There are now two Super Nintendo Worlds (pic: Metro.co.uk)



GameCentral attends the launch of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood, the first version of the park to arrive in the US.



Almost two years after it debuted in Japan in March 2021 , the US version of the Super Nintendo World theme park will open its doors to the public this week. If the former’s launch was marred by Covid concerns, at the height of the pandemic, the opening ceremony at Universal Studios Hollywood in L.A. felt like an opportunity to celebrate the resort with the crowds and fireworks it deserves.



One constant between both resorts is Mario creator and Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, who was heavily involved in the park’s creation. ‘We’re now at a momentous occasion for Nintendo and Universal as we open the first Super Nintendo World in the US,’ Miyamoto said during the opening ceremony, surrounded by Mario, Princess Peach, and Luigi.



The key word is ‘first’. While plans for Super Nintendo World at Universal’s Orlando resort were originally mentioned during an earnings call in 2020, Universal Parks & Resorts chairman Mark Woodbury officially announced plans for the second US park during the Hollywood opening, describing it as ‘the worst kept secret in history’.



Super Nintendo World in Hollywood is a slightly truncated adaptation of the park in Japan, with certain attractions missing, like Yoshi’s Adventure (a ride across the hilltops in Yoshi cars) along with other activities like the walkthrough Bob-Omb Kaboom Room and Note Block Rock, where you have to time hits on musical blocks.



‘We’re a much smaller park here and we do have to work with the studio,’ Abbye Finnan, show producer at Universal Studios Hollywood, told GameCentral. ‘Since it is an active studio, we only have so much space and it’s negotiated on how we can arrange things and the placement of different IPs and the room for growth.



‘So it was decided to remove the Yoshi attraction, but we were able to incorporate it into the first five queues [for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge] which is not how it is in Japan. We kind of did our own ode to Yoshi.’



Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, was there in person (pic: Metro.co.uk)



Even if it is missing a few rides, it’s unlikely anyone will walk away disappointed by the L.A. version of the park. For Nintendo fans, the impressive amount of detail packed into the relatively small space borders on sensory-overload, with every corner hiding mini-games, interactive objects, or a glutton of references to past games.



It’s all tied together with a meta game you play via a special power band you wear around your wrist and the accompanying app, where you can measure your coin stocks on leaderboards against players that day or your group of friends.



The real star, and main ride outside of the activities, is Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. An augmented reality ride which is surprisingly complex for a theme park attraction. In it, you are strapped into a go-kart wearing a Mario hat visor, which lets you see AR visuals of enemies – including Bullet Bills and Koopalings – on the track, that you have to shoot by using your head to aim and hitting two buttons on the steering wheel. You’re juggling this task with occasional directional prompts for steering which, if you successfully pull off, will net you more coins for your total score.



Will there ever be a Super Nintendo World in Europe? (pic: Metro.co.uk)



Like the rest of Super Nintendo World, it’s a sugar rush on the senses that hides a treasure trove of fan service. Even if you’re unengaged in the game aspect, it’s a joy to look around and uncover all the spectacular visuals flying around your head or colliding in a heap before you. It’s also arguably the only ride in the entirety of Universal Studios Hollywood which improves on repeat runs, when you have a better grasp on the mechanics and can chase higher scores.



With the amount of instructional videos and assistants on hand around the ride, it’s clear the biggest concern was the ride’s complexity. ‘We really wanted people to try and wrap their heads around it,’ Finnan explains.



‘I think the biggest thing is that it’s so rich. When you first get on, you really don’t know where to look, or how to play it, so you’re distracted very easily. It’s usually the second or third time where you’re like: ‘Now I’m understanding it.’ There was [concern], but I think audiences are picking it up and coming back for more.’



The Mario Kart ride is the star of the show (pic: Metro.co.uk)



The other standout is reminiscent of the old EyeToy webcam from Sony, where you whack Bob-Ombs into Bowser Jr. by knocking them with your silhouette. You’re staged around a wide screen with up to nine other players, which adds an extra layer of silliness when you’re all flailing your arms and jumping to hit question blocks in side-by-side unison.



While it was surprising Miyamoto didn’t take the opportunity to promote the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie on stage (perhaps he felt the volume of posters around the park were enough), several of the film’s stars were in attendance at the opening ceremony, including Chris Pratt and Keegan-Michael Key.







Nintendo is often perceived as too cagey to entrust their IP to other companies, yet these collaborations with Universal and Illumination feel like a significant step towards pursuing the multimedia dominance associated with Disney.



With plans underway for another Super Nintendo World in Singapore, along with Orlando, it’s clear Nintendo is hoping to make this experience as widely accessible as possible. The lack of any Universal resort in Europe might leave this continent in the lurch, but for any fan who has the income to spare, this innovative trip is the ultimate showcase of future nostalgia.









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