Super Nintendo World Opening In Japan In February, Mario Kart AR Ride Detailed

Super Nintendo World will open in Japan on February 4, and reporters given access to the theme park have shared some first impressions about the sights, sounds, and rides. One of the main attractions is a Mario Kart ride, which will use AR to keep you feeling like you're racing while remaining on the tracks.

Bloomberg reporter Kurumi Mori shared her impressions on Twitter. The Mario Kart ride, called Koopa's Challenge, is located inside Bowser's Castle. The castle itself is decked out with royal decor, including a giant statue of Bowser himself, and Mario Kart trophies. Karts have four seats, each with their own steering wheel and AR helmet.

With the AR tech, you can collect items and throw shells at other karts. The ride includes two sets of tracks side-by-side, so you should be able to race another kart. You'll start in Bowser's castle and then go through a lava section, underwater, a haunted area, and finally, Rainbow Road.

To deal with COVID, Universal says the headsets will be sanitized. Mori noted that the castle itself seems pretty compact, which may present a challenge for crowd management.

Nintendo and Universal are also planning to open similar attractions in Singapore, Orlando, and Hollywood Universal Parks. Each will have its own unique rides, but details haven't been shared on them and construction hasn't yet begun at most locations.

In addition, Nintendo released plenty of images from inside the Mario Kart ride and one from the Mushroom Kingdom, which feels like you stepped right into the game.

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In a press release, Mario Kart's sr. director of innovation and global executive producer Thomas Geraghty said, "At the heart of the castle lies the world's first ever Mario Kart theme park ride based on the Mario Kart series of games, which have sold over 150 Million units. Universal Creative has partnered with Nintendo to bring a real-life racing adventure to Universal Studios Japan with Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge! Guests will put on their headset which takes them through the Mario Kart universe to experience never-ending excitement and thrills."