Japanese people and fans around the world had been waiting for it for years... The first leisure zone dedicated to the Nintendo universe officially opened last 18 March.
Even if access is limited for now due to the health situation, there's no doubt that many visitors will rush into the big green pipe leading them into the incredible world of the famous moustachioed plumber, Mario Bros.
After 6 years of patience...
It was in 2015 that the creation of a possible extension of the current Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka, entirely devoted to Nintendo's most famous character, was mentioned for the first time. General enthusiasm right from the announcement, of course, and the first plans on the table the following year.
If Nintendo undertook the creation of such a leisure zone, it was notably to counter the financial difficulties the multinational was going through. As crazy as it may seem, Nintendo was indeed facing a constant drop in video game sales and losses of market share. This didn't stop them, however, from investing nearly €460 million so the park could see the light of day.
But fate seemed to hound the project, notably because of the arrival of Covid-19. After construction began during 2017, the park extension was finally due to open before July 2020. This date had been announced to coincide with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in order to take advantage of the event and hope to draw the crowds. However, the first part of 2020 also coincided with the emergence of the global pandemic, and the opening of Super Nintendo World, like the Olympics, had to be postponed.
And when the teams finally got ready to inaugurate the park in January 2020, after a short lull, the Japanese government decided to strengthen health measures to counter a new epidemic wave. In the end, it was on 18 March 2021 that Super Nintendo World officially opened its doors, in a smaller setting but notably in the presence of the creator of Mario Bros, Shigeru Miyamoto.
Enter the universe
An ultra-connected park
Imagine strolling through the middle of the Mario Bros universe, as if you'd taken the place of one of your favourite characters? Well, that's pretty much what the park offers. For a few extra Yen, you can get a connected wristband at the park entrance, the "Power Up", to fully live the experience and be assigned to a team according to the character chosen.
To each their team: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi or Daisy. With the visitors who selected the same protagonist, you'll form a team that will periodically have to take on challenges in the park to win as many points as possible. This makes your walk both more sociable and more thrilling, never really knowing when the challenges will be launched.
That's also the power of these connected wristbands: enabling a much more concrete immersion in this game world, by offering interactive activities all over the park. Besides the attractions, you indeed have different play zones to discover, and all the points you win will be recorded in your "Power Up", itself linked to the park's official app that you'll have downloaded beforehand on your smartphone. A godsend for theme-park addicts, since these points are kept on the app and you can therefore compare your performances over your visits and against your "competitors".
As a bonus, yellow blocks, like in the video game, are scattered along your route. Hit them and collect the coins (points) inside.
Immersive, but at a certain price
So, no — if you visit the impressive Universal Studios Japan theme park, you won't have to pay more to access the Nintendo zone. Around €60 per adult and €40 per child for the day, and double if you take a 2-day pass. However — and this is where the creators were clever — if you want to enjoy all the immersive side of the park we just told you about, you'll have to buy that famous "Power Up" wristband. Sure, it's only a few extra Yen, but it's ultimately a good way for Nintendo to make its investment pay off.
Without it, you'll ultimately "only" have access to the attractions, with no extra mini-games and challenges on the kiosks and touchscreens available. From an attractions point of view, you can, among other things, dive into a more-real-than-life Mario Kart race or take a seat on Yoshi's back for a colourful egg hunt!
And even more!
Like other parks such as Disney, you'll probably have the joy of bumping into some of the game's iconic characters in the park. Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad will happily play along for photos to make the eyes of young... and old... light up!
A little hungry? Here again, nothing has been left to chance! Whether the dishes or their containers, you'll once again be living an immersive experience in the game's universe.
And what would a day at the park be without a (mandatory or forced?) stop at the souvenir shop? The least we can say is that Super Nintendo World's is one of the most well-stocked! No fewer than 375 pieces of merchandise, each as adorable as the next. Mugs, costumes, keyrings, cookies, plushies... mind your wallet.
Shall we go?
Of course we're going! For now, the visitor capacity is limited to respect health measures, but if you have the chance to visit Japan soon, plan a stop at this iconic theme park and this totally incredible zone.
If you feel up to fighting Bowser Jr., the Goombas (mushrooms), the Koopa Troopas (turtles), the Bob-ombs (bombs) and the Piranhas (plants), know that it'll soon be possible in other Universal parks. This Nintendo extension should be adapted in Hollywood and Singapore in the years to come, and from 2023 in Orlando.
