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10 Attractions We’d Like to See at Universal’s New Nintendo Park

10 Attractions We’d Like to See at Universal’s New Nintendo Park

Admit it – you’ve always wanted to go to the Nintendo version of Disneyland, and amazingly, that will be a reality in just a few short years. We can only hope that Universal does an amazing job like it did with its Harry Potter world, because nothing would be sadder than a lame Nintendo theme park. There are so many great possibilities for Nintendo-themed rides and attractions, and I’m hoping that its creators will take a page from Nintendoland and feature tons of great Nintendo franchises, not just Mario.

Let’s take a ride through my dream Nintendo theme park, and feel free to contribute your own ride ideas in the comments!

Mini-Game Alley

Mini-Game Alley

Because no theme park is complete without a chance to burn $20 trying to win a $5 plush mascot for your child or significant other, I offer up Mini-Game Alley. Carnival games could use a nice refresh, and I’d love to see what kind of ideas would be inspired by Nintendo mini-games like Crashmo , WarioWare , and Mario vs. DK .

Pikmin Gardens

Pikmin Gardens

This would be the inevitable kiddy area of the theme park, with gentle rides and restaurants based off the idea that you’re tiny and surrounded by giant plants and objects. The Pikmin world is colorful and full of wonder, so it’s the perfect backdrop for kiddie coasters and free-form play areas, plus it’d have a rockin’ juice bar.

Yoshi’s Wild Ride

Yoshi’s Wild Ride

You know those Super Mario 3D World levels in which you float on the back of a giant aquatic Yoshi? That’s the perfect inspiration for a log flume ride. This one wouldn’t need to be anything fancy, just a splash-tastic water ride in a Yoshi-shaped boat.

Koopa Karts

Koopa Karts

Sure, this could be a traditional bumper cars ride themed after Mario Kart , but I’d rather see a full-on VR version of Mario Kart that moves on hydraulics. Imagine the rush of playing virtual reality Mario Kart in a kart that leans, turns, and spins when you get hit with a red shell. We have the technology – let’s use it for maximum awesomeness.

Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong Country

You’ve gotta have a wooden coaster, and DK Country is a great theme for that. The cars would be themed like DK barrels, of course, and DK family members, enemies, and props would line the track. Naturally, it’d have a mine cart-themed area in which clever illusions are used to make you feel like you’re about to fly off the track.

Link’s Bombchu Brigade

Link’s Bombchu Brigade

I imagine this as one of those sleek, modern coasters in which you ride at top speed in a Bombchu-shaped cart. It should definitely have some corkscrew segments, and at the end you’d ride into a simulated explosion. Ka-boom!

Star Fox’s Frightful Flight

Star Fox’s Frightful Flight

This would make for a great suspended coaster, complete with speakers in your seat that play those famous companion quips. You know exactly what would come before the best part, too. “Do a barrel roll!”

Pokémon Catch ‘Em All

Pokémon Catch ‘Em All

Interactive rides are all the rage these days, and Pokémon is a perfect fit for that concept. Every seat on the ride would be equipped with an infrared “Pokéball Shooter,” and you’d cruise through the various environments of the Pokémon world, aiming at animatronic or holographic Pokémon who pop up out of the tall grass. At the end of the ride, you’d see which Pokémon you were able to “catch.” It’s the prefect chance to offer one of those overpriced commemorative ride souvenirs, too.

Metroid Fighters

Metroid Fighters

This would be the Space Mountain of Universal’s Nintendo park, but with modern technology. Imagine a dark coaster full of twists and dips as you fly through a battlefield in which Samus is fighting off Metroids. It’d be a fantastic light show full of pew-pew lasers and glow-in-the-dark characters. Near the end, it’d look like you’re about to be sucked into Mother Brain, and you’d have that great breath-holding moment before the sudden drop to “safety.”

Super Mario Galaxy Cruise

Super Mario Galaxy Cruise

Fine, fine, we have to have a traditional Super Mario ride in here somewhere. The Galaxy games feature one of the most beautiful and colorful Mario settings, and I’d love to see an indoor medium-speed ride in which you cruise through the action on various planets. I imagine it as a bit like Disney’s Indiana Jones ride, full of spectacle, thrills, and wonder. You’d swing past the coils of the planet-eating dragon, dodge through a battlefield of Bullet Bills, and float along with Bee Mario as the series’ fantastic music plays in the background. It’d be fantastic.

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