Nintendo announced its partnership with Universal Studios last year. From then, it's already been confirmed that Nintendo-themed parks will break ground in Osaka, Orlando, and Hollywood, which will surely be a frantic nod to its eclectic set of franchises.
Now, the company has officially revealed more details about the forthcoming parks, specifically the one in Osaka, now called "Super Nintendo World."
Super Nintendo World
The theme parks will feature a number of attractions culled from Nintendo's diverse game library, according to a post (translated) in Nintendo of Japan's website. How varied the theme parks will end up being remains to be seen, but the official accompanying art isn't exactly diversely populated with a lot of Nintendo characters, only depicting Mario and Luigi set against what appears to be the Mushroom Kingdom.
When Will Super Nintendo World Open?
Nintendo says the theme parks will officially open its gates in Osaka's Universal Studios Japan before the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. There's no word yet on when Super Nintendo World will hit Orlando and Hollywood. The only thing confirmed as of this time is that the theme park will rely heavily on Nintendo mascots Mario and Luigi, though Nintendo hopefully will fill the roster too with original IPs including Zelda, Animal Crossing, Metroid, Kirby, or possibly but highly unlikely, Pokémon, which is partly owned by the company.
Nintendo and Universal Studios announced the partnership this November, steeping the expectations of many by saying that the theme park will be "expansive, immersive and interactive," while offering authentic attraction-filled environments replete with shops and restaurants. Of course, don't expect Universal Studios and Nintendo to make elevators out of green pipes, such as the ones found in Mario, but anything could happen at this point. The attractions will open separately in the next several years, the companies said.
The Osaka theme park is still a long way to go, and no one knows what Super Nintendo World might feature as attractions. In that time frame, who knows what games or consoles Nintendo will release? The prospect is foggy for now. But given Nintendo's push for Super Mario Run and a heavy campaign period likely in the works when its upcoming hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch, launches, Mario will surely continue on becoming a household name even when a new generation of gamers emerge.
What would you like to see in Super Nintendo World? Any franchises we missed? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
