Your Guide to the Mushroom Kingdom
Walking into Super Nintendo World is like stepping right inside a video game. The colors are bright, and the details are incredible. Entering the land through the giant green plumber’s pipe is the perfect start. Once inside, you can see Princess Peach’s castle, which includes a beautiful stained-glass window.
Look around and you will notice familiar sights everywhere. You will see characters, power-ups, and classic items come to life. Seeing the piranha plants, Goombas, Koopas, and power blocks makes the whole area feel very alive. It is a must-see area for any fan of the classic games.
Power Up Your Visit: Getting a Power Band
To get the most out of Super Nintendo World, you need to buy a Power-Up Band. This wristband links directly to the Universal Studios app on your phone. It turns the land into a giant interactive game. You can buy these bands at dedicated kiosks or inside the shops.
These bands allow you to:
- Collect digital coins by hitting power blocks.
- Track your score and unlock achievements in the app.
- Play the Key Challenge games needed to defeat Bowser Jr.
- Keep track of your personal score against friends and family.
There are several character designs to choose from when picking your band. Popular characters include Mario, Princess Peach, Luigi, Yoshi, and Toad. You can even switch out and collect new bands on future visits.
How to Sync Your Power Band
The process to activate your Power Band is simple. First, make sure you have the official Universal Studios app installed on your phone.
- Open the app and find the Super Nintendo World section.
- Scan the QR code found on the back of your Power Band.
- Choose your character icon and a background color in the app.
- Give your character a name. Your band is now active and ready to play games.
Once the band is active, you can start tapping the blocks around the land. Every time you tap a Question Block, you hear the classic sound. This collects points and coins that are instantly tracked in your app.
Meeting Your Favorite Characters
One of the best parts of visiting is meeting the famous heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom. They look just like they stepped out of the game.
Princess Peach usually comes out around lunchtime. She is very sweet and will pose for pictures. It feels amazing to meet a famous character like her.
You also have the chance to meet Mario and Luigi. They are very interactive, with blinking eyes and moving mouths. They even use the actual voices from the games. Mario sounds just like he does in classic games like Mario 64. Seeing them up close is truly a dream come true for many people.
Interactive Games and Activities
Super Nintendo World is filled with activities. You definitely need a Power Band to play most of them. These games are sometimes called Key Challenges. If you win enough keys, you get to fight Bowser Jr. in a special challenge.
Defeating the Koopa
This challenge requires skill and good timing. You must hit a turtle shell to defeat the Koopa.
The goal is to hit a turtle shell that moves back and forth quickly. You must make sure the shell is positioned right in the center before you hit the “POW” button to send it flying upward. If your timing is off, you lose. It takes practice, but it is a lot of fun.
The Piranha Plant Game
This game is a quick, high-energy challenge that tests how fast you can move.
In this game, the giant Piranha Plant is trying to wake up. You need to turn off several ringing alarm clocks that are scattered around the game area. If you fail to turn off all the alarms in time, the Piranha Plant wakes up and pops up, and you lose. It is a frantic and fun workout.
Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown
This is one of the most exciting interactive games. You stand in front of a screen and use your body movements to play.
When you play the Shadow Showdown, you appear as a shadow on the screen. You must jump, duck, and use your arms to collect power-ups and defeat enemies. It definitely feels like an exercise. After you complete the challenge, Princess Peach thanks you for your help in beating Bowser Jr.
Dining at Toadstool Cafe
When you are ready for a break and something to eat, head over to the Toadstool Cafe. This is the land’s main restaurant, featuring a gourmet menu perfected by Chef Toad.
The dining experience starts outside. Before you enter, you place your order at the podium. Then, the staff guides you to your table. If you are lucky, you might get a seat by the window. From this spot, you get a great view of the colorful Mushroom Kingdom while you eat.
Sweet Treats from Chef Toad
Chef Toad offers amazing desserts that look almost too pretty to eat. They are perfectly themed to fit the land.
Princess Peach Cupcake
The Princess Peach Cupcake is a delightful dessert. It is a sponge cake cupcake topped with pink buttercream frosting, edible glitter, and a green gem. The frosting is bright pink and very noticeable. Inside the cake, there is a chocolate cream filling. It reminds many people of the iconic cake Princess Peach bakes for Mario in the classic games.
Be warned: this is a very sugary dessert. If you love icing, you will enjoy this treat. It is perfect for kids, but they might be full of energy after eating it.
Mount Beanpole Cake
The Mount Beanpole Cake is an impressive, layered dessert. It is made up of a multi-layered Italian cookie cake and features matcha mousse.
Visually, the cake looks like the flagpoles Mario jumps on at the end of every level. The Italian cookie bread is sweet, almost like a Neapolitan flavor. The matcha mousse is subtle and lightly sweet. The cake is dense, but it falls apart easily in your mouth. This dessert is a favorite because the flavors blend so well.
Taking on Bowser’s Challenge: Mario Kart
The highlight of Super Nintendo World is the massive ride, Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge. This is a new type of attraction that mixes roller coaster technology with augmented reality (AR). Even the queue for the ride is exciting. You walk through Bowser’s arch-enemy factory, seeing Bomb-ombs and Bullet Bills hanging overhead.
During our visit, the ride had technical difficulties and went down temporarily. This can happen during technical rehearsals, so always be patient. When the ride came back up, the wait time was about 90 minutes. It is definitely worth the wait to take on Bowser.
Preparing for the Race
Before you board the actual race carts, you go into a room where you get fitted with your AR headset.
- You put on a special helmet visor.
- You look in the mirror and see yourself with a virtual Mario mustache.
- You tighten the headset so it fits securely on your head.
Once you are set up, you are ready to ride. The goal of the race is to collect coins and shoot shells at Team Bowser. You use your head to aim the shells at the enemies and targets appearing in the augmented reality view. There is a button on the visor that you press to launch the shells. You need to learn how to aim and shoot while the cart moves quickly. It can be confusing at first, but practice makes perfect.
The Race Experience
The ride is intense and features famous locations like Rainbow Road. It is difficult to film the ride, but the experience itself is amazing. You are fully immersed in Mario’s world. Even if you choose not to wear the AR glasses (which is an option), you still get the experience of racing through the vibrant track.
If you wear glasses, sometimes you might experience glare with the AR visor. Also, holding the heavy visor and aiming constantly can make you a little tired by the end of the day. But beating Bowser and winning the race with Team Mario makes it all worthwhile!