Super Nintendo World will open in February 2023 at Universal Studios Hollywood

Dec 14, 2022 in "Universal Studios Hollywood"

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Super Nintendo World opening February 17 2023

Posted: Wednesday December 14, 2022 11:26am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Universal Studios Hollywood has today announced that its long-awaited Super Nintendo World will officially open on February 17, 2023.

Headlined by the Mario Kart ride, Super Nintendo World takes you into the world of Super Mario. You can battle Team Bowser on the groundbreaking augmented reality Mario Kart racing ride, play interactive games throughout the land, and track your score with a Power-Up Band. Dine at Toadstool Cafe, meet Mario and friends, and purchase exclusive merchandise at the 1-UP Factory store.

Super Nintendo World opening February 17 2023

The opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood follows the opening of the first Nintendo land in Universal Studios Japan in early 2021.

As the countdown to the grand opening begins, here’s a sneak peek of what to expect:

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge

This all-new, technologically-advanced ride, inspired by the popular Mario Kart video game series, will seamlessly fuse cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces along a moving ride track. Set against a multi-sensory backdrop of color, sound and movement, guests will be seated in stadium-style, four-seat vehicles as they navigate familiar courses through the creative use and integration of head mounted AR goggles. This unique feature is a key point of differentiation that distinguishes this ride from other theme park attractions.

Super Nintendo World opening February 17 2023

The premise of “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” is simple but equally inspiring and challenging, appealing to guests of all ages regardless of gaming experience. As part of Team Mario, guests will steer through underwater courses and courses in the clouds to compete for the Golden Cup while collecting coins to defeat Team Bowser and win. “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” raises the stakes for guests as an intriguing and repeatable ride with a variety of outcomes.

Mount Beanpole

This towering landmark sits at the heart of the land and also serves as the entry queue for “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.”

Bowser’s Castle

Adorned with a breathtaking sculpture of a large and powerful Bowser, this structure serves as a key centerpiece of the land, home to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD’s signature ride, “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.” As guests navigate the winding corridors and pass through the hall of medallions and trophies of the ominous castle towards the “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” ride, they will learn more about Bowser’s calculated plans to defeat Team Mario for the coveted Golden Cup.

Power-Up Band

These wearable, state-of-the-art wristbands sync with Universal Studios Hollywood’s free downloadable app to level-up the guest experience within the land and enhance its many interactive elements. These include, but are not limited to, keeping individual and team scores, collecting digital coins and obtaining keys after winning challenges throughout the land. Power-Up Bands will also invite guests to enjoy extra-special interactions with Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach. They will come in six design options with character themes and will be available for purchase both within the land and at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD retail shops located in the theme park and on CityWalk.

Interactive Gameplay

Within the land, guests will become fully engulfed in an engaging world of real-life gameplay, including punching Blocks to collect digital coins and a variety of interactives. They will discover a new dimension of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD via the interactive binoculars employing augmented reality technology positioned within the land. Guests can beat the four Key Challenges and collect keys from Goomba, Koopa Troopa, Piranha Plant and Thwomp interactive activities to ultimately allow access to the culminating boss battle with Bowser Jr. These energetic, familiar and fun interactive games will further enhance the entire kinetic experience within the land and immerse guests into the unique world of Super Mario.

Toadstool Cafe

The land’s signature restaurant Toadstool Cafe will serve a gourmet menu perfected by Chef Toad where he will greet guests upon entry. Menu items prepared fresh daily include Toadstool Cheesy Garlic Knots, Super Mushroom Soup, Piranha Plant Caprese, Mario Bacon Cheeseburger, Luigi Pesto Chicken Burger, Block Tiramisu and Princess Peach Cupcake.

1-UP Factory

What better way to commemorate a visit to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD than to visit the 1-UP Factory retail shop to purchase collectable memorabilia. The 1-UP Factory will offer an extensive selection of merchandise from Mario and Luigi themed apparel to iconic character hats and an array of plush characters, including Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and Bowser.

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Phroobar15 hours ago

Spiderman is off the table but Stranger Things is definitely doable. IDW has a crossover graphic novel with the Turtles.

mickEblu1 day ago

Phew! Like Marvel, Pokémon doesn’t feel very transportive to me. It’s mostly about the characters. Marvel can be but it’s mostly about the characters. I guess if they made a nice Japanese themed land that could work for me. I’m talking Japanese countryside, temples and cherry blossoms. Not sure if that’s the Pokémon motif though. Never got into it. It was more my younger sisters generation.

