Universal Studios Hollywood reveals more details for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Super Nintendo World
Photo curtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood
When Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Hollywood in early 2023, fans will be able to venture inside the Mushroom Kingdom and race alongside characters like Mario and Luigi.
And, Universal Studios Hollywood finally shared new details about the immersive land’s signature ride, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
The ride is described as “one of the world’s largest, most interactive rides” using augmented reality, projection mapping technology, and set pieces along a moving track to make riders feel as close to the real thing as possible.
Check out a brand new video from Universal teasing some of the scenes from the ride:
While Super Nintendo World opened in 2021 at Universal Studios Japan, the land expansion in California is the first in the United States. Carrying on Universal’s penchant for creating highly immersive theme lands that try to block out the real world, guests to Super Nintendo World enter the area through an iconic green Warp Pipe.
Inside is the world of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, and more. The Mario Kart attraction is set within Bowser’s Castle after an immersive storytelling queue.
Universal said no two races in the Mario Kart ride are alike, calling it “one of the most complex rides ever built within the entertainment industry.”
This ride engages multiple senses, including color, sound, and movement as riders race through an explosion of colors and experience iconic scenes from the video games via augmented reality goggles. The ride vehicles sits four people in stadium seating with each person gripping their own wheel.
Riders are part of Team Mario and will have to navigate a variety of courses, including underwater and in the clouds. The goal, like the video game, is to nab the Golden Cup and collect enough coins to defeat Team Bowser.
Photo by Matt Roseboom
Super Nintendo World doesn’t have an exact opening date yet but is expected to open in early 2023 at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Check out a construction update in the video on this page.
To get the excitement for the new land started, Universal Studios already debuted a bunch of Super Nintendo World merchandise at the Feature Presentation store in the park.
There you can find shirts, hats, plush characters, lanyards, cups, pins, and more. The store is also highly themed like Super Nintendo World with colorful blocks, Warp Pipes, and a mural of the Mushroom Kingdom.
