The Super Nintendo World coming to Epic Universe will feature the first version of a track-jumping Donkey Kong coaster in the United States, while much of the rest of the video game-themed land will look familiar to Universal Studios Hollywood fans.
The new Mine-Cart Madness boom coaster will serve as the centerpiece of Donkey Kong Country when Super Nintendo World opens this summer at the newest Universal theme park in Orlando, Florida.
The new $7 billion Universal Epic Universe theme park will open on May 22 just before Memorial Day Weekend with more than 50 rides, attractions, shows and experiences.
Super Nintendo World will be one of five themed lands in the 750-acre Epic Universe that will also include Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon—Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and Celestial Park.
Mine-Cart Madness made its debut in December as part of the Donkey Kong Country expansion of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.
The backstory for Mine-Cart Madness finds riders helping Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong protect the coveted Golden Banana from the thieving Tiki Tak Tribe during a race through the majestic Golden Temple.
The thrilling family coaster blasts out of a barrel, careens through a jungle, jumps across gaps in a rickety track, and performs other eye-popping feats from Donkey Kong video games.
Universal’s Boom Coaster features a false track with a hidden track underneath that creates the illusion of the coaster trains jumping over missing portions of the track.
Universal applied for a U.S. patent in 2016 for the innovative ride system concept that featured a ride vehicle with a hidden leg that extended below a simulated surface to the real track below.
The Super Nintendo World coming to Epic Universe will be more like the larger version of the land at Universal Studios Japan than the more compact model at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Epic Universe’s Nintendo land will feature the Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge augmented reality racing simulator ride found at the California park as well as the Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness coaster and Yoshi’s Adventure omnimover-style attraction at the Japan park.
Like all Super Nintendo Worlds, visitors will be able to meet characters like Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach as well as engage in video game-style interactive experiences throughout the land.
The Epic Universe land will also include Nintendo-themed restaurants (Toadstool Cafe, Yoshi’s Snack Island, Turbo Boost Treats and Bubbly Barrel), and shops (1-Up Factory, Mario Motors, and Funky’s Fly ‘n’ Buy).
An enormous Donkey Kong meet-and-greet character will pose for photos with fans at Donkey Kong’s Treehouse.
A fourth Super Nintendo World themed land is planned for Universal Studios Singapore.
