Here we go! The countdown to the opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood is almost over! The themed land officially opens to the public on February 17, 2023. Which is so soon! Until now, we had only been told “early 2023.” We cannot wait to finally race an IRL version of Mario Kart on one of the best tracks ever, Bowser’s Castle. Who doesn’t want to navigate the land of Koopas, Piranha Plants, and wonders of the Mushroom Kingdom? February 17th can’t come quickly enough!
The good news, which we saw on GameSpot, also includes more about the interactive elements of the land. You can buy Power-Up Bands to rack up coins and punch Question Mark Blocks. That’s something we’ve never considered doing in real life, but now we can’t wait to make that famous jumping motion and see what we get. Based on the video below, it looks like you can represent Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Daisy, Princess Peach, or Toad.
The announcement also includes details about food and retail shops. At the Toadstool Cafe, you can sit on a small mushroom under tall mushroom umbrella to chow down on the themed food. If the menu is anything like the Japanese park, we can’t wait to see what the options are. And it’s a sure bet that we’ll be buying merch and gifts at the 1-Up Factory.
There’s tons of little details that are sure to make a visit to Super Nintendo World fully immersive. You even enter through a Warp Pipe! Character meet and greets include Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach. We also spotted Goombas, Thwomps, and Chain Chomps lurking in the preview video above. The Japanese park opened to rave reviews in 2021. Versions in Singapore and Orlando, Florida are also on the way. Let’s-a go!
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She is SO excited to visit Super Nintendo World! Melissa also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.
