CNN Correspondent Selina Wang visited the newly-opened Super Nintendo World to show off the theme park, as well as detailing some of its COVID policies. She even managed to get a ride on the AR Mario Kart track, "Koopa's Challenge", which is more than many visitors will get - VGC noted that the queue was bigger than the park itself.
"I've been speaking to attendees," said Wang in the news segment, "and many of them have been playing Nintendo games since they were kids. Some of them say that it's actually emotional to walk in there and see their childhood games really coming to life."
Originally, the park was due to open in the Summer of 2020, to coincide with the Tokyo Olympics, but obviously, that didn't happen. The fact that Japan is closed to international travel means that the park isn't bringing in the huge numbers of tourists and boosting the country's economy, as was originally planned.
Photo opportunities, and other designated "mask-free zones", are heavily monitored to ensure that visitors maintain a distance from each other and the park's mascots, as well as not being allowed to touch. Instead of the Disney-style photos of kids hugging the costumed characters, you're much more likely to get a photo of Mario and Luigi standing at a respectable distance, like awkward teens at a prom.
Wang notes that the park cost half a billion dollars, and that the gaming industry as a whole has been earning big bucks during the pandemic as one of the few activities you can still do at home.
"For Nintendo, this is an important step beyond its core business of video games and consoles," says Wang. "It's cashing in on its treasure trove of intellectual property and iconic characters." As a Reddit commenter on the video says: "basically, Nintendo is printing money in an industry that is currently struggling," referring to the theme park industry.
[source youtu.be, via reddit.com]
Comments 39
Yeah, that CNN. The ones who talked about Bad Apple and got every little thing wrong.
See here for info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRJcQr0OrQQ
My kids are 6 and 9. I’m afraid they will be much older when it finally opens here in so cal. Boo!!!!
I live for chonky toad
My god, this looks glorious. I wish that they had more than just Mario, though. Imagine a Metroid themed ride, where it actually takes you through Zebes, or a pokemon themed land, where they somehow manage to have actual pokemon battles using a combination of animatronics and AR!
It always bothers me when people pronounce "Yoshi" as "Yosh-e". at least the female reporter said it correctly.
This is the newness factor. It'll wear off quickly since there are only 2 rides. One of them is simply a train with yoshi cars and nothing more, and the other one is a slow dark ride with AR gimmick. Theme in an area is definitely cool, but after you walk through it once it looses its newness if there aren't rides that are exciting to keep you in it.
Oh damn, CNN?!
Nintendo has hit the big time!! Glad to see them finally getting recognized!
I cannot wait for this whole pandemic thing to be over so that I can go to Japan to visit this place. Although I have to wonder, how many wrist injuries will there be from those interactive blocks?
Can’t wait! I’m close to 40 and was planning Tokyo last year! Not going this year, but 2022 will hopefully be my ride to this magical place!
@MrMichaelJames Pandora and Wizarding Word of HP would like to have a chat with you.
What is CNN doing reporting news?
@Kobeskillz
Just saying that there open a new park in Orlando in 2023 might be a little longer since covid shut down construction with the Orlando area there's expected Pokémon area and a Zelda area.
Why are Mario's hips so wide? What is going on with Peach's face? Peach looks like she ate an entire bag of sour warheads and is trying to hide it.
@iMarkU I've been to Pandora. The rides there are 100x better than this Nintendo selection of rides that is why its so busy. Its not busy because of the theme. Yes it makes for great pictures but now that I've done it the only reason I would go back to that section is to do the rides. There is a reason you can do the entire Animal Kingdom in half a day and that it is the weakest of the 4. There isn't much there. Most of the time you are simply walking from one end of the park to the other.
@Burning_Spear they are a news network. Reporting the news is what they do.
@EngineerMario so either a 20 min drive in LA or a flight for my whole family across the us from Cali to Florida. Lol. Son I ain’t rich. The LA park is my best bet.
WOW Nintendo must be quit important for CNN to cover, are they cover Super Nintendo World in USA?
Wow, she didn't make a single mistake.
Why wasnt i born in Japan. What a beautiful place to be lol.
While I'm a huge Nintendo nerd and that park looks dope, I also have a flying phobia and an intense dislike of being in crowds, really being in public at all. Guess I'll stay here and admire from afar!
I'm not going to talk about my feeling of CNN but I i'm going to watch this later as it seem alot of you loved it.
Is this to keep from reporting on Fredo's brother?
@KillerBOB Drunk idiot was the description you were looking for.
Imagine a Donkey Kong themed park with some sweet nostalgic DKC songs blasting through the speakers 🤩
Super cool to see Nintendo getting in mainstream news!
I can't wait to see the park's store items on sale on eBay, and I'm not even being sarcastic! Just jealous...
@RandomAfricanGamer Not their first time and it won't be their last. While not a news outlet, Shigeru Miyamoto and Bill Trinen were on Jimmy Fallon to promote Super Mario Run.
CNN tho. Couldn't a real and/or respectable news agency cover it? That is, of course, if there even are any.
@RiasGremory Imagine thinking that either CNN and Fox are better or worse than eachother. They're both corporate, deep statist propaganda machines that push the elite's perpetual distraction-based divide and conquer strategy upon the masses.
I will say that this particular segment wasn't bad. I'm glad Nintendo has been able to find some glowing coverage - even in the midst of a seemingly neverending plandemic.
@CheekyZelda Lol, well you do live up to your username.
It was only a matter of time till the politics started rolling in, I mean we are talking about cnn and Fox.
@Maxz I feel just as lost as you. I would’ve thought people would be happy Nintendo got featured on the news and leave it at that.
Since CNN reported on Nintendo World, does that mean it doesn't even exist?
Anything involving CNN is going to attract a lot of criticism these days as it's a pretty far left network and therefore alienates a lot of people. I hate bringing politics into this site but it's impossible not to address the elephant in the room.
@alexybubble there has to be a Pokemon land idea floating around - they would be crazy not to at least consider it!
Fake news.
Consume.
Hopefully they focus more on stuff like this and less on one-sided politics.
@CheekyZelda Toad's face lookin extra thicc today!
Yes, I took that straight from how MK Live Triggers you on YT.
Who knew there were so many Fox News viewing Nintendo fans?
@KateGray Hey! My comment I posted has been deleted. My right to free speech has been violated.
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