Osaka, Japan (CNN) – Children and adults waited in line for their turn to experience the world’s first Super Nintendo World and its life-size Mushroom Kingdom, which opened on Thursday at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.
Many wore Mario’s iconic red hat, while others wore Nintendo souvenirs from head to toe.
Minutes after the participants entered, lines were formed to take pictures with Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad.
Sisters Mika and Yuko Kobayashi – one of them wearing a Yoshi bandana while carrying a Mario doll – said they were thrilled when they entered the new park for the first time. They have played Nintendo games since they were children, they said. One added that “it is not an exaggeration to say that Mario created me”.
Sporting a Princess Peach banner, Sakura Konohana said the park “is beyond my expectations. I feel like I’m in the Mario world.”
Although participants are allowed to interact with the characters – who speak with their video game voices – they cannot touch them due to coronavirus protocols. So, for now, there are no greetings or hugs. By contrast, Disney parks are currently not allowing pictures of characters in the midst of the pandemic.
Covid-19 restrictions at Universal Studios Japan include checking the temperature at the entrance, mandatory use of a mask, hand sanitizer everywhere, social distance in line and signs in front of roller coasters asking passengers not to scream.
Capacity is limited to 10,000 people a day, or about half of pre-COVID visitors, according to park officials.
Costumed characters greet guests on the opening day of the park.
Noriko Yoshinaka took the first Kyoto train on Thursday morning to be at the park on the opening day.
“I’m scared when I take off my mask to eat,” said Yoshinaka. “But the park seems to follow safety protocols, cleaning toys and surfaces every time people touch them, so I feel safe.”
Many fans said they are more excited about the Koopa Challenge: a real-life Mario Kart race through Bowser Castle. Pilots need to use augmented reality headsets to see projections of other characters and the track, as well as to collect coins and launch items.
In addition to conventional rides, the entire Super Nintendo World is an engaging game in which visitors can compete against other players in the park.
Just like in the video game, visitors can jump and punch “question blocks” and collect virtual coins. Guests can also purchase Power-up Bands, a bracelet that can be linked to a smartphone app, where they can store these coins and virtual keys.
The Super Nintendo World cost about half a billion dollars to build and more than six years to develop. The gaming industry – and especially Nintendo – had a major boost during the pandemic, as people increasingly trapped turned to Nintendo games for escapism.
For Nintendo, this is an important step beyond its core video game and console business. The company is profiting from its treasure trove of intellectual property and iconic characters, with Nintendo items in gift shops across the theme park.
“They are on a decades-long strategy of moving from being a video game company to becoming an entertainment company,” expanding into mobile games, movies, theme parks and merchandise, said David Gibson, an analyst at Astris Advisory, based in Tokyo.
Visitors are accommodated to enjoy the Koopa’s Challenge tour.
Philip Fong / AFP / Getty Images
This opening comes at a time when the global theme park industry is struggling. Theme parks are reopening like a patchwork around the world. There are plans to open the Super Nintendo Worlds in California, Singapore and Florida. In Orlando, the opening was postponed until 2025.
Last year, Comcast executive Stephen Burke said that Nintendo “is one of the biggest potential drivers of attendance you could have from any type of IP. It’s there with Harry Potter.”
The Super Nintendo World was originally scheduled to open last summer, before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Both were postponed for about a year and, along with the Olympics, the Super Nintendo World was expected to attract a flow of tourists and boost activity. economical.
At the opening ceremony, Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, said he hopes the whole world can visit the park when the pandemic is over.