Super Nintendo World review: our guide to Mario land in Hollywood
Since its inauguration at Universal Studios Japan in 2021 and the opening of its American counterpart at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023, Super Nintendo World has become the dream destination for fans of the Kyoto firm. In this state-of-the-art land, the Mushroom Kingdom comes to life through various attractions and other interactive experiences. The park's promise is to offer an immersion that has never been equaled in the cult video game world of Mario and his friends. But with only two areas of the genre open on the other side of the world, organizing a visit as a French player is quite an expense.
Is venturing to Japan or the United States to live this experience really worth it? To answer this question that intrigued fans are asking, we explored Super Nintendo World during a trip to Los Angeles to establish our own test of the destination. Between total wonder and exorbitant expenses, the Universal Studios land has far from left us indifferent.
The case of Universal Studios Hollywood
It was in the heart of Los Angeles that the second Super Nintendo World land opened its doors a year ago. Located on the heights of Hollywood, this amusement park has to deal with a very limited space that it shares with the real Universal film studios. Unlike the Walt Disney Studios Park in Marne-la-Vallée, this tourist destination is built on the headquarters of the cinema and television giant. Thus, the Universal Destinations & Experiences teams had to revise their ambitions downwards when exporting the Mario universe to American soil.
The Californian version of Super Nintendo World incorporates the most essential elements of the original land located in Japan. There is the Mario Kart: Bowser Challenge attraction, the Toadstool Café themed restaurant, a souvenir shop, three meeting points with characters as well as various interactive mini-games. The major differences are actually in the layout of the area.
Due to lack of space, this Super Nintendo World is organized on a single level.unlike the Japanese version where the entrance to Peach's Castle is from above. In fact, The Yoshi's Adventure attraction located in the upper part of the land is therefore absent from Universal Studios Hollywood. But while the American reproduction of the Mushroom Kingdom may seem tiny at first glance, it is nonetheless a true marvel of immersion and technology, offering a whole host of memorable activities.
What is Mario Kart like in real life?
Upon arrival, visitors are obviously looking to rush to the Mario Kart attraction. The latter promises to transport us into a part of the cult game using a clever mix of physical settings and augmented reality. After an impressive queue that has all the makings of a fully-fledged interactive experience, Universal invites us to take a seat in four-seater karts. This is where the magic happens thanks to cutting-edge technology. Before entering the attraction, Bowser's employees equip us with a Mario cap that is not just there for show. It serves as a support for an augmented reality visor connected to the attraction's vehicle.
Once the race has started, it is therefore possible to distinguish the game characters aboard their cars. This interactive dark ride is of course “gamified” to be fully inspired by Mario Kart. Our gaze therefore serves as a targeting system to launch shells, while the steering wheel must be turned at the right time to win more coins. The objective is then to slow down Bowser's team to leave the field clear for Mario's. Everyone's scores are displayed at the end and it is even possible to lose the race! This attraction goes to great lengths to provide an unparalleled experience, but the excess information ends up detracting from the enjoyment it provides.
Despite a detailed tutorial during the pre-show, it is not easy to understand how the game works before picking it up, so the first round is more confusing than anything else. We don't enjoy the sets and the animatronics, which are nevertheless surprising, and we come out of it rather mixed. It was only on a second playthrough that we really came to appreciate Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge.but you still have to have the courage to queue again. The land's major attraction is therefore far from perfect, but it is nonetheless unique in its kind. These flaws are, however, made up for by the rest of the experiences offered, because any Super Nintendo World deserves the name of attraction.
A tiny land with a lot to offer (if you're willing to spend)
Once immersed in this more-than-life Mushroom Kingdom, everything around us is conducive to play and fun. The animated sets of Super Nintendo World are home to secrets and mini-games to discover as you explore the area. The whole point of this land lies in the connectivity with the Universal mobile application and an accessory called the Power Up Band. This small bracelet allows you to track your progress in the different activities to transform the visit into a real video game. With this feature, the amusement park has found the right vein. The Power Up Band costs $47 (excluding tax) and is required to take part in the land's mini-games and storyline.
