By now, most of us have finally gotten it through our heads: 2020 is a year unlike any other. The current health crisis has led to the cancellation and postponement of several major events, from long-awaited movie releases to major competitions like the Euro 2020. It's a shame, especially considering that 2020 is a special year for someone who's kept us entertained for over 30 years: a plumber who goes by the name of Mario...
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See you at Super Nintendo World on February 4, 2021
35 years ago, the whole world (or almost) discovered Super Mario, a game that later became a classic and grew into an awesome series of games people young and old can't get enough of. To celebrate this symbolic anniversary, Nintendo went all out. In fact, they plan to release several remastered Super Mario classics, as well as new content, in the coming weeks...
But the icing on the (birthday) cake should have been the summer 2020 grand opening ofSuper Nintendo World, a Nintendo-themed park inside Universal Studios park in Osaka (Japan), which we got to check out a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the current health crisis has pushed back the opening date, so in the end, the park will be opening its doors on February 4, 2021, as was announced by Universal and Nintendo. But this won't be the last theme park of its kind: we'll soon be seeing it at other Universal parks around the world, starting with one in Orlando.
New Donkey Kong ride revealed
According to a journalist for Bloomberg, who was actually on-site and got to explore the park, Nintendo fans are in for an extraordinary experience. Although it is a much smaller space than you might expect. Apparently, building it cost a whopping £522 million. Donkey Kong fans will be delighted to learn that a Donkey Kong-themed ride is in the works.
There will most definitely be a Mario Kart-themed area
Despite the health crisis and all the difficulties that ensued, construction at Super Nintendo World has carried on. At least that's what we think after waking up to the new aerial photos Japanese newspaperThe Sankei News took. The photos reveal what awaits visitors in more detail: you can see the legendary Peach castle, which you can visit, and, Bowser's castle, which is symbolically placed right in front of it. If you're more observant than the average person, you might also notice that there's a Mario Kart circuit—after all, it is one of Nintendo's greatest successes. The actual name of the attraction, a 5-minute ride on which each rider gets an augmented reality headset, is Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge.
You can also hang out at the Mario café while you wait
If you're a fan, or just curious, and want to get a taste of this 100% Nintendo space, the park has decided to open a 'Mario Café & Store.' Located outside of Super Nintendo World, this original venue opened on October 16. Visitors will get to eat Mario and friends-coloured food and buy Mario products at the café, which is located in the Hollywood area of the amusement park.
