Super Nintendo World Osaka’s top attractions: from AR Mario Kart races to noshing on koopa shell-shaped calzones at Yoshi’s Snack Island, here’s 5 reasons to visit Universal Studios Japan’s new video game theme park
- Covid-19 delayed the opening date of Osaka’s new video game theme park, originally planned for a summer launch aside the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
- As vaccines continue to roll out, Mario franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto says he hopes the whole world will come and visit once the pandemic is over
At long last – the Super Nintendo World theme park has finally opened at Universal Studios Japan.
The Osaka attraction was originally meant to open last summer ahead of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but this timeline was disrupted by the pandemic. It then set an opening date of February, but this also got postponed after Osaka declared a state of emergency because of high rates of Covid-19 hospitalisations.
Visits will not be a totally carefree experience, though, as there are many safety protocols in place at the park. These include mandatory masks, temperature checks, social distancing measures, signs requesting riders to refrain from shrieking and readily available hand sanitiser.
Mario Kart races
Racing around a Mario Kart circuit is probably one of the most notable activities. Using AR headsets, visitors can experience a five-minute race. They can also see projections of other characters and collect virtual coins.
Ride Yoshi