fans of Super Mario will be able to attack a new castle: the first American amusement park dedicated to the famous Nintendo character will open in Los Angeles in Februarya few weeks before the premiere of a Hollywood film about the mustachioed plumber.
“Super Nintendo World”, largely inspired by the design of its older brother which opened in 2021 in Osaka, will be part of the Universal Studios Hollywood park.
Mushrooms to eliminate, piranha plants hidden in pipesbricks full of money: the attraction faithfully reproduces the world of the video game, almost 40 years after the arrival of the little plumber who jumps from platform to platform.
Released in 1985 for Nintendo’s NES console, Super Mario Bros. remains one of the most popular video games to this day best sellers in the world. These 2D adventures paved the way for many sequels, propelling Shigeru Miyamoto’s character to global pop culture icon status.
More accustomed to offering attractions inspired by film franchises, such as “Harry Potter” or “Fast and Furious”, Universal has partnered with Nintendo to offer an immersive experience.
Visitors will be able to board a ride dedicated to the racing game “Mario Kart”, equipped with augmented reality glasses, for a trip to the castle of the famous villain “Bowser”.
In this very real environment, they can shoot virtual bullets from your gondola to the enemies you see in your visor.
Other games allow the audience to wear interactive bracelets, which identify movements and reproduce them on screens.
Everyone can thus accumulate coins or stamps, hoping to qualify for a showdown with the final boss.
The attraction attempts to recreate a “sumo playgroundaccording to Universal Creative Vice President Jon Corfino.
“We combine video effects, projections, LED screens, truly magical and immersive sets, special effects, physical effects, augmented reality,” he explains. “It’s still the same challenges as a console, but this time in real life“.
Some enthusiasts have already experimented with the proposal, as the attraction is admitting few visitors to ensure a “smooth opening” and resolve any technical issues that may arise.
“To be here It’s like reproducing my childhood in real life‘, the park’s first visitor, Carlos Moctezuma, dressed as his favorite plumber, told AFP.
“It’s a dream come true,” added his girlfriend, Lexsi Houseman, dressed as Luigi, the hero’s brother. “I’ve known Mario since I was in second grade. It was one of my first games on the Game Boy.”
The official launch of “Super Nintendo World” is scheduled for February 17, when visitors will be greeted by actors dressed as Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach.
After Osaka and Los Angeles, Nintendo also plans to open a third amusement park. in Orlando, Florida.
Universal Pictures, the film studio whose parent company operates the Hollywood amusement park, will release “Super Mario Bros. The Movie” in April.
This animated feature, which plays to the max with nostalgia, features a luxurious voice acting cast.
Universal has hired the American actor Chris Pratt to lend his voice to the pot-bellied plumber. But his portrayal of Mario, seen in the trailer, disappointed many fans and sparked a lively controversy on social media.
An all-star voice cast also includes Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong.
It will be Hollywood’s second attempt to bring Nintendo’s most popular characters to the big screen, following a much-criticized 1993 live-action film.
With information from AFP
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Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.