After years of piloting Mario over dangerous pits and through trillions of coins, Nintendo is finally letting you meet him in person. Fittingly, the first place you'll be able to do that is in Japan - where Super Mario was created, and where he will debut in a new Universal Studios Japan theme park.
His attraction is called "Super Nintendo World" - a riff on the name of the best Super Mario game ever made, "Super Mario World" for the Super Nintendo. The attraction is planned for a 2020 debut, with subsequent attractions to debut in Florida- and California-based Universal Studios theme parks.
Nintendo/Universal Studios
In a new video that debuted this week, everyone's favorite fearless plumber offers a first look at the Mario-centric theme park attraction. Despite the naming convention, it looks as though "Super Nintendo World" is a recreation of Mario's Mushroom Kingdom rather than a hodgepodge of Nintendo's greatest hits.
Nintendo/Universal Studios
Mario greets guests to his new theme park attraction.
In just the one image above, you can glimpse a menacing castle with a massive Bowser head, a traditional platforming area, a giant Toad, iconic yellow question mark blocks, and much more.
Of note, the video depicts a computer graphics representation of what Universal Studios and Nintendo intend to create. Construction on the project began recently - photos of pieces of "Super Nintendo World" popped up on Twitter this week:
When Nintendo announced its partnership with Universal Studios in November 2016, the Japanese game company said it would have "something for everyone" at its attractions. Aside from the video game-centric trappings of the attraction, Super Nintendo World is said to feature, "multiple attractions, shops and restaurants."
Perhaps this massive Toad house could be a restaurant?
Nintendo/Universal Studios
We'll find out in a few years when Super Nintendo World is planned to open to the public - in 2020!
Check out the whole video below:
【速報】
ちょっと待って…
USJにマリオあるんだけど。
土管とかブロックとかパックンフラワーとかある……♪
たぶん任天堂エリア関連のイベントかなんかあるんだろうね。#USJ #マリオ #Mario #任天堂 #Nintendo #UniversalStudios pic.twitter.com/jwDABV7FG0
- USJ情報局 L.C.A.STUDIOS (@LCASTUDIOS_USJ) June 6, 2017