Mario and friends are set to make Florida one of their new homes.
Comcast executives announced on Tuesday that Universal Orlando will open a fourth park based on Nintendo characters in 2023. According to USA Today, Universal's Super Nintendo World theme park will debut this summer at its location in Osaka, Japan. It will then transition to California, Orlando, and eventually Singapore.
Comcast believes that the new park will have a similar effect as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter parks which pulls in an "incremental attendance of 2 million people."
"Nintendo, based on our research, is the biggest potential driver in attendance you can have in terms of intellectual properties," executives explained.
Super Nintendo World will include rides, shops, and more. Visitors will also get to participate in interactive gameplay. By purchasing a "power up band," park-goers can connect to an app that turns their visit into an interactive experience. They can collect coins like in a real Nintendo game as well as play against other people.
"Think of Super Nintendo World as a life-size, living video game where you become one of the characters," Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Universal Creative, Thierry Coup, said in a statement. "You’re not just playing the game; you’re living the game, you’re living the adventure."
Nintendo is home to popular video game franchises like the Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros., and Pokémon. Coup went on to say that some of Nintendo's most recognized locations and characters will be recreated in the park.
"Nintendo’s most iconic locations and experiences will be brought to life, including Mushroom Kingdom, Peach’s Castle, an incredible Mario Kart ride, Bowser’s Castle, and more."
Universal and Nintendo's partnership was first announced back in 2016.