TheDisneyParksfanC81 day ago

Based on rumors, it seems Pokemon is not destined for USH at this time. Someone over on the IU forums said he thinks Pokemon is not coming to USH at all.

mickEblu1 day ago

Mutant Mayhem is probably my next favorite version of the Turtles. Not sure what all that stuff I’m between the 80s animated and Mutant Mayhem was. With the latter though that wouldn’t feel very 80’s

Professortango11 day ago

I'll take the Mutant Mayhem version of the Turtles. It draws a lot off the old cartoon and toys. But I'd love to explore a fun brooding NYC that is populated by Superheroes overhead, ghosts hiding in the buildings and mutant crime fighters in the sewers below. Plus, it is a way to have 3 great IP's making one land strong rather than one IP stretched thin over a land and a few attractions. That is my issue with Nintendo Land at USH. It is just Mario. It looks cute, but it is kind of one-note and the ride is more of the same. Donkey Kong adds at least a little variety.

mickEblu1 day ago

I love this idea. Any chance we get the 80's animated Turtles and not the either the new animated or live action Turtles?

October821 day ago

I don't think you're alone in that perception. Harry Potter probably has more cross-generational appeal since Pokemon has always marketed itself as an IP for children. Part of that is Nintendo is very conservative and hasn't let the IP evolve as much as other franchises have (Harry Potter has very intentionally matured as an IP with its audience), but it also has a lot to do with HP being rooted in western culture that is more familiar to US audiences. A lot of the deeper parts of the Pokemon mythos are straightforward retellings of Japanese stories, ideas, and themes that just aren't familiar to Americans. Most Pokemon, for example, are taken from either Japanese culture, mythical animals (dragons being an obvious example), or Shinto spirits. As someone else mentioned, the locales from the games are basically real world locations, either in Japan, in the US, or Europe. The games often feature events from various myths. A well executed theme park land would have to be very well designed to convey that to audiences, but Pokemon themed entertainment is pretty well explored territory overseas. They could easily go the quick route and do what everyone would expect them to do - something based early takes on the IP - but I would be pretty optimistic about Universal Creative's ability to do something meaningful with it.

Professortango11 day ago

I think Michael Vick said the same thing. ;)

Phroobar1 day ago

This discussion reminds me of a six hour trip from Scout camp in a van full of Pokemon obsessed thirteen year olds where no one took a shower for a week and my son about to kill the kids in back over who could win in a Pokemon battle.

Rich T1 day ago

But they LOVE to fight each other! … … except when they don’t… (One of the games… I think it was Black and White… actually used the debate over Pokémon rights as the core story theme).

Rich T1 day ago

As others have mentioned, the big concept that instantly comes to mind is the photography-safari-on-a-ride game “Pokemon Snap.” Nearly everyone who plays this simulated ride experience instantly says, “This would make such a great ride at a park!” Aside from that, there are haunted house scenarios involving ghost Pokémon, water rides for the water Pokémon, and a generally pleasing kinda-futuristic-but-could-exist-today style to the central cities of the Pokémon World. And the gift store could easily be the size of a Walmart and still not have enough room.

Professortango11 day ago

I'd love to see Springfield become 80's NYC. Have a Ninja Turtles ride, Spiderman, Ghostbusters.

Professortango11 day ago

Gotcha. The locales in the cartoon never looked too distinct or elaborate to me, which is why I have a disconnect with it as a theme park concept. Plus, being a wizard is something I can immediately buy into and presents a ton of possibilities. Flying, shooting things with wands, seeing classic fantasy creatures, etc. I am doing things. For Pokemon, I get stuck in the mindset that I am cheering on my animal that I put into a fighting pit. I'm not really doing much.

October821 day ago

Pokemon is a bit like Harry Potter in that a theme park translation won't be primarily about replicating the 'core mechanic' of the games, but about recreating environments from the games and the rest of the world, 'Pokemon centers' for example. A lot of the game lore is also based on Japanese culture, myths, and history. Lots of potential for attractions that build on those ideas without limiting things to a 'Pokemon safari'.