When I die, bury me at Super Nintendo World in Japan. No but seriously, from the moment I laid eyes on this place on social media it jumped to the top of my bucket list. However, getting tickets and ensuring entry to Super Nintendo World in Japan was a little confusing. So let me break it down for you!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What is Super Nintendo World in Japan?
- How to get to Super Nintendo World in Japan
- Where to stay near Super Nintendo World in Japan
- How to get tickets for Super Nintendo World in Japan?
- How much does Super Nintendo World in Japan cost?
- Are timed tickets necessary for Super Nintendo World in Japan?
- How much time to spend at Super Nintendo World in Japan
- What is there to do at Super Nintendo World in Japan?
- Is Super Nintendo World in Japan worth visiting?
What is Super Nintendo World in Japan?
Super Nintendo Nintendo World is a park at Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan. The area is based primarily on the Mario and Donkey Kong franchises and the creator of Mario was heavily involved in the design process. It officially opened to the public in March 2021 after numerous delays to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is a truly immersive experience, where visitors enter through a warp pipe and are transported to a real-life video game. While there are now locations in California and being built in Florida and Singapore, the Super Nintendo World in Japan is arguably more meaningful as Nintendo was created in Japan in the 1800s.
How to get to Super Nintendo World in Japan
As I mentioned, Super Nintendo World is located in Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan. It is about 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) from the city center, and the easiest way to get there is by train. Take the Osaka Loop Line from Osaka Station City to Nishikujo Station, then transfer to the Sakurajima Line to Universal-City Station. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding where to go as many others will be traveling the same route to Universal Studios. The route is covered by the JR Pass.
Where to stay near Super Nintendo World in Japan
Super Nintendo World in Japan is located about 7 kilometers away from Osaka’s city center and easily accessible by public transportation. For this reason, you can either choose to stay close to the park or somewhere more centrally located in Osaka.
If you’d like to stay close to the park, consider Liber Hotel Osaka (⭐⭐⭐⭐), a 4-star, family-oriented hotel just outside the park with a spa, great dining, and luxurious vibe. Here are some additional options right outside Universal Studios in Osaka:
The Park Front Hotel at Universal Studios Japan (⭐⭐⭐⭐): great breakfast, fitness center, great rooms
Hotel Universal Port Vita (⭐⭐⭐): great service, themed rooms, high-quality housekeeping
THE SINGULARI HOTEL & SKYSPA (⭐⭐⭐⭐): polished decor, sauna, rooms with river or city views
If you’d like to stay somewhere more centrally located, I highly recommend Onyado Nono Osaka Yodoyabashi (⭐⭐⭐⭐) which is where I stayed during my time in Osaka. It’s a very traditional hotel (ryokan) and has its own onsen, as well as free unlimited noodles (during certain hours) and ice cream. Here are some of the other hotels in Osaka I considered which have high reviews:
Hotel It Osaka Shinmachi (⭐⭐⭐⭐): two restaurants, buffet breakfast, impressive design, good for couples
Apartment Hotel 11 Dotonbori II (⭐⭐⭐): excellent location, clean bathroom, responsive staff
Shinsaibashi ARTY Inn (⭐⭐⭐): sauna/spa, city views, laundry facilities
How to get tickets for Super Nintendo World in Japan?
Since Super Nintendo World in Japan is extremely popular, I highly recommend purchasing timed entry tickets ahead of time (2-3 months before your visit). But let’s backtrack. You need BOTH a Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass AND a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass OR a Studio Pass + Area Timed Entry Ticket to Super Nintendo World to enter Universal Studios and guarantee your entry to Super Nintendo World in Japan.
The Universal Japan website only takes Japanese cards so your best bet is to do this on Klook. The Studio Pass + Area Timed Entry Ticket to Super Nintendo World includes entry to Universal Studios Japan and guaranteed entry (at a specific time), however if you want to make the most of your time I recommend the alternative option: purchasing BOTH a Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass AND a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass.
The reason I recommend this is that you can find an Express Pass that includes ‘skip-the-line’ access for one or both rides at Super Nintendo World (see more about the rides below). Without this, you will likely wait upwards of an hour for each of the rides. Any Express Pass you choose will also include ‘skip-the-line’ access for other rides around Universal Studios, which you may as well make use of before or after you explore Super Nintendo World.
