Shigeru Miyamoto Takes You on a Tour of Universal’s Super Nintendo World Theme Park

COVID-19 can’t keep the Mushroom Kingdom closed forever. Super Nintendo World, the new Super Mario Bros.-themed area at Universal Studios Japan, will finally be opening in February, after being delayed by the pandemic for several months. And with its launch just weeks away, Nintendo and Universal has released a video tour of the park, with Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto himself serving as your guide.

Debuting on Friday as the latest Nintendo Direct, this short video features Miyamoto breaking down what you can expect from Universal’s version of the Mushroom Kingdom. The legendary game designer takes us inside Peach’s Castle, as well as one of Mario’s iconic green pipes. He shows how the Power-Up Bands are used in an alternate reality game, letting guests “punch” question blocks for coins and interact with Koopas and Bob-Ombs. And although the video stops short of letting us see either of the land’s two rides in action, Miyamoto does give us a tour of the queue to the Mario Kart-inspired attraction Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, which is set inside an intimidating recreation of Bowser’s Castle.

You can check out the full video below, and if you’re somehow able to get to Kyoto during the pandemic, you’ll be able to check out all of Super Nintendo World when it opens in February. The land will be coming to America eventually; versions are planned for both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, although it will be a ways off for either of those. Until then, all of us Yanks will have to stick to YouTube videos.