A general view of the “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD” entrance at Universal Studios Hollywood on February 16, 2023 in Universal City, California.
Rodin Eckenroth | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Enter the enduring green warp pipe and snake your way into Universal Studios Hollywood’s newest theme park land: Super Nintendo World.
Nearly a decade within the making, this expansion to Universal’s California-based park is an element of a broader partnership with video game company Nintendo that encompasses movies and merchandise. The world, a carved out section beyond Universal’s Jurassic World and Transformers areas, opened Friday to most people.
Super Nintendo World features an augmented reality Mario Kart ride, a Toad-inspired restaurant and a stocked-up merchandise hub stuffed with shirts, hats, plush and themed popcorn canisters. There are also meet-and-greets with Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach.
The land, sequestered away from other parts of the park, is small, but filled with eye candy and the constant ding of parkgoers tapping query mark adorned bricks. A part of Universal’s lower studio lot was demolished to make room for the brand new world and recent soundstages were erected or relocated to other areas on the expansive backlot.
“What we were capable of do was even have the scale work for us,” said Jon Corfino, vice chairman of Universal Creative. “When you take a go searching, I feel we’re successful at creating this very immersive, enclosed and yet intimate environment where you actually feel like you’ve got stepped into the sport. Since you don’t really see the rest around you and also you’re totally contained.”
Mario poses on the “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD” welcome celebration at Universal Studios Hollywood on February 16, 2023 in Universal City, California.
Rodin Eckenroth | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
It’s unclear how much Universal invested within the project, which opens lower than two months before the corporate’s movie studio releases its animated “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” but it surely seems confident in its launch.
“The parks business … it’s never been higher for us,” NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said in January. “We had a record 12 months last 12 months.”
Shell noted that growth is slow domestically, but that the corporate has “found our footing” in Japan, where it opened a Super Nintendo World in March 2021. Last December, Shell told investors during a UBS conference that the Nintendo land in Japan was driving a number of attendance to the international park and that those results are encouraging considering the large bets the corporate made for several Nintendo lands, including the one in Universal Studios Hollywood.
The corporate has plans to bring similar lands to its much-anticipated Epic Universe in Florida and Universal Studios Singapore in 2025.
Here’s a take a look at Universal Studios Hollywood’s recent Super Nintendo Land:
Princess Peach’s Castle
As guests exit the warp pipe, they find themselves inside Princess Peach’s Castle. The world is usually a photograph opportunity, but additionally sets the backdrop of the encased and immersive land.
Across the best way, for about $40 parkgoers should buy power-up bands that may be used to play mini-games inside the land and unlock digital coins and badges on the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
Princess Peach’s castle in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
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The bands are available in six styles based on major characters from Super Mario Bros. — Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Toad and Princess Daisy. The band character you select coincides with with “team” you’re on during your time within the land and your whole digital coin collection goes towards your individual personal rating and the team rating.
The bands are an extension to the land and never required for guests to benefit from the ride or dining options inside the park.
Essentially, the story line is that Bowser Jr. has stolen golden keys from the Mushroom Kingdom and guests must collect three as a way to gain access to a final boss battle with the little Koopa. Guests can take part in physical mini-games to get these keys including: Goomba Crazy Crank, Koopa Troopa POWer Punch, Piranha Plant Nap Mishap and Thwomp Panel Panic.
Collecting three keys allows guests to enter into Bowser Jr.’s lair and compete in a special mini-game.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
The fundamental attraction in Super Nintendo World is Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
To get to the ride, parkgoers must go through Bowser’s Castle. The queue winds through different corridors and showcases a set of trophies, memorabilia and Bowser’s plans to defeat Team Mario within the upcoming race.
Universal Studios Hollywood employees await guests outside Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge in Super Nintendo World.
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The ride itself is multifaceted. At its most simple, it’s a race of Team Mario vs. Team Bowser. Layered over a conventional racing coaster is an augmented reality shooter game.
Racers are prompted to show the steering wheel to navigate the racing course and encouraged to shoot shells at rival racers and obstacles. Listen to the pre-show which indicates the racers it’s best to goal and those it’s best to let breeze by on the raceway.
Statue of Bowser in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Sarah Whitten | CNBC
Corfino explained that the team decided to make use of AR technology since it was more of a social experience. Guests could wear clear plastic visors on the ride and see their family and friends in addition to the immersive animation of the Nintendo racers.
He called the AR “transparent technology,” something that might disappear and permit guests to be completely immersed within the experience.
Pre-show animation guides guests on find out how to wear a specialized Mario visor that will probably be used throughout the ride. There may be a toggle on the back to tighten or loosen the apparatus.
Mario Kart visors from Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Sarah Whitten | CNBC
For probably the most part, the experience is seamless. Racers turn their head to see fellow racers, question-mark boxes stuffed with shells and upcoming obstacles.
Nevertheless, those with glasses may find it difficult to see throughout the ride. The visor suits snuggly to the brow. There’s not a number of room for eyewear between the visor and the plastic shield that attaches within the ride vehicle.
View of onboarding for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Sarah Whitten | CNBC
Moreover, Universal has faced criticism for size restrictions on several of its theme park rides domestically. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, too, saw some blowback for guidelines that stated the best could also be unsuitable for riders with waistlines over 40 inches.
Merchandise available at 1-UP Factory inside Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Sarah Whitten | CNBC
Riders exit through the gift shop stuffed with Nintendo character merchandise.
Toadstool Cafe
Super Nintendo World’s signature restaurant is known as the Toadstool Cafe and its entryway is formed like an enormous red-capped mushroom.
Chef Toad oversees the kitchen which makes a set of themed salads and burgers in addition to spaghetti and meatballs and a brief rib special.
Toadstool Cafe situated insider Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Sarah Whitten | CNBC
Guests order their food, receive their drinks and are whisked away by the dining team to their seats.
There are video screens throughout the space that act as windows into the Mushroom Kingdom. Throughout your stay you could see multi-colored Mushroom People pass by the frames or battle it out within the skies against enemy invaders.
Toadstool Cafe during a media preview of Super Nintendo World theme park at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California, US, on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023.
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The restaurant’s signature drink is known as the Super Star Lemon Squash. It comprises honey lemon soda and tropical boba with mango stars on top.
For dessert, guests can select from a matter block shaped tiramisu, a Mr. Beanpole cake, which is a twist on an Italian cake, or a Princess Peach cupcake.
A Princess Peach cupcake inside Toadstool Cafe during a media preview of Super Nintendo World theme park at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California, US, on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023.
Bloomberg | Getty Images
Super Nintendo World is open to most people and is not going to require advanced virtual queuing as a way to enter.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.
