Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge

Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge is an amusement park ride and anchor attraction at Universal Studios Japan's Super Nintendo World.

Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge
Universal Studios Japan
Area	Super Nintendo World
Status	Operating
Soft opening date	February 2, 2021
Opening date	TBD
General statistics
Attraction type	Augmented Reality Dark Ride
Vehicle type	Trackless Vehicle
Riders per vehicle	4
Rows	2
Riders per row	2
Duration	5 Minutes
Height restriction	106.68 cm (3 ft 6 in)
Single rider line available

Description

The ride is the anchor attraction in Universal Studios Japan's Super Nintendo World. The ride's environment is modeled after Bowser's Castle. In the ride, four-person "karts" (modeled after those of the Mario Kart series) follow a rail around a course. Guests wear augmented reality headsets to simulate the exchange of hazards between karts, such as throwing shells to disable other racers.[1] Guests have their own steering wheels and have some control over their virtual karts to collect and use items (hazards). While the ride begins in a Bowser-themed area, there are multiple themed settings: lava, underwater, and Rainbow Road.[2]

Development

Five years after its announcement, the park is set to open on February 4, 2021, with Koopa's Challenge as one of the main rides. The park will operate under special protocol to accommodate restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

References

1. Orland, Kyle (November 30, 2020). "AR Mario Kart anchors Universal's Super Nintendo World in February". Ars Technica. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
2. Carpenter, Nicole (November 30, 2020). "Super Nintendo World theme park opens Feb. 4 — see the new Mario Kart ride". Polygon. Retrieved December 11, 2020.