Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[wizwit]

I'm 46 years old.

When I was 12, I played Donkey Kong in arcades (anyone remember "Space Port" in the mall?). I loved Mario.

I now have a 12-year-old son who has been playing various Nintendo games on home gaming systems since he was 6 or 7. He loves Mario.

Nintendo is huge and it's popularity spans at least two (maybe 3) generations over a period of almost 35 years.

I can't wait to see what Universal does with this IP.

 

[grizzlybarely]

Personally, I am inclined to believe Mario Kart is going to happen. The survey spent half its questions not asking if the ride was a good idea, but rather how it should be implemented. Nuanced queries concerning every specific detail of the attraction from the queue to seating arrangements to weapons to who gets to drive. Really interesting stuff.

This shouldn't worry me but it does. I just can't picture how Mario Kart would be a good ride, and if this is to be the E-ticket for Mushroom Kingdom, I don't think it does the Mario franchise justice. This is coming from a big Mario Kart fan. I think it's an idea that sounds good on paper but I'm not sure it will translate. I don't know, hopefully I'm wrong. I'm going to keep holding out hope for a Super Mario attraction.

 

[JungleSkip]

This shouldn't worry me but it does. I just can't picture how Mario Kart would be a good ride, and if this is to be the E-ticket for Mushroom Kingdom, I don't think it does the Mario franchise justice. This is coming from a big Mario Kart fan. I think it's an idea that sounds good on paper but I'm not sure it will translate. I don't know, hopefully I'm wrong. I'm going to keep holding out hope for a Super Mario attraction.

I think Mario Kart translates 100000% easier than Super Mario Bros does.

 

[grizzlybarely]

I think Mario Kart translates 100000% easier than Super Mario Bros does.

But what could the ride system be without being a capacity nightmare? It can't be a passive experience. There's no story to Mario Kart. On the other hand, a save-the-princess dark ride would translate very easily.

 

[JungleSkip]

But what could the ride system be without being a capacity nightmare? It can't be a passive experience.

I'm sure they'll figure it out.

There's no story to Mario Kart.

And? Rides don't need stories.

On the other hand, a save-the-princess dark ride would translate very easily.

How? Like Mario Kart, it can't be passive. You need some semblance of control. Do you become Mario in the ride? Do you have control to jump on Goombas heads?

 

[grizzlybarely]

I'm sure they'll figure it out.

And? Rides don't need stories.

How? Like Mario Kart, it can't be passive. You need some semblance of control. Do you become Mario in the ride? Do you have control to jump on Goombas heads?

Theme park attractions, especially E-tickets, need stories. I think a Super Mario attraction has enough story to be a passive experience, unlike Mario Kart. You partner alongside Mario to save the princess.

 

[JungleSkip]

Theme park attractions, especially E-tickets, need stories.

No, they really don't. What's the story of Big Thunder Mountain? Of Space Mountain? Of Jungle Cruise? Of Soarin?

There are none.

 

[Clive]

Theme park attractions, especially E-tickets, need stories. I think a Super Mario attraction has enough story to be a passive experience, unlike Mario Kart. You partner alongside Mario to save the princess.

Yeah, that... doesn't make a lot of sense. There's no way to make that feel fluid or intuitive. The Mario games barley have "stories" anyway.

We're either getting a Mario Kart ride (that's what every average joe wants, based on chatter I've heard from friends who heard about the announcement) or a Mario Galaxy / Space Fantasy port. I'd prefer the former.

 

[grizzlybarely]

Clearly, I'm in the minority. A Mario Kart ride just sounds dead boring to me, as much as I love the games. Uni, prove me wrong.

I would challenge the pro-Mario Kart party to flesh out an actual concept though. I keep picturing Tomorrowland Speedway and Toy Story Mania and I cringe.

 

[ReelJustice]

You'll get your "save the princess" ride with Zelda.

 

[JungleSkip]

Clearly, I'm in the minority. A Mario Kart ride just sounds dead boring to me, as much as I love the games. Uni, prove me wrong.

I would challenge the pro-Mario Kart party to flesh out an actual concept though. I keep picturing Tomorrowland Speedway and Toy Story Mania and I cringe.

What if they could put together a faster version of the trackless ride system? Not saying it would happen, but that'd be far from boring.

 

[ReelJustice]

I believe that Mario Kart is the easiest and most fun iteration of Mario for a theme park attraction. You can involve multiple characters, it'll be fast paced, and there is the opportunity for multiple experiences.

 

[grizzlybarely]

What if they could put together a faster version of the trackless ride system? Not saying it would happen, but that'd be far from boring.

That's not bad. If it were a dark ride with scenes and things happened to the ride vehicle, I can see it as a possibility. But if we just ride around a track with no interaction whatsoever, then no.

 

[JungleSkip]

That's not bad. If it were a dark ride with scenes and things happened to the ride vehicle, I can see it as a possibility. But if we just ride around a track with no interaction whatsoever, then no.

Of course there would be interaction.

 

[ReelJustice]

Of course there would be interaction.

Blue Missile of Doom

 

[grizzlybarely]

Of course there would be interaction.

In what way? Driving? Using items? What does everyone else in the vehicle do?

Here's my main point: Mario is such a rich, storied world, and Mario Kart does not do that world justice. Mario Kart takes a small piece of that world and blasts through it. The game is incredibly fun but at the end of the day, it's just another racing game. I want to explore all of Mushroom Kingdom, not race past it. A Mario Kart ride could be fun, but I strongly doubt we'll get as lucky as we did with WWOHP and get 2 E-tickets. If I have to pick, I pick Super Mario.

 

[JungleSkip]

In what way? Driving? Using items? What does everyone else in the vehicle do?

All issues to be figured out by people much smarter than I. If anyone can pull off a ride system like that, it'd be Universal

 

[grizzlybarely]

This reminds me of the Quidditch ride that everyone wanted when Wizarding World was announced.

 

[chocotaco]

In what way? Driving? Using items? What does everyone else in the vehicle do?

Maybe this will be too complicated but one thing I was thinking is people can get random items and shoot them against other racer(s) (I assume track would need to be way too large to handle more than 2 karts at a time). Have a screen in a center console or something and you will get an item just like in the game. You will try to hit the other racer(s) with the item. The item you have will show up on the screen and you press it to use it. Maybe a green shell you will have to wait until you are lined up with another racer and aim it right, whereas the red shell tracks and will hit the other racer no matter where it is used. Of course there wont be real shells launching into the karts, though the would be hilarious, but if they make it so you can't see what's coming from behind and show that you are about to be attacked through the screen on the cart could work. For example, someone gets a red shell behind you and launches it at you, the screen on your kart will show a blinking red shell telling you that you are about to be hit with it. Upon "impact" you will spin out. Again this may be a bit complicated, the track would probably need a pretty advanced layout, but in terms of karts interacting with each other, not sure that would be too hard, can already spin other people out on MiB, just the method in doing so in this would be different.

 

[MrRoamer]

I'm pretty interested in how far they push interactivity in Nintendo Land. The thing that keeps popping into my head for an interactive Mario Kart ride would be something similar to the Pirates game at DQ. Several players all tasked with different things for a combined team effort with one person driving. I vaguely remember a Mario Kart game that had two racers in each kart, perhaps something where if you get spun out the player that was in the back shooting or doing something else switches places with the driver and so on?

If anyone can do it, these two companies would be towards the top of the list for who I would select. Nintendo is excellent at rethinking games based on the hardware available and Uni has shown they can push the hardware in new and compelling ways.