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Universal Studios Japan Opens Super Nintendo World on March 18

Universal Studios Japan announced on Thursday that its Super Nintendo World area will open on March 18.

The park had originally planned to open the area in late July 2020, in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but delayed the opening to prevent crowding, as a countermeasure against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (The Olympics event itself has been delayed until this year also.)

The park then planned to open the area on February 4, but this was again postponed in January due to the new state of emergency declaration for Osaka prefecture. The government lifted the state of emergency in six prefectures, including Osaka, on March 1.

Universal Studios Japan as a whole closed last year from February 29 through June 19.

The first phase of the Super Nintendo World area will open with two rides named "Super Mario Kart Ride" and "Yoshi's Adventures." Visitors to the attractions will be given magnetic Powerup Bands that allow visitors to interact with the attractions, such as hitting real-life "? Blocks." The wristbands will be able to keep track of scores (including a park-wide ranking board), coins, and stars from various rides, and they will be able to interact with a "game console." According to NHK, the park is investing over 6 billion yen (about US$56 million) in the new area to raise attendance to record levels. Construction began in 2017.

The effort is part of the larger planned Nintendo-themed initiative that Universal is adding to its theme parks.

Sources: Universal Studios Japan, Oricon News