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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Professortango19 hours ago

I get that it isn't our job, but it just sounds like SLoP with different show scenes. Not bad, but nothing demanding a whole land. I think they could add a Pokemon ride to the already existing World of Nintendo since Pokemon is a Nintendo property and considering the land is limited in attractions. Maybe instead of the Yoshi ride, they just have a Pokemon ride where you see random cartoon animals.

TragicMike10 hours ago

Again, the appeal are the creatures. Dark ride for the family with “cute” Pokémon. Make a coaster with “cool” Pokémon for older demographic. Race with a Dragonite. Escape from Lavender town with Ghost Pokémon. Take a trackless ride as you weave in and out of action as the best Pokémon trainers in the world battle it out at the Indigo Plateau. I’m not even putting much thought into these ideas. The point is that there’s plenty to be done with the Pokémon IP. You and I aren’t imagineers so we may not be able to create feasible solutions but that isn’t our job.

Professortango110 hours ago

I know I'm not the target demographic, but sounds like a land based around the Hide and Seek Monsters Inc Ride. Or a really low budget Kilimanjaro Safari with random cartoon animals chilling. Until we poach them with our poach-e-balls. As for battling, not sure how that works as a ride. And even still, I would prefer to be in the action rather than controlling an Augmented Reality animal that's fighting a screen. Pokemon, for me, is franchise that makes sense in the media it is in (games and product-pushing cartoons), but works only in a limited way for a theme park ride and even worse as a land.

mickEblu15 hours ago

Oh wow I didn’t know one existed. Yeah please not like this one haha.

Phroobar15 hours ago

As long as the shooter doesn't look like this Make it trackless multi-level with pepper ghost effects. Less screens and more AA figures. More along with lines of Men in Black.

mickEblu17 hours ago

I’d be 100% on board with this. A shooter would also make a ton of sense and probably fit in there too.

Phroobar17 hours ago

How about a Ghostbusters ride replacing the Simpsons. It would probably still be some kind of simulator. The building facade could look like New York.

mickEblu19 hours ago

That’s a good point and considering they can only put a simulator there anyway I’d rather they save Monsters for an area in the park where they can build something more ambitious.

malice20 hours ago

Nah, I feel the medieval aesthetic would be repetitive with Hogsmeade just around the corner

TragicMike21 hours ago

The popularity is due to the characters and creatures. Nostalgia obviously helps but Disney takes advantage of that as well. Kanto and Johto take inspiration from real world Kanto and Kansai which could produce a Japanese inspired town, not too different from how Bavarian influence was used in Fantasyland. As another user suggested, you can create an attraction based off Pokémon Snap where you go through “wildlife” taking pictures of wild Pokémon. Or a Pokémon Go inspired ride where capture wild Pokémon and fight a gym leader at the end of the attraction, using technology similar to Mario Kart. Or just hop on a Lapras and take a slow water dark ride through caves, mountains, forests, desert, and sea to observe Pokemon native to each biome and fill your Pokédex. It would be a ridiculously IP to adapt to a theme park.

Touchdown23 hours ago

-Pokémon Snap slow moving dark ride with animatronic Pokemon -Sword/Shield style Gym Battles in an arena (animatronic and special effect show) -Pokemon Cafe -Meet and Greets

Professortango11 day ago

I understand it's popular. It was designed to be. What I do t understand is what a land would entail other than hunting for monsters to capture or watching the animals fight each other in arenas. The simplicity of the world is why it is so popular. It's just Clash Royale where people collect different cards, upgrade them, and fight other players. A fun game to play, but not exactly a world that lends itself to multiple attractions.

TragicMike1 day ago

Pokémon Centers and Gyms. Just take one of the towns from the Kanto region. Pokémon is the largest grossing media franchise in the world. Over Marvel, Star Wars, Mario, Mickey Mouse, Disney Princesses, Harry Potter, etc. It would be a slam dunk.