Here’s hoping they still have room for the Donkey Kong area (pic: Attractions Magazine)
The first Western location for Super Nintendo World opens in a month’s time and early impressions paint a positive picture.
It’s taken longer than Nintendo and Universal probably hoped, but their Super Nintendo World theme park is on the cusp of opening its first American location in Los Angeles.
It already debuted in Japan in 2021 and looked incredible then, boasting a nifty VR Mario Kart ride.
If you’re worried about the Hollywood location being a ‘lesser’ version of its Japanese counterpart, then don’t be as Universal has described it as ‘the same experience.’
That’s not to say that it’s a one-to-one recreation. Obviously, the layout is different; in fact, the Hollywood location has less space, so everything had to be compressed and moved around to accommodate.
The Hollywood location also lacks the Yoshi ride, a slow-paced attraction that acts as a tour around the park.
However, this is the only omission, according to Universal creative vice president Jon Corfino.
Attractions Magazine was invited to a guided tour of the unfinished park and it took the chance to ask Corfino about the potential differences between the Hollywood location and the one in Japan.
‘They still have the same areas; they’re just laid out a little bit differently, because the space is different,’ he explained. ‘In terms of the land itself, we do not have a Yoshi ride, they do. But aside from that, I would say pound-for-pound, you’re gonna get the same game experience [and] the same visual experience.
‘It’s essentially the same, but it’s a different configuration because they have a bigger geography than we do. We had to kind of compress it to [fit the space that] we had.’
Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge – Mario Kart may be the one ride it has but the park as a whole will keep you busy (photo: Bianca Weber)
Attractions Magazine’s report on the park is incredibly positive, with even the queue for the Mario Kart ride keeping them engaged with its numerous Easter eggs and AR viewfinders.
The park’s main attraction, though, is an interactive adventure that has you explore the park to retrieve a golden mushroom stolen by Bowser Jr.
Using a Power Band accessory, you can interact with parts of the environment, like coin blocks to earn coins, and complete mini-games.
‘That’s really the big difference here,’ said Corfino. ‘As opposed to other rides and attractions that we’ve done. This is putting you into a game, not trying to take you backstage at a movie. This is more like you are inside the game.’
You can view some high-quality footage of the park below but, overall, it looks just as enticing as the Japan location and is bound to please diehard Nintendo fans.
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Universal Studios Hollywood is in Los Angeles, California and relatively central, so if you’re ever visiting it’s pretty easy to get to.
As a reminder, Nintendo and Universal also plan to bring the park to Orlando, Florida in 2025. Although that still means us Brits need to save up a pretty penny to experience it ourselves.
Super Nintendo World Hollywood opens early for annual passholders on January 29, with it opening to the public on February 17.
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The first Western location for Super Nintendo World opens in a month’s time and early impressions paint a positive picture.