There are a lot of options for the Express Pass but you need to choose one that specifically includes ‘The Area Timed Entry Ticket: Super Nintendo World™‘. This means you will be assigned a random time slot during the day of your visit where you will be guaranteed entry to Super Nintendo World. If you want to include ‘skip-the-line’ access for one or both rides at Super Nintendo World, make sure Admission to: Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge™ (Time-designated) and/or Admission to: Yoshi’s Adventure (Time-designated) are also listed under the package details.
Alternatively, you can show up to the park at opening time and reserve a timed ticket either on the Universal Studios Japan app or at a timed ticket booth.
How much does Super Nintendo World in Japan cost?
At the time of writing this, a 1-day ticket for Universal Studios (Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass) costs as little as $57.49 USD, however the price does vary based on the day. A Universal Studio Pass + Area Timed Entry Ticket to Super Nintendo world is going for as low as $70.89 USD. Express Passes are variable in cost depending on what is included, but the cheapest one that includes timed entry to Super Nintendo World and at least one ‘skip-the-line’ ride in Super Nintendo World is $100.95 USD.
Are timed tickets necessary for Super Nintendo World in Japan?
Though Super Nintendo World in Japan does not require reservations, you are unlikely to get in without a timed ticket, unless you try your luck and arrive at 7am. This is why it is recommended that you either purchase an Express Pass or try to get a (free) timed ticket once you arrive at the park. Personally, I would have been devastated had we not been able to visit Super Nintendo World in Japan, so purchasing an Express Pass months ahead of time was the best option for me. If you don’t get a timed entry, you can apply for a Standby Ticket in the app on the day of your visit and continue to check incase times open up.
How much time to spend at Super Nintendo World in Japan
Once you are in Super Nintendo World, there is no limit for how long you can stay. In my opinion, you should spend anywhere from 1.5 hours to 4 hours depending on what you want to do while in the park. If you don’t have ‘skip-the-line’ access for any of the attractions, you should also expect to wait around an hour for each of the two rides, and much longer if you want to eat at the Nintendo-themed restaurant Kinopio’s Cafe.
What is there to do at Super Nintendo World in Japan?
The best part about Super Nintendo World in Japan is to walk around and take everything in. As I said, it genuinely feels like you’ve been transported into a game of Mario Party. The park is absolutely decked out in all things Nintendo and if you’re lucky you’ll even get to see some of your favorite characters. I saw Princess Peach! Super Nintendo World truly does not spare any details.
There are two rides in Super Nintendo World Japan – Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure. Personally I only rode Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge because that is the ride I had ‘skip-the-line’ access for. Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge takes you through Bowser’s Castle to the world’s first interactive Mario Kart theme park ride. It’s a virtual reality ride that actually feels like you are playing Mario Kart! Yoshi’s Adventure is a more relaxed ride where visitors ride through hallways filled with objects based on Yoshi’s New Island (2014 game).
The other main activity to do is to get a Power-Up Band which costs $30 USD. The Power-Up Band connects to the Universal Studios App and allows you to play different challenges throughout the park to earn virtual coins and stamps and ultimately beat Bowser Junior in a final challenge. In my opinion this is a little bit more geared towards kids but we still had fun with it and allowed us to get more involved in the various features of the park.
Additionally, there are two places to get food: Yoshi’s Snack Island and Kinopio’s Cafe. The latter is a sit-down restaurant (it does not take reservations, so there is often a long wait) that serves Nintendo themed food such as Mario’s Bacon Cheeseburger and Yoshi’s Spinach Carbonara. You also can’t skip visiting the numerous gift shops with Nintendo merchandise galore!
Is Super Nintendo World in Japan worth visiting?
One million times yes, Super Nintendo World in Japan is worth visiting! I loved every minute we spent here and felt so nostalgic for my childhood playing Mario Party and Mario Kart. You should definitely make space in your Japan itinerary to visit Super Nintendo World in Japan, and don’t forget to reserve an Express Pass a few months in advance to secure your entry!
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“Lets-a go!” – Mario