Nintendo and Super Mario Fans will soon be able to play a life-sized videogame at Super Nintendo World, a new theme park that’s ready to open at Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan. The new park was supposed to be already up and running, but the current pandemic has forced Universal Studios do delay the opening to next Spring.
A recent aerial video from October shows the entire structure of the park, that looks like a triangular huge movie set. According to what Universal Studios already revealed at the beginning of 2020, the attraction has been built with the help of Super Mario’s creator Shigeru Miyamoto, and it revolves around a specific mission to retrieve a golden mushroom stole by Mario’s recurring nemesis, Bowser Jr.
Visitors will be able to follow the plotline as main protagonists, while going through many different scenarios inspired by the videogame saga, such as the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach’s Castle (which should also be the entrance to the park) and Bowser’s fortress. From the aerial video, it’s possible to spot many different element and references, including multiple levels that remind of the platforms from Mario’s world, and even a Mario Kart ride that should somehow play a role in the park visitor’s quest.
The park, as can be seen from the recent aerial video, is peppered with Question Blocks that visitors can actually punch to collect points. The Blocks are connected to an NFC bracelet that users will wear and connect to a smartphone app. At the end of the park visit, the app will show how many coins have been collected along with a final score.
Despite plans being delayed by the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, Universal Studios still plans to bring the same attraction to their parks in Los Angeles, Orlando, Singapore and Hollywood.