Super Mario is one of the most iconic video game franchises ever. The famous plumber and his Mushroom Kingdom friends have appeared in countless games in their over 35-year history. Arguably Mario’s most popular game series is Mario Kart. Soon fans will be able to live out their karting fantasies at Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood with Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. The park is set to open in 2023, and now we have our first details about Bowser’s Challenge.
Universal Studios Hollywood has called Bowser’s Challenge an immersive experience that’s one of the largest and most interactive rides Nintendo fans have ever been on. The ride “seamlessly fuses augmented reality with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces along a moving ride track to debut a ride that’s unparalleled anywhere within the theme park industry.” Bowser’s Challenge is located in the villain’s castle and recreates some of the most iconic tracks from the games. The best part is that no two races are alike. This is all thanks to the use of AR goggles that combine the thrills of the colorful Mushroom Kingdom with the traditional fun you get from the best theme park rides.
On the ride itself, you will start in Bowser’s Dungeon. From there, “guests will climb aboard stadium-style, four-seat Mario Kart vehicles inspired by the video game, put on their AR goggles …and then with a 3-2-1 GO! signal from Lakitu, they will be off to the races.” The goal of the ride is pretty simple, “as part of Team Mario, guests will steer through courses underwater and in the clouds to compete for the Golden Cup while collecting coins to defeat Team Bowser and win.” Universal Studios Hollywood also released a short teaser that shows off the wacky AR integration, one of the Mario Kart 8-inspired karts, and familiar Mario obstacles like piranha plants. Other fan-favorite characters like Luigi and Princess Peach can also be seen in the new footage.
Overall, Bowser’s Challenge looks like it is going to be an insanely fun ride that perfectly captures the chaotic magic of Mario Kart. With new courses set to roll out on Mario Kart 8 through 2023, this new ride seems like a great way to celebrate the series’ long-lasting legacy. Universal and Nintendo also mentioned that each time a person goes on the ride their experience will be vastly different from the last time they entered Bowser’s castle. Like the game itself, you never know what to expect. There are different outcomes to the ride so expect the same crazy energy, with many blue shells flying around, that made the game series so iconic in the first place.
Super Mario is planning to have a big year in 2023. Besides Super Nintendo World’s grand opening, Mario is also returning to the big screen with an animated film that sees Nintendo reteaming with Universal. The opening of Super Nintendo World lines up with that film’s April 2023 release. If it is anything like its counterpart in Japan, which opened in 2021, Mario fans are in for a warp pipe-filled delight. While we wait to live out our dreams of playing real-life Mario Kart in the Mushroom Kingdom, you can watch the teaser for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge down below. You can also visit Universal Studios Hollywood’s website where more updates on Super Nintendo World will be shared soon.