This expense, in addition to the entrance ticket, can be disconcerting. But the hole left on the credit card is quickly forgotten when you have fun breaking your first blocks at Mario. Some activities also allow you to unlock keys, which open the passage to Bowser Jr.'s lair. He has seized a golden champion that must be recovered at all costs and returned to Princess Peach. This side quest has enough to keep us busy for almost an hour and ends with a beautiful interactive confrontation that we will avoid spoiling.
The Power Up Band also allows you to record your performance in the Mario Kart attraction and during the fight against Bowser Jr, in order to appear on the ranking screens in the park. The Journal du Geek did not fail to prove itself: we came first in the boss fight on the day! Nintendo has also thought of everything to make the bracelet a souvenir that can be used again once you get home. Depending on the chosen design, the accessory can be used as an Amiibo of the corresponding character on 3DS, Wii U and Switch.
However, Super Nintendo World still has more than one trick up its sleeve to burn our credit cards. The souvenir shop offers a wide variety of products with strange pricing to say the least. How can we explain that stuffed animals only cost about twenty dollars while some mugs exceed $30? These strange discrepancies can be seen throughout the Universal park, as well as in the restaurants. Across from Nintendo Land, the Jurassic World snack bar offers corndogs for $12, while the much more elaborate dishes at the Toadstool Café cost around $16. We therefore advise you to avoid the stands in favour of the restaurant and to take your time before jumping on the goodies: appearances are deceptive at Universal.
How to organize your day well?
Unsurprisingly, Super Nintendo World is one of the most popular areas of the park. As soon as it opens, visitors rush there and wait times explode. The Mario Kart attraction can easily reach more than 100 minutes of waiting, while the mini-games require a good half hour for only a few seconds of fun. In order to avoid wasting too much time in this area, several options are available to you.
The first is to avoid Super Nintendo World until the late hours of the day. Universal Studios Hollywood is divided into two distinct levels, and navigating between them isn't easy. For example, visitors who start on the Lower Lot—home to Mario land, Jurassic World, The Mummy, and Transformers—typically spend the entire morning there before ending the day on the Upper Lot. Going in the opposite direction, therefore, avoids the crowds in most themed areas.
However, there are some extras that can make your visit easier. The park entrance ticket can notably be accompanied by early access to Super Nintendo Worldbilled between $30 and $35 depending on the period. It is then possible to enter the park an hour before everyone else and enjoy the land in peace. We opted for this option which allowed us to enjoy Mario Kart and complete all the mini-games even before the official opening of the park and the arrival of the crowd.
Otherwise, Buying an entrance ticket with Express Pass is the ideal solution to fully enjoy the day. This entry guarantees access without a queue for each attraction (at a rate of one passage per attraction). But this option is far from being the cheapest. The price of this premium ticket can go up to $309 in high season, and will never go below $199. An Express Pass Unlimited option is also offered for an additional $50. As you can see, this park does not hesitate to charge supplements, but these are entirely optional.
Our verdict
Super Nintendo World is a true marvel that will not fail to mark Nintendo or amusement park fans. No park in France or Europe has yet reached such a level of immersion, and the materialization of this universe has something truly special. Entering a green pipe to arrive in Peach's castle is a memorable and unique experience.
But as the inauguration of new versions of the park approaches, we can only advise you to wait a little longer. Since organizing such a trip is not easy, it is better to aim for a flawless experience. Next year, Universal Studios Japan will open the doors to a first expansion dedicated to Donkey Kong, accompanied by a roller coaster inspired by the mine cart sequences of the franchise.
On the Universal Studios Orlando side in Florida, the inauguration of the third Epic Universe park will also mark the arrival of a second Super Nintendo World on American soil. This one will be an identical reproduction of the Japanese park, and will open immediately with the Donkey Kong zone.
Whether you prefer to go to Japan to enjoy the country or to Florida for a trip 100% dedicated to theme parks, the year 2025 will be the best time to go and discover Super Nintendo World. Just a little more patience: the adventure will really be worth it.
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