Some time ago (i.e. last year), Nintendo announced its partnership with Universal Studios to create new attractions at theme parks in Japan and the US. Thanks to a conceptual rendering of what such would look like we now know that the zone will be called Super Nintendo World. You should be able to tell just from the name that a certain mustachioed plumber will be hogging most of the spotlight, though other well-known characters will be present as well. A tidbit from Universal Studios’ Japanese branch site says
“Super Nintendo World will be comprised of expansive and multilevel environments filled with unprecedented, state-of-the-art rides, interactive areas, shops and restaurants, all featuring Nintendo’s most popular characters and games.”
Universal Studios and Nintendo are sparing no expense for the attraction. Development costs are expected to top $430 million, and will be built using a current parking area and a space set aside just for expansion. It sounds expensive, but Kansai University Professor Emeritus Katsuhiro Miyamoto (no relation) expects $101 billion in economic income for Japan and the creation of 1.1 million jobs within ten years of Super Nintendo World’s opening. An opening which will occur in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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Following its 2020 debut, Super Nintendo World is also scheduled to come overseas to the Universal Studios theme parks in Orlando, FL and Hollywood in the US. No “release date” for the western versions have been announced, nor are there any known plans for other locations. We’ve known for years and years that a Nintendo theme park would be just about the greatest thing ever, and it seems the company is only three to four more years away from proving that to be a scientific fact.
That’s still a pretty long wait, especially for those who don’t have the luxury of being in Japan. Maybe you can pass the time by looking around The Nerd Stash and immersing yourself in our glorious news articles and reviews.
