All About Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood — Including the New Bowser Ride
Ryan Parker
Press start.
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood opens in February, and the 360-degree video game land is truly a sight to behold. The attraction truly puts guests into the zany action, perhaps more than any other themed land at the California destination (sorry Harry Potter).
Located on the lower level of the Los Angeles park in a space previously dedicated to sound stages, the enclosed Super Mario World features an array of eye-popping sights and sounds from the Mario Bros. franchise, including a gigantic (and quite foreboding) Bowser's Castle smack dab inside the Mushroom Kingdom.
In a sneak peek, PEOPLE was able to explore the gigantic land, which features a state-of-the-art ride in Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge. The attraction is a combination of virtual reality and a traditional track ride — guests wear head-mounted VR goggles while inside their moving Kart as they battle against one another.
RELATED: The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Everything to Know
Ryan Parker
Among the themed shopping and dining options inside Super Mario World is the adorable Toadstool Cafe, which features menu options like the Mario Burger with bacon, cheese and, naturally, mushrooms, and Yoshi's Favorite Fruit and Veggie Salad.
Jon Corfino, vice president of Universal Creative, tells PEOPLE that it was imperative that the first Super Nintendo World in the U.S. (previously only in Universal Studios Japan) have the feeling of transporting guests totally out of the park.
"This land is a place onto itself," Corfino says, as he walks through the massive green pipe that brings guests into the world. "We are incredibly proud of Harry Potter and Despicable Me and the other immersive areas we have created. But, going into Super Nintendo World is like nothing we have ever done before. You're in the game in every kind of way. Looking around now, in the land, you can't see anything else. You're very much in the energized, kinetic world, and you don't notice anything else. But when you go through those gates and leave, you're clearly back in the park."
Ryan Parker
RELATED: Universal Studios Hollywood Announces Opening Date for Super Nintendo World
Arguably the most enjoyable aspect of Super Nintendo World is the Power-Up Band (available for an additional purchase), which brings interaction with the land to a whole other level (pun intended.) The well-designed, hefty slap bracelet comes in a variety of character themes and allows guests to take part in a number of interactive areas to collect coins and gold keys via the Universal Studios Hollywood app. The coins and keys then grant further access to the land, plus interactions with characters.
"I have to stress the talents and dedication of our teams in Orlando, our teams here that worked very closely with Nintendo over the years to understand what they do best with the game and what we do best with the theme parks," Corfino says. He notes that while technically the Universal Studios Japan land is a bit larger in square footage, the Hollywood land packs the same punch to guests' senses.
Ryan Parker
The partnership between Nintendo and Universal was announced in May 2015, with the construction of Universal Studios Japan breaking ground in June 2017. Following some setbacks due to the pandemic, Super Nintendo World opened at the Japan theme park in March 2021.
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Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood opens on Feb. 17. And if that were not enough for fans, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, starring Chris Pratt and Anya Taylor-Joy, opens in theaters on April 7.
