A theme park dedicated to Nintendo’s famous Super Mario World has opened in Japan, nearly a year after it was originally due to welcome guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Super Nintendo World – which cost about $0.5bn ($0.36bn) to build – was meant to open last summer but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially only Japanese visitors can go amid international travel bans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Nintendo, it represents part of a move from games firm to entertainment company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first the park will take half of the visitors it can accommodate to comply with social-distancing measures. Visitors will need to wear masks in most areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The park is modelled on levels in Nintendo’s Mario games, the first of which was released in 1985 and followed the adventures of a plumber and his brother<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The franchise went on to sell more than 370 million games globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BBC Archive: Inside Nintendo, 1990
One of the most popular rides in the new theme park will feature a Mario Kart race, which visitors will ride sporting an augmented reality headset attached to a red cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And the park itself is a gaming experience, with visitors encouraged to buy wristbands to collect keys, redeem coins, play mini-games around the land and even team up with other visitors via a smartphone app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Three more Super Nintendo World parks are being built at Universal Studios in LA, Orlando and in Singapore.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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