールド,Hepburn:Sūpā Nintendō Wārudo

References[edit]

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  2. ^abMohan, Matthew (April 3, 2019)."Singapore's two integrated resorts set to grow with S$9 billion investment plan".CNA.Archived fromthe originalon November 8, 2020.RetrievedApril 3,2019.
  3. ^abYeo, Julia (December 19, 2020)."Super Mario creator confirms plans for Super Nintendo World to open in S'pore".Mothership.RetrievedMarch 1,2021.The opening of Super Nintendo World Singapore is expected to take place between 2020 to 2025 at the time of announcement.
  4. ^Parkin, Simon (20 December 2020)."Shigeru Miyamoto Wants to Create a Kinder World".The New Yorker.
  5. ^abVillas-Boas, Antonio (May 7, 2015)."Nintendo's huge new deal with Universal shows just how far it'll go to turn the ship around".Business Insider.Archivedfrom the original on December 31, 2016.RetrievedDecember 12,2016.
  6. ^Pallotta, Frank (May 7, 2015)."Nintendo and Universal power up for theme park attractions".CNN.Archivedfrom the original on May 18, 2017.RetrievedDecember 12,2016.
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External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Super_Nintendo_World&oldid=1231003867"