Super Nintendo World is impressive but lacking variety

Universal Studios Japan does a great job bringing Mushroom Kingdom to life, but isn’t this supposed to be Super Nintendo World?

The latest Nintendo Direct was all about Super Nintendo World. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto takes us on a 15-minute guided tour of the new theme park expansion in Universal Studios Japan.

For fans of Mario, stepping into the life-size warp pipe and entering the Mushroom Kingdom will be the thrill of a lifetime. Walking through Princess Peach’s castle or seeing a life-size Yoshi will, no doubt, be exciting. For die-hard Mario fans, Super Nintendo World is going to be a blast.

The general aesthetic, attractions, activities, souvenirs and food are all wonderfully designed and perfectly themed for Mario. But, isn’t this called Super Nintendo World? Isn’t there more to Nintendo than just Mario?

I understand that Mario is probably Nintendo’s most iconic and popular franchise.  So why not just call it Super Mario World and be done with it? The name implies that this world will be dedicated to all things Nintendo.

Where’s The Legend of Zelda? Metroid? Kirby? Donkey Kong? There are so many beloved Nintendo classics being left out by focusing only on Mario. How can this possibly be Super Nintendo World?

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I understand focusing on one core IP helps unify the theme park area, but it also feels like a missed opportunity to celebrate all of Nintendo. I’m not unimpressed with what Super Nintendo World looks like. But I am disappointed that Mario is the only IP being represented.

Perhaps this is only the first area, though. Maybe Super Nintendo World will be expanded upon in the future with specific lands inspired by other Nintendo franchises. That would at least make a bit more sense.

In any case, Super Nintendo World does look like a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it might be a while before any of us in the U.S. get to experience it thanks to the global pandemic. However, there are plans to bring Super Nintendo World to other Universal theme parks, including California and Florida. It remains to be seen if these parks will be exact recreations or if they will focus on other Nintendo IP.

Super Nintendo World opens on February 4, 2021 in Universal Studios Japan. What do you think of the theme park?