Super Nintendo World theme park opens in Japan; Here are the things you can do at the park

Super Nintendo World has officially become a reality- for Japan at least. Universal Studios Japan (USJ) opened its $550 million, pandemic-delayed Mario-themed attraction on March 18, marking this as a major leap for the gamers maker outside of the virtual world.

Visitors formed a long queue to join Super Nintendo World’s technical rehearsal the day before opening. USJ is currently operating at reduced capacity and guests will need timed tickets to enter the area, reported news agency Reuters.

Here are the main attractions the park offers:

Mario Kart: Koopa's challenge

The biggest attraction in Super Nintendo World is the Mario Kart-themed ride. The interactive dark ride features augmented reality and acts like a coaster on a track, but is also a dark ride, taking place indoors with special effects. The car zips around, revealing iconic Mario characters like Chain Chomp and Piranha Plant.

Yoshi's adventure:

In contrast to the fast-paced and thrilling Mario Kart attraction, Yoshi’s Adventure is slower-paced. The ride leisurely takes guests around through Nintendo-themed areas, both indoors and outdoors, and also offers a mesmerizing view of the full park.

Power up!

Not only is Super Nintendo World a theme park land, it’s also an interactive experience. At the attraction, visitors can buy a $30 “power-up band” which syncs with the park’s app to rank them as they gather coins and defeat baddies.

The wristband draws on the interactive wands in the Harry Potter attraction and Nintendo’s tradition of tactile gaming gadgets and aims to capitalise on Mario’s generation-spanning appeal to drive repeat visits to the park.

1UP factory:

A big part of theme parks is the merchandise and 1Up Factory is the land’s main shop that offers hundreds of items.

Eat at Kinopio’s Cafe

Kinopio’s Cafe is the main restaurant in Super Nintendo Land, offering about 20 game-themed dishes to choose from. The restaurant may look small from the outside, but there is plenty of seating inside. Kinopio is also known as “Toad” outside of Japan and is popular for being a cute little mushroom companion who is endlessly screaming anytime you meet him.