Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan has been fully revealed. This new thematic section, inspired by Donkey Kong Country and in particular by the Donkey Kong Country Returns game, will open on December 11, 2024.
This themed land will have only one attraction, but it is truly spectacular: Mine Cart Madness is a new type of roller coaster never seen before, in which the vehicles appear to levitate, just like in the games.
Additionally, the area will offer various interactive games, such as bongos to play and KONG letters to discover and scan with an NFC bracelet (available for a fee). There will be a souvenir shop, a kiosk selling hot dogs, animatronic Cranky Kong and Rambi, and DK in full costume.
This new themed land, alongside the Super Mario land, was supposed to open last summer, but was delayed due to some technical issues, likely due to the complexity of the new ride (which has been seen testing for months).
Those hoping to play a new Donkey Kong game will have to keep waiting: DK’s last game arrived more than a decade ago on Wii U. However, Nintendo will re-release Donkey Kong Country Returns HD in January 2025, so those who who visit the park will be able to purchase the game it’s based on directly… at full price, despite it being a fourteen-year-old title.
Next year, Universal Orlando Resort’s new park, Epic Universe, will also open with Super Mario and Donkey Kong right from the start in May 2025. But Japanese visitors to Universal Studios Japan, in Osaka, will be the first to experience this world of Donkey Kong brought to life.
