Nintendo announced on Oct. 7, 2020 that the Super Nintendo World, a Super Mario-based theme park is slated to open at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Spring 2021.
Nearly complete
The park was supposed to open in July 2020 ahead of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but its launch was indefinitely delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Japanese news outlet Mainichi has uploaded in a video of the theme park's construction in progress.
The set looks nearly complete, with several iconic features found in the Mario series brought to life.
Here's an aerial view of the theme park:
And Bowser's Castle, in all its glory:
The park will also feature attractions such as Princess Peach's castle.
While a specific date for the opening has not been set, Kotaku speculates that the park may be open to the public in April 2021, as the Japanese government is considering to lift travel bans to reopen the country to international tourists by then.
Mario Cafe and Store opening on Oct. 16, 2020
Coupled with the announcement of the theme park's opening, Nintendo also revealed the opening of the "Mario Cafe and Store" in USJ, which sells Nintendo merchandise and Mario-themed food and beverages.
The cafe and store will be coming to USJ a lot sooner than the rest of the theme park though, as it will open its doors to visitors from Oct. 16, 2020.
Here's a mock-up of the store and cafe:
Food and drinks being sold at the cafe are also Mario-themed.
Cool.
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Top image via Universal Parks & Resorts, Mainichi/YouTube
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