Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge

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Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
Mario Kart Koopa's Challenge logo.png
Mario Kart Koopa's Challenge (Universal Studios Japan) 1.jpg
Universal Studios Japan
Area Super Nintendo World
Coordinates 34°40′05″N135°25′50″E / 34.6679417°N 135.4305455°E / 34.6679417; 135.4305455
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateFebruary 2, 2021 (2021-02-02)
Opening dateMarch 18, 2021 (2021-03-18)
Universal Studios Hollywood
Area Super Nintendo World
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateJanuary 12, 2023 (2023-01-12)
Opening dateFebruary 17, 2023 (2023-02-17) [1]
Universal Epic Universe
Area Super Nintendo World
StatusUnder construction
Opening dateMay 22, 2025 (2025-05-22) [2]
Ride statistics
Attraction typeAugmented Reality Dark Ride
Manufacturer Dynamic Attractions
Designer Universal Creative
Theme Mario Kart 8
Vehicle typeBus-Bar Vehicle
Riders per vehicle4
Rows2
Riders per row2
Duration5:00
Height restriction40 in (102 cm)
Single rider line availability icon.svg Single rider line available
Attraction transfer icon.svg Must transfer from wheelchair

Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge (known in Japan as Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge [lower-alpha 1] ) 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.

Contents

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. [1] Another clone of the ride was announced for Universal Epic Universe scheduled to open in May 22, 2025. [2]

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. [12]

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, [lower-alpha 2] GBA Mario Circuit, [lower-alpha 3] 3DS Piranha Plant Slide, [lower-alpha 4] Dolphin Shoals, Twisted Mansion, Cloudtop Cruise, Wii Grumble Volcano, [lower-alpha 5] and Rainbow Road. [lower-alpha 6] [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. [12]

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]

Notes

  1. Japanese: マリオカート 〜クッパの挑戦状〜
  2. This course appeared in Mario Kart 64 .
  3. This course appeared in Mario Kart: Super Circuit .
  4. This course appeared in Mario Kart 7 .
  5. This course appeared in Mario Kart Wii .
  6. Based on the Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 64.

Related Research Articles

Mario Kart is a series of kart racing games based on the Mario franchise developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up items. It features characters and courses mostly from the Mario series as well as other gaming franchises such as The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, F-Zero, Excitebike, and Splatoon.

<i>Super Mario Kart</i> 1992 video game

Super Mario Kart is a kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The first game in the Mario Kart series, it was released in Japan and North America in 1992, and in Europe the following year in 1993. Selling 8.76 million copies worldwide, the game went on to become the fourth best-selling SNES game of all time. Super Mario Kart was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2009, on the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2013, and on the New Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2016. Nintendo re-released Super Mario Kart in 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koopa Troopa</span> Character in the Mario franchise

Koopa Troopas are a fictional turtle-like race of characters from the Mario media franchise. They are commonly referred to as Koopas, a more broad classification of creatures that includes Bowser, his Koopalings, and Lakitu. Predecessors to Koopa Troopas, Shellcreepers, first appeared in the 1983 game Mario Bros., while Koopa Troopas themselves debuted two years later in Super Mario Bros. (1985). Koopa Troopas are a common staple in most Super Mario and spin-off games. When defeated, they may flee from or retreat inside their shells, which can usually be used as weapons. Koopa shells are a recurring weapon in the franchise, particularly popularized in the Mario Kart series, in which they can be fired as projectiles against other racers. Despite making up the bulk of Bowser's army, Koopa Troopas are often shown to be peaceful, sometimes even teaming up with protagonist Mario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoshi</span> Video game character

Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in Super Mario World (1990) on the SNES as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Throughout the mainline Super Mario series, Yoshi typically serves as Mario's trusted steed. With a gluttonous appetite, Yoshi can gobble enemies with his long tongue, and lay eggs that doubly function as projectiles. Yoshi is the title character of the Yoshi series and a supporting character in the Mario franchise. He has appeared in Mario Party and Mario Kart, as well as many Mario sports games. He also appears as a playable character in the crossover fighting game series Super Smash Bros. Yoshi is a member of the same-named species, which is distinguished for its wide range of colors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Peach</span> Video game character

Princess Peach is a character in Nintendo's Mario franchise. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original Super Mario Bros. game as Princess Toadstool. She is the princess regnant and head of state of the Mushroom Kingdom, where she resides in her castle along with Toads. Since her debut, she has appeared in the majority of Mario video games as the main female character and the romantic interest of Mario. She has been voiced by Samantha Kelly since 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowser</span> Video game character

Bowser (Japanese: クッパ, Kuppa, "Koopa"), also known as King Bowser or King Koopa, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Nintendo's Mario franchise. In Japan, he is titled Daimaō. He is the arch-nemesis of the plumber Mario and the leader of the turtle-like Koopa race. Bowser's defining traits include his monstrous appearance with dragon-like elements, full-throated roar, fire-breathing abilities, and tyrannical personality. His ultimate goals are to kidnap Princess Peach, make her his queen, conquer the Mushroom Kingdom, and eventually dominate the world.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Studios Japan</span> Universal Studios theme park in Osaka, Japan

Universal Studios Japan (ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン) is a theme park located in Osaka, Japan. Opened on March 31, 2001, it is one of six Universal Studios theme parks worldwide and was the first to open outside the United States. The park is owned and operated by USJ LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NBCUniversal. The park is similar in layout to Universal Studios Florida and contains selected attractions from both Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood, in addition to a small number of unique attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Creative</span> Engineering, architecture and design division of Universal Parks & Resorts

Universal Creative is the division of Universal Destinations & Experiences responsible for designing, developing, engineering, and producing themed attractions, rides, and, resorts. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, the company operates at Universal Parks & Resorts locations around the world in the United States, Singapore, Japan, and China.

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<i>Mario</i> (franchise) Multimedia franchise by Shigeru Miyamoto

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