Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge Explained

Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
Location:Universal Studios Japan
Location2:Universal Studios Hollywood
Location3:Universal Epic Universe
Section:Super Nintendo World
Section2:Super Nintendo World
Section3:Super Nintendo World
Status:Operating
Status2:Operating
Status3:Under construction
Opened2:[1]
Opened3:[2]
Coordinates:34.6679°N 135.4305°W
Type:Augmented Reality Dark Ride
Ride:yes
Manufacturer:MTS Systems Corporation
Designer:Universal Creative
Theme:Mario Kart 8
Vehicle Type:Bus-Bar Vehicle
Riders Per Vehicle:4
Rows:2
Riders Per Row:2
Duration:5:00
Restriction In:40
Single Rider:available
Transfer Accessible:yes

Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge (known in Japan as) is an augmented reality dark ride that serves as the anchor attraction of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood, with an upcoming version at Universal Epic Universe. The ride is based on the Mario Kart franchise, primarily on the Mario Kart 8 video game.

History

The layout and details of the attraction were revealed across several years worth of leaked photographs, patents, and construction.[3] [4] Universal confirmed the attraction via the "We Are Born to Play" music video on January 13, 2020, but official details were still kept to a minimum.[5] The attraction was then formally unveiled on November 30, 2020.[6] The attraction opened alongside Universal Studios Japan's Super Nintendo World on March 18, 2021.[7] [8]

The ride, alongside the rest of Universal Studios Japan, was temporarily closed on April 25, 2021, amid rising concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic;[9] the park reopened in June of the same year, maintaining enhanced health and safety protocols.[10] [11]

The ride officially opened in Universal Studios Hollywood on February 17, 2023. Another clone of the ride was announced for Universal Epic Universe scheduled to open in May 22, 2025.

Ride description

Queue

The ride's exterior and queue are modeled after Bowser's Castle. The queue gradually reveals that the ride's plot involves "Team Bowser" (Bowser and the Koopalings) challenging "Team Mario" (Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Yoshi) to the "Universal Cup".[12]

Pre-show

Guests are given the augmented reality's visors and enter the first pre-show room, which features Lakitu and Mii characters showing how to put on and adjust the visor. Guests then enter the second pre-show room, filled with replicas of Mii outfits from Mario Kart 8. Here, Lakitu explains the ride vehicles and the shooting gallery-esque gameplay:

The four-person vehicles (modeled after "karts" from Mario Kart 8) follow a set path on a railtrack. Guests attach the AR visors to the AR lenses in the vehicles, to view the Mario characters racing alongside them. Guests rotate their AR-wearing heads around to aim their Koopa Shell ammo, and press a button on their steering wheel to fire the shells at characters within the augmented reality. Guests accumulate points during the ride by successfully hitting the "Team Bowser" characters with their shells. If all four riders turn their wheels in unison at certain turns, they'll "drift" into the turn, earning more points.

Layout

After leaving the boarding station, the ride vehicles turn into a corner where guests can practice aiming and firing in the augmented reality before heading to the starting line.

The ride then takes guests through a variety of locations from Mario Kart 8 based on previous Mario Kart installments, including: N64 Royal Raceway, GBA Mario Circuit, 3DS Piranha Plant Slide, Dolphin Shoals, Twisted Mansion, Cloudtop Cruise, Wii Grumble Volcano, and Rainbow Road.[13] If riders collectively earn 100 points, the ride ends with "Team Mario" winning the race. However, if riders don't accumulate enough points, they'll see an alternate ending where "Team Bowser" wins.

Point tallies are shown at the end of the ride, similar to Toy Story Mania.[14] If guests scan their Power-Up Band against the steering wheel, they can log and keep track of their high-score for the ride on the official Universal Studios smartphone applications.

