Remember theme parks?
Nintendo hopes you do, because Super Nintendo World is opening at Universal Studios Japan on Feb. 4, 2021. To celebrate the imminent influx of visitors, Nintendo shared an inside look at the park on Friday hosted by none other than the “father” of Mario himself, Shigeru Miyamoto.
The 15-minute Nintendo Direct presentation sees Miyamoto walking us through some of the noteworthy attractions and destination in the soon-to-open park. It’s an impressive recreation of the Super Mario experience, with spinning coins, animatronic Koopas and Shy Guys, and a nostalgia-inducing recreation of the entry hall in Princess Peach’s castle.
The theme park experience at Super Nintendo World is powered in large part by the Power-Up Band, a wrist-worn device that pairs with a smartphone app, allowing you to interact with various points of interest. You can collect coins, power-ups, and key in various activities, eventually using them in a boss fight against Bowser, Jr. (not shown).
There’s also tchotchkes to buy and a Mario-themed menu that’s heavy on the mushroom (including mushroom-flavored popcorn). Miyamoto’s tour raises all sorts of questions about what to expect from the fuller experience but it’s a promising peek into how Nintendo and Universal brought the Mario series to life in theme park form.