Mama Mia! Construction for the Super Nintendo World theme parks continues to march forward in quiet procession, but not for long. It seems the Big N and the Big U are slowly turning up the hype volume as they get close to completion. In 2021, Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Japan opened its doors to the public for the first time. There is light at the end of the warp pipe for America, too. Universal Studios Hollywood revealed an all-new sneak peek video of a ride at the park, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. The video is animated but portrays a fairly accurate feel for what the ride will be like. This augmented reality ride will immerse participants into the quirky fast-paced world of Mario Kart. Banana peels will fly, Koopa shells will bounce, and Peach will break the fourth wall as the riders zoom their way to get first place and challenge the infamous Team Bowser.
While the ride is not quite the actual go-kart or roller coaster experience you might expect, the fun aesthetics still make it to be a promising show. Universal Studios Hollywood’s website describes it as “the world’s first interactive Mario Kart ride with cutting-edge technology,” and according to The Verge’s first-hand reports, it’s already a hit in Japan. The ride’s interactive experience encourages riders to collect coins and throw Koopa Shells at their opponents, allowing for different outcomes to happen. And of course, the Mario Kart ride will interact with those handy Power-Up bands, which are currently for sale in Japan.
Universal Studios Hollywood plans to have its own Super Nintendo World ready for a grand opening in early 2023. Will we get to see Zelda-themed areas at the park in the near future? We sure hope so!