Reception

The ride has received mixed reception from critics. The attraction has been praised for its innovative technology, intricate theming, detailed sets, and special effects. However, it has also been criticized for moving at a slow pace, since the attraction is based on a high-speed racing franchise, and the AR lenses offering a narrow view of the characters.[15] [16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Parker . Ryan . Universal Studios Hollywood Announces Opening Date for Super Nintendo World . PEOPLE . Dotdash Meredith . 14 December 2022 . 14 December 2022 . December 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221214151703/https://people.com/travel/super-nintendo-world-universal-studios-hollywood-opening-date/ . live .
  2. Web site: Everything We Know About Epic Universe: Super Nintendo Word. Stella. Alicia. January 2, 2023. Theme Park Stop. Theme Park Stop LLC. August 16, 2023. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718100706/https://orlandoparkstop.com/news/theme-park-news/everything-we-know-about-epic-universe-super-nintendo-world/. live.
  3. Web site: 2019-07-08 . Rumour: Super Nintendo World Rides And Layout Potentially Revealed In "Leaked" Images . 2022-11-21 . Nintendo Life . en-GB . November 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221121225914/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/07/rumour_super_nintendo_world_rides_and_layout_potentially_revealed_in_leaked_images . live .
  4. Web site: Mario Kart- Articles . 2022-11-22 . Orlando ParkStop . February 4, 2021 . en-US . November 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221122041456/https://orlandoparkstop.com/search/Mario+Kart/ . live .
  5. Web site: Tuttle . Brittani . 2020-01-14 . Universal Studios Japan reveals new Super Nintendo World details . 2022-11-23 . Attractions Magazine . en-US . November 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221123150756/https://attractionsmagazine.com/universal-studios-japan-new-super-nintendo-world-details-music-video/ . live .
  6. Web site: Glenn . Brian . Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan to open February 4, 2021 . 2022-11-23 . Inside Universal . November 30, 2020 . en-US . November 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221123153418/https://www.insideuniversal.net/2020/11/super-nintendo-world-at-universal-studios-japan-to-open-february-4-2021/ . live .
  7. Web site: Steen. Emma. Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Japan today. 2021-03-18. Time Out Tokyo. en-GB. December 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211220215854/https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/super-nintendo-world-will-finally-open-at-universal-studios-japan-in-osaka-in-march-030821. live.
  8. News: 2021-03-18. Super Nintendo World opens in Japan after Covid delays. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-03-19. October 23, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221023195337/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56447612. live.
  9. Web site: 2021-04-23. Super Nintendo World Forced To Close Just One Month After Opening. 2021-07-02. Nintendo Life. en-GB. July 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184623/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/04/super_nintendo_world_forced_to_close_just_one_month_after_opening. live.
  10. Web site: 2021-06-08. Super Nintendo World In Japan Has Officially Reopened. 2021-07-02. Nintendo Life. en-GB. July 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183227/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/06/super_nintendo_world_in_japan_has_officially_reopened. live.
  11. Web site: 2021-06-08. Super Nintendo World Reopens Following COVID-19 Closure In April. 2021-07-02. ScreenRant. en-US. July 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182711/https://screenrant.com/super-nintendo-world-reopen-after-closure-april-covid/. live.
  12. Web site: Nilghe . Chris . 2023-01-04 . Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge Review at Super Nintendo World . 2023-02-01 . TDR Explorer . en-US . February 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230201230226/https://tdrexplorer.com/mario-kart-koopas-challenge-review-universal-studios-japan/ . live .
  13. Web site: Carpenter . Nicole . Super Nintendo World theme park opens Feb. 4 — see the new Mario Kart ride . . 2020-11-30 . en-US . 2020-12-11 . mdy-all . October 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211007054745/https://www.polygon.com/2020/11/30/21726399/super-nintendo-world-theme-park-universal-studios-mario-kart-ride-japan-opening . live .
  14. Web site: Orland . Kyle . AR Mario Kart anchors Universal's Super Nintendo World in February . . 2020-11-30 . en-us . 2020-12-11 . mdy-all . December 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201211100633/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/11/ar-mario-kart-anchors-universals-super-nintendo-world-in-february/ . live .
  15. Web site: Robson . Daniel . 2021-03-23 . Super Nintendo World Review . 2022-12-25 . IGN . en . January 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240128170024/https://www.ign.com/articles/super-nintendo-world-review . live .
  16. Web site: GameCentral . 2021-04-02 . Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge review - the biggest ride at Super Nintendo World . 2022-12-25 . Metro . en . December 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221225040738/https://metro.co.uk/2021/04/02/mario-kart-koopas-challenge-at-super-nintendo-world-review-14346418/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge".

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