Here we go! After months of pandemic delays, Nintendo's first ever theme park, featuring a "Mario Kart" ride in a real-life Bowser's Castle, opened in Japan on Thursday to delighted fans.
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A restaurant staff member holds a sign reminding visitors of preventative measures in place against the COVID-19 at the Super Nintendo World.
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The attraction, whose bright, block-like surroundings are straight out of the classic "Super Mario" games, is part of the existing Universal Studios Japan amusement park in the western city of Osaka.
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"We perfectly recreated the world of the game.... You'll find life-sized piranha plants and Bowser, and you'll see what it is like to be Mario," said Ayumu Yamamoto, USJ's marketing communication manager.
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"It took almost a year longer than we had expected to open this place, and we are really glad," he told reporters at a preview on Wednesday.
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The new zone called "Super Nintendo World" had originally been expected to draw big crowds last year ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which was also postponed by the coronavirus.
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Fans walk through the underground level of the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.
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A fan interacts with items at "Piranha Plant Nap Mishap" at the Super Nintendo World.
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A fan looks on at "Koopa Troopa POWer Punch" at the Super Nintendo World.
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I'ts launch was pushed back to February, and then delayed again as Japan's government declared a state of emergency in early 2021 to curb spiking cases.
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Music from the popular Mario games plays throughout the park and a smartphone-linked wristband allows visitors to collect virtual coins by punching blocks, just like the Italian plumber.
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Augmented reality goggles attached to a plastic red visor are used in the "Mario Kart" ride, one of the park's main draws that promises to bring the racing game to life.
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Fans wear themed augmented reality goggles for the "Mario Kart" ride.
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Fans told AFP they were thrilled about the much-anticipated opening of the park, which cost more than 60 billion yen ($550 million), according to USJ.
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Similar areas are planned at Universal Studios parks in Orlando and Hollywood.
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