Universal Studios' Super Nintendo World Adds an Iconic Character
Nintendo has long been known as the Disney of gaming. While Shigeru Miyamoto thinks the company [...]
Nintendo has long been known as the Disney of gaming. While Shigeru Miyamoto thinks the company has a long way to go in order to compete with the house of mouse, that isn't stopping Nintendo from trying to elevate their creations to the same iconic status. Disney clearly has the edge in regards to theme parks, but Nintendo is slowly expanding into that realm in a partnership with Universal Studios. The first Super Nintendo Land is set to appear in Universal Studios Japan, and one iconic Nintendo character can already be seen in the park's construction: Yoshi! In a photo uploaded by Japanese Nintendo, Mario's dino buddy can be seen standing near a tower of Goombas.
The set has been under construction for some time now. From the start, the scenery has done an excellent job of evoking the feel of a Mario game, but Yoshi is the first character we've actually seen in the park's design. From everything Universal has shown thus far, it appears that the attraction will focus primarily on the "Mario family" of characters, including characters such as Peach, Donkey Kong and Bowser. First appearing in 1991's Super Mario World, Yoshi quickly became one of Nintendo's most beloved characters. Though Yoshi has maintained close ties with the Mario franchise ever since, Yoshi has become a legitimate franchise for Nintendo, as well.
It will be interesting to see if Universal's attractions will eventually expand to cover other Nintendo owned IP. Franchises like Animal Crossing, Metroid, and Star Fox would seem to lend themselves well to theme park attractions, though Splatoon seems to be the one that might make the most sense. After all, the series has sold incredibly well for Nintendo throughout the world, but it's been an unabashed success in Japan. A Splatoon water ride would be a perfect way to help the IP continue to grow for the company.
Nintendo fans won't have to wait long to see more from the upcoming attraction. Super Nintendo World is set to open in Universal Studios Japan in summer 2020. At this time, it's unknown when Mario and friends will appear in other Universal Studios parks, but it seems likely that those will follow sooner, rather than later.
What do you think of Super Nintendo World so far? Do you plan on making a trip to Japan to check it out? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!