Press Conference Talks About Tech
Universal Studios Japan started things off with a brand-new slogan – “No Limit!” Marketing Director of the park Ayumu Yamamoto seemed to mock Disney Parks by mentioning, “If Disney is the dreamworld, then Universal Studios Japan is the awake world, where we will energize you and make you feel alive.”
The in-park augmented reality games will use the previously mentioned Power Up Bands and smartphone app to allow park-goers to collect digital coins, as well as compete with others, though no further details were mentioned.
Theming Super Nintendo World
Universal Parks are no strangers to immersive, themed park areas. Most recently, they launched the wildly successful Wizarding World of Harry Potter in both US parks. These parks include recognizable locales from the book series, including Diagon Alley, Hogsmede, and Hogwarts Castle. While we have yet to see any real photos, all videos and mockups of the park include similarly iconic locales and landmarks from Mario games, including the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser’s Fortress, and Peach’s Castle.
Augmented Reality & Theme Parks
While the launch video would like to invoke the feeling of actually jumping in the air to grab coins, throwing fireballs collected from fire flowers, and stomping Goombas (and it is unclear whether visitors will be forced to do synchronized dancing in a flash mob), what we are more likely to experience is a more localized Pokemon Go-type game, possibly with elements of the environment reacting to actions taken on the app. This type of augmented reality already exists in the Harry Potter theme park, and proved to be popular and immersive.
The Harry Potter augmented reality experience requires you to buy a special wand, along with a map, where moving the wand in a specific way near certain parts of the environment will cause something to happen – anything from making inanimate objects move, to water shooting out of fountains, even starting fires. The experiences haven’t been detailed for Super Nintendo World, but with the focus on technology and the continued emphasis on immersion, we’re likely to see lessons learned from Harry Potter translate to new interactions in the new park.
There is no exact opening date at this time, but Universal Studios Japan plans to open Super Nintendo World before the Tokyo Olympics, which start July 24th. The Illuminerdi will keep you updated as the news unfolds.
