News

Super Nintendo World in Osaka to Open Next Spring

Universal Parks & Resorts chairman and CEO Tom Williams confirmed last week that the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka will open the "Super Nintendo World" area in spring 2020. The area was previously slated to open in time for the Tokyo Olympics next summer.

The first phase of the area will open with two rides named "Super Mario Kart Ride" and "Yoshi's Adventures."

Visitors to the attraction will be given a magnetic wristband which allows visitors to interact with the attraction, which Williams describes as "fully interactive." The wristband will be able to keep score counts for various rides, and it will be able to interact with a "game console" (William did not specify which console the wristband would be able to interact with).

The Mario and Donkey Kong-themed area is under construction at Universal Studios Osaka. Universal Studios Hollywood and Singapore will also open Super Nintendo World areas.

Nintendo and Universal Creative confirmed in 2016 that they are collaborating on the attractions. Nintendo had announced in May 2015 that it is partnering with Universal Parks & Resorts to bring Nintendo-themed attractions to Universal theme parks. Nintendo stated at the time that the "immersive experiences will include major attractions at Universal's theme parks and will feature Nintendo's most famous characters and games."

Illumination (Despicable Me, Minions, Sing), a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, is planning an animated film adaptation of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. game franchise. Both Nintendo and Universal Pictures are funding the project, and Universal Pictures will distribute the film worldwide. Illumination founder Chris Meledandri revealed in November 2018 that the planned film is in “priority development” and may debut in theaters by 2022.

Source: Nintendo Everything via Siliconera