If you asked the average American “Where is the theme park capital of the world?” they’d tell you Orlando, Florida. But friends, these people would be wrong. The theme park capital of the world is Japan, home to a variety of local parks, small and large. It also has a massive Disneyland that’s a mishmash of the best bits of other Disney theme parks, and DisneySea, an entirely original venue with rides designed for Japan’s adult population. With Japan hosting the Olympics in 2020, its theme parks are expanding even further. Universal Studios Japan, located in Osaka, is constructing Super Nintendo World, a new land inspired by Super Mario. Today, it has released the first teaser.
The final shot suggests a layout for the land. A Mushroom Kingdom entrance echoes the classic Disneyland castle design. The path through the park progresses like a classic Mario game, beginning with the grassy terrain, before moving to colorful boxes, giant mushroom pads, and ice blocks. The promenade culminates at Bowser’s castle.
As Kotaku notes, the teaser follows this week’s reveal of a Super Mario-themed stage at Universal Studios Japan.
Alongside the opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in 2020, Disney will be upgrading its Tokyo parks with lands inspired by Big Hero 6 and Beauty and the Beast. This three-year window (2017–2020) is something of a surge for theme parks. Disney opened its first Marvel ride and an Avatar-themed land this past month.