It's getting harder and harder to overstate just how much success Nintendo has experienced over the past few years. Not only has Nintendo created one of the most beloved video game consoles of this century with the Switch, but the company has also managed to inspire its own amusement park in the form of Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Japan. Focusing on the world of Super Mario, the rabid popularity of the land since its opening exemplifies Nintendo's lasting success in the video game industry. And to the delight of many, Nintendo recently confirmed that Super Nintendo World is about to get even bigger.
In an announcement earlier this week, Nintendo revealed that Super Nintendo World would be receiving a Donkey Kong expansion that would more than double the current size of the park. This expansion had been rumored for quite some time, and even teased in Super Nintendo World itself, and this announcement finally put any doubt to rest. Although Nintendo didn't go into the explicit details of what the Donkey Kong expansion will include, looking at the park's official concept art and previous leaks has provided fuel for even more rumors on what fans could expect to see in the park.
The Donkey Kong Expansion's Rollercoaster
One of the main attractions of Super Nintendo World at the moment is, "Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge", an indoor dark ride that lets fans feel like they're really racing through an intense Mario Kart course. The ride functions like most of the other indoor rides that Universal Studios is known for, but the Donkey Kong expansion has confirmed that it will include a full-fledged rollercoaster. It's rumored that this ride will be themed after the mine cart levels that are central to the Donkey Kong Country series, and leaked designs show innovative rail systems that will make riders feel like they're really jumping across broken tracks like in the games.
Donkey Kong Meet And Greets
In Super Nintendo World, park guests can have their picture taken with Mario, Luigi, and many other animatronic characters. Now, it seems the Donkey Kong expansion is going to provide even more characters to interact with. Taking a very close look at the park's concept art, it's possible to see Donkey Kong's treehouse, and rumors suggest that this is where guests will be able to meet the titular gorilla. There also seems to be an animatronic of Rambi the Rhinoceros directly across from the treehouse, so Donkey Kong fans will likely have plenty of opportunities for pictures as they go through the park.
Shopping In The Donkey Kong Expansion
While there's been no hints at what kind of merchandise might be featured in the Donkey Kong expansion at Super Nintendo World, the park's concept art did provide some indication of what the theming of its retail location will be. While it's difficult to make out in the park's official concept art, a leaked proof of concept model from Universal Studios Japan showed a distinctive plane near the entrance of the Donkey Kong expansion. Fans of Donkey Kong know this plane as Funky Kong's plane, most recently featured in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. The plane served as a shop for players to purchase items in the game, and rumors suggest that it will be used in similar effect as a retail location in Super Nintendo World.
There's no doubt that Super Nintendo World has been a massive success for Nintendo after just a few months of being open to the public. This Donkey Kong expansion shows that there is a dedicated base of fans that want to get lost in a physical world of their favorite video games, and the impending construction of a Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Florida only reinforces that. Fans will just have to wait and see how the world of Donkey Kong comes to life when the Super Nintendo World expansion opens at Universal Studios Japan in 2024.