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Universal Studios Japan Reveals 1st Concept Image for 'Super Nintendo World' Attraction

Nintendo revealed on Monday the first conceptual rendering image and more details about its now-named "Super Nintendo World" theme park that it plans to open at the Universal Studios Japan park in Osaka before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The latest press release also reveals that the Japanese park will be the first one to open, before it eventually opens at Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood.

The planned park in Japan will include rides, interactive areas, shops, and restaurants. The cost for the park is now expected to exceed 50 billion yen (US$432 million). The park had originally been announced as costing 40 billion yen (about US$346 million).

Katsuhiro Miyamoto, Professor Emeritus of Kansai University, estimated that the expansion will bring in approximately 6.2 trillion yen (about US$53.7 billion) in economic benefits for the Kansai region of Japan where the park resides, and 11.7 trillion yen (about US$101.3 billion) for Japan in general. He also predicted the park will create approximately 1.1 million jobs in Japan within the first 10 years of its opening.

Super Nintendo World will feature characters and themes from Nintendo's Super Mario series, as well as other popular Nintendo characters.

Universal Studios Japan is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and will open its new Cool Japan attractions on January 13, which will feature attractions for Attack on Titan, Evangelion, Detective Conan, Monster Hunter, and Godzilla. The attractions last until June 25. The park also has an ongoing Yōkai Watch attraction right now.