Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[fryoj]

I'd be surprised if this area didn't have virtual queues. I would think Fallon would be them testing what works to replace pre-shows. I mean, with Nintendo, why wouldn't they want to let people explore gaming in a room for 20 minutes, then move that group to another room for 20 minutes of play...and then on to the ride.

Yeah, using the queues as pre-shows and letting people play Nintendo's latest and greatest games and consoles not only improves the queue experience, but helps promote and sell Nintendo products.

 

[Frogki]

I don't think playing the games is the point of the land. They're trying to sell the idea that you're in the world of Super Mario. If used, I'd expect a virtual queue to feel like an area from the games - with lots of opportunities to interact with various plants, coins, blocks and possibly characters. But no one is coming to the parks to play Super Mario on the latest Nintendo console - they can do that at home. They wanna actually play with a mushroom, or with the Toads, or piranha plants...

 

[Imperius]

I don't think playing the games is the point of the land. They're trying to sell the idea that you're in the world of Super Mario. If used, I'd expect a virtual queue to feel like an area from the games - with lots of opportunities to interact with various plants, coins, blocks and possibly characters. But no one is coming to the parks to play Super Mario on the latest Nintendo console - they can do that at home. They wanna actually play with a mushroom, or with the Toads, or piranha plants...

On top of letting the general public play with consoles is a terrible idea. They ruined frog lamps at VB in a month. They would destroy a switch in 10 minutes flat.

 

[Alicia]

Again, to my knowledge the queues for the two big attractions will have full switchback rooms and will not be set up for virtual queue. Things could always change, but this is looking more like a Harry Potter situation than a Fallon/F&F one. And that's fine by me, because the HP queues are a big part of the experience.

 

[Teebin]

They ruined frog lamps at VB in a month. They would destroy a switch in 10 minutes flat.

Elevator buttons stand up to the task quite well and those are used to being slammed on more times than is necessary.

 

[Imperius]

Elevator buttons stand up to the task quite well and those are used to being slammed on more times than is necessary.

I would argue this wouldn't be the case with controllers. I remember when mcdonalds used to have Gamecubes and those never had a fully functioning controller.

 

[Mike S]

On top of letting the general public play with consoles is a terrible idea. They ruined frog lamps at VB in a month. They would destroy a switch in 10 minutes flat.

Works fine with the demo stations at the NYC Nintendo store.

 

[Mad Dog]

I don't think playing the games is the point of the land. They're trying to sell the idea that you're in the world of Super Mario. If used, I'd expect a virtual queue to feel like an area from the games - with lots of opportunities to interact with various plants, coins, blocks and possibly characters. But no one is coming to the parks to play Super Mario on the latest Nintendo console - they can do that at home. They wanna actually play with a mushroom, or with the Toads, or piranha plants...

Similar to your interaction with characters, blocks etc... they had something like that at the Pirate baseball game today. They interposed a Super Mario Nintendo game situation on the lower scoreboard and they had a real athletic individual on the ground that would physically interact with parts of the scoreboard to play elements of the game. He was jumping against the scoreboard and interconnecting with his hands and feet on sections of the scoreboard in a really spectacular way & Mario elements were popping up and all. No #3D glasses or any virtual reality glasses were needed. It just worked out in a really cool way that everyone in the stadium could enjoy & watch.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

If there is console stations somewhere around the land; I would think that they would be safeguarded by TM's overlooking the guest on stand-by and making sure they are not damaging it.

To me, what I would think makes sense; is interactive play-elements, that are not just simply playing a game. Like, you can customize your own kart in a sense, and transfer it to be displayed on Social Media, you can have a Meet and Greet of a character, and that there would be some form of play feature that is around the holding area and not a console demo area.

 

[Mike S]

If there is console stations somewhere around the land; I would think that they would be safeguarded by TM's overlooking the guest on stand-by and making sure they are not damaging it.

To me, what I would think makes sense; is interactive play-elements, that are not just simply playing a game. Like, you can customize your own kart in a sense, and transfer it to be displayed on Social Media, you can have a Meet and Greet of a character, and that there would be some form of play feature that is around the holding area and not a console demo area.

Who said anything about the land? It's more likely for demo stations to pop up in CityWalk.

