At long last, Super Nintendo World in Osaka has an opening date: the new feature will transport its first visitors to the Mushroom Kingdom on February 4, 2021.
As a new area within Universal Studios Japan, Super Nintendo World will feature a two-track Mario Kart rollercoaster as its main attraction, where riders use AR headsets and “throw power-ups from item boxes” to jockey for first place. The ride itself is on rails but the winner will be determined by how well participants perform in the AR element, thus offering a unique experience each time.
Another ride focuses on Yoshi, as seen in aerial photos taken this spring. A smartphone app will link to a wearable “link-up band” to track coins earned from challenges, and another attraction will have visitors “moving like Mario” to collect keys and character stamps. Visitors will explore a scaled replica of the Mushroom Kingdom’s vibrant vistas
Bloomberg’s Kurumi Mori visited Super Nintendo World and reported that it seemed “compact,” which may pose social distancing concerns, but praised the quality of the recreation.
The park was originally planned to open this summer, before the pandemic. At launch, the park will be operating at 50% capacity and enforcing safety protocols to protect visitors and prevent spreading Covid-19. The release date should be considered subject to change, however, as Japan has seen rising case numbers recently. Osaka Prefecture itself had twenty thousand total cases as of November 29, ranking second in the nation.
