Super Mario Land will offer the most interactive features for gamers and theme park guests

Ready to book a trip to Japan? Super Mario Land is coming to Universal Studios Japan, and it looks to have the most interactive features of any theme park.

Super Mario Land is a highly anticipated theme park experience coming to Universal Studios Japan. While the theme park experience is anticipated to open prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, a huge reveal was announced this week. Is this newest development a game changer for the theme park industry and gaming fans?

In a recent article by Attractions Magazine, Universal revealed some game-changing details on the upcoming Super Mario Land. While two rides were mentioned — Super Mario Kart and Yoshi’s Adventures — the biggest new element looks to take the guest interactive experience to a whole new level.

According the article, guests will have “magnetic bracelets featuring the iconic red Mario icon that guests will use to interact with the land’s environment.” While these types of bracelets are used in other theme parks, a new element has been added. The scores and interactions can “interface back with your game console so you can build on it.”

This statement is huge. Not only does this feature bring the theme park experience and memory back home with guests, it offers incentives for guests to return time and again. Whether this feature will be a separate app or part of the Nintendo Switch or Super Nintendo World remains to be seen.

Still, this development is far beyond the current state of theme park apps and interactive features. While many theme parks offer “play” apps and experiences, this element almost gives the theme park guests and gamers more control over the experience. A gamer can increase her status and unlock features on her gaming console that can significantly change the real world experience.

As Universal develops this concept for Super Mario Land, both theme park fans and gamers will want to study this concept. In some ways, the real world and the virtual world are starting to overlap. Virtual Reality technology is absorbed into interactive experiences. While people might not be donning headsets in a Ready Player One scenario, the lines are starting to blur.

Since this statement is just a glimpse of what could happen in Universal Studios Japan, the actual application of this element could evolve. While the Super Mario Land itself will be huge hit, it is being rolled out in phases. Modifications can happen after phase one.

Although Universal does have a partnership with Nintendo, it will be a while till fans in the United States get to see this type of entertainment closer to home. No announcement or anticipated opening of Nintendo themed experiences were shared.

Even though Universal Orlando announced its Epic Universe fourth theme park earlier this year, that opening is far, far away. While ground has been cleared in the area, it will take at least 5 years to open a concept on that large scale.

In the meantime, if you are a huge Super Mario fan, start saving for a plane ticket to Japan. Super Mario Land is coming to Universal Studios Japan next year. Based on this information, the gaming aspect on your own console could be the best theme park souvenir.

What do you think of this announcement from Universal? Do you think that the interactive gaming aspect will draw more fans to the theme park?