 

[Frank Drackman]

I really am just armchairing and have no info. I just see Nintendo as demanding a lot as well as having the imagination and team to pull off some incredible digital realms.

I guess I was dreaming for something like when imagination exited upstairs mixed with something like the Rag Time Gals show...I mean I love and I get the FJ queue, but I just hate that the queue really can't flow correctly for the way the show should flow through all the rooms.

 

[Frogki]

I see a possible Nintendo Store - but a more ambitious version than it's current counterparts. It can replace the niche that Disney Quest once catered to and it can do it better, in my humble opinion.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Why would someone travel and pay $100 to play the same games they could at home?

This project has ALWAYS been about making the virtual worlds in real life. This would be like having the Wizarding World open with reading areas and a theater to show the films.

 

[Alicia]

Why would someone travel and pay $100 to play the same games they could at home?

This project has ALWAYS been about making the virtual worlds in real life. This would be like having the Wizarding World open with reading areas and a theater to show the films.

While I agree with you 100%, it's not without precedent.

Innoventions had the SEGA games in the early 1990s. LEGOLAND Florida currently has an area you can play Lego video games on consoles. And Hollywood Studios has an area you can play Star Wars console games (which was moved from Launch Bay to near the Sounds Dangerous theater so they can put in a BB-8 meet and greet.)

I think it's stupid. But companies pay to bring test versions of games and consoles to places where lots of people are. I believe 100% that this will not be the case in Nintendo World though.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

While I agree with you 100%, it's not without precedent.

Innoventions had the SEGA games in the early 1990s. LEGOLAND Florida currently has an area you can play Lego video games on consoles. And Hollywood Studios has an area you can play Star Wars console games (which was moved from Launch Bay to near the Sounds Dangerous theater so they can put in a BB-8 meet and greet.)

I think it's stupid. But companies pay to bring test versions of games and consoles to places where lots of people are. I believe 100% that this will not be the case in Nintendo World though.

But those projects aren't about brining a world to life. Innoventions was CES, Legoland has a small area with some games, and the Disney Infinity stuff was in service of a larger Star Wars exhibition.

 

[Alicia]

But those projects aren't about brining a world to life. Innoventions was CES, Legoland has a small area with some games, and the Disney Infinity stuff was in service of a larger Star Wars exhibition.

Yea, like I said, it'd be pretty stupid to have video games to play in a land simply because it's based on video games. I agree with you. Just can see why others might think it possible is all.

 

[Frogki]

Let me clarify - by a Nintendo Store, I meant a large store either replacing something in City Walk or going into the next parks shopping district. I don't see any place in the land itself that would break the immersion...

 

[fryoj]

Uni's pitch to Nintendo: We are going to bring your video games to life. Have these immersive worlds where people can be a part of these great games that your entire financial model is based on. We aren't going to give them any opportunity to see the actual games though, nor have anywhere to try them out. Then, we are going to tell them to go somewhere else to see the games and to buy them rather than trying to make that money on sales ourselves!

 

[Alicia]

Uni's pitch to Nintendo: We are going to bring your video games to life. Have these immersive worlds where people can be a part of these great games that your entire financial model is based on. We aren't going to give them any opportunity to see the actual games though, nor have anywhere to try them out. Then, we are going to tell them to go somewhere else to see the games and to buy them rather than trying to make that money on sales ourselves!

I can see them in the giftshops like they got at GameStop sure. Just certainly not in the queues or as attractions themselves.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Uni's pitch to Nintendo: We are going to bring your video games to life. Have these immersive worlds where people can be a part of these great games that your entire financial model is based on. We aren't going to give them any opportunity to see the actual games though, nor have anywhere to try them out. Then, we are going to tell them to go somewhere else to see the games and to buy them rather than trying to make that money on sales ourselves!

"WB and JKR we want to build a fully realized world and design them around the movies your entire financial model is based on. We don't sell the movies or let guests actually watch them."

This is about more than just selling games.

I can see them in the giftshops like they got at GameStop sure. Just certainly not in the queues or as attractions themselves.

I agree with @Frogki that a CityWalk or front of park store would be best for this. After all the Potter book sets are sold at the front of the parks.