Universal Studios: Minions ‘blaster game’ to open next summer

More Minions-based attractions are moving into Universal Studios theme park, including one named Villain-Con Minion Blast, Universal Orlando announced Thursday morning.

Minion Blast, an interactive blaster game on a “motion-based pathway” will open in the former Shrek 4-D building in summer 2023. The Shrek attraction closed in January, and the structure has been behind construction walls decorated with yellow Minion images for months.

The new attraction will join the existing Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, which debuted in 2012, and the newly announced Minion Cafe to form Minion Land in the theme park. (Monsters Cafe closed at the theme park in May.)

The storyline behind the upcoming Villain-Con Minion Blast prompts participants to compete in order to join the Vicious 6, a group of supervillains from the film “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” which debuted in July. Standing competitors will “wind and glide through various scenes where they earn points by blasting a variety of items and causing as much mayhem and destruction as possible,” a Universal Orlando news release said.

Minion Land will also include “other surprises” inspired by characters from Illumination franchises.

Universal did not share more details about Minion Cafe or Minion Land.

In November, the park announced it would be closing five attractions within its KidZone area in January. On their way out are Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, Fievel’s Playland, Curious George Goes to Town, DreamWorks Destination and Shrek and Donkey’s Meet & Greet. Their last day of operation will be Jan. 15.

On Friday, Universal’s Great Movie Escape opens to the public at Universal CityWalk. It will feature challenges based on the “Back to the Future” and “Jurassic World” movie franchises.

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