Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[JungleSkip]

the only thing Italian about Mario and Luigi, are the names.

If you look past their OUTRAGEOUS Italian accents, sure.

Anyway, can't wait to hear this music blaring through USF

 

[Teebin]

So, that musical tour is meant to promote a new game system?

 

[JungleSkip]

So, that musical tour is meant to promote a new game system?

The Symphony has been touring for a few years now. The Colbert Show appearance was for a new game coming out soon.

 

[chocotaco]

So, that musical tour is meant to promote a new game system?

I don't think the tour is just to exclusively promote the new game. It is a concert series that began in 2011 based around the music of The Legend of Zelda, which has some of the best/ most memorable music in gaming. I think it just happened to be that the new 3ds game (to answer that part of your question, just a game not a whole system) is coming around the same time of the tour so was a good cross-promotion opportunity

 

[anihilnation]

Anyway, can't wait to hear this music blaring through USF

Thanks Jungle Skip! I forgot all about the Zelda symphony tour. Perhaps Zelda is not so niche after all

 

[JungleSkip]

Thanks Jungle Skip! I forgot all about the Zelda symphony tour. Perhaps Zelda is not so niche after all

It's Nintendo's 3rd highest selling franchise, second if you don't count the second party Pokémon series. Far from niche.

 

[martymcflyy85]

Zelda Music or Mario Galaxy music....can't decide on which is better. Both are incredible.

 

[chocotaco]

Zelda Music or Mario Galaxy music....can't decide on which is better. Both are incredible.

Mario music in general is also good. Really, most of Nintendo's game franchises has great music, but Zelda is in a league of its own (imo of course)

Gerudo valley from Ocarina of Time is my favorite I think. They have a 25th anniversary Symphony version of the song (among other memorable zelda songs) which is great too, but I prefer the classic version personally

 

[boomerthom]

Zelda Music or Mario Galaxy music....can't decide on which is better. Both are incredible.

Donkey Kong! The recurring jungle theme has to be one of the catchiest tracks in a game.

 

[fryoj]

Anything but this on repeat throughout the land will be a complete fail!

 

[martymcflyy85]

LOL, there are literally so many songs we could put on here....but then it would turn into a music thread.

 

[boomerthom]

Nintendo's recent strategy briefing mentioned the theme park deal. The company will be introducing a new Nintendo Account system that will be unified across all devices and have various uses, including in theme parks. The account will include cloud saves for games.

Presentation slide:

All slides

Wall Street Journal liveblog for the briefing

Possibilities seem endless for this. Nintendo has previously experimented with taking specific game data outside the home for various benefits, including plugging in a Gamecube memory card with F-Zero GX save data into an F-Zero AX arcade machine for extra content, and providing WiFi hotspots to download special Pokemon at certain venues (GameStops, etc). With the new account system enabling save data in the cloud, maybe we'll see in-game content provided for accessing it at Universal? For example, I could see a situation where I go to Nintendo Land, boot up my Nintendo app with my cloud saves, and obtain a unique Pokemon. Or maybe a Universal t-shirt in Animal Crossing. Or a Universal Studios vehicle in Mario Kart. This is all small scale stuff and I'm sure Universal will go even bigger, but again the possibilities for this are fantastic and will definitely be a value add for Nintendo fans.

 

[JungleSkip]

God that land is going to be the best

 

[ThreePack Shagur]

I can't wait to real-time battle my Pokemon Go monsters with fellow park-goers on a glasses-less 3D display.

 

[martymcflyy85]

God that land is going to be the best

I'm following this religiously.

 

[boomerthom]

What sounds great about this account integration is that Nintendo Land won't just be some separate, static adaptation like we usually see. It's actually going to be integrated into Nintendo's next generation plans somehow, and could evolve over time. I mean, you visit Diagon Alley once and outside of a new piece of merchandise it's unlikely that you'll get much more out of the experience if you come back later. With Nintendo Land, the company can continually update the digital services provided to guests with a Nintendo account to promote repeat visits. This seems pretty huge, and I'm not sure if it's ever been done in a theme park before - go visit the land and receive digital benefits that you can experience once you get home (or even immediately in the park, if NX has a handheld component like rumors suggest). I can't wait to see what they eventually do with it.

Saw a great idea on Twitter earlier about digital benefits for experiencing a Mario Kart attraction (might have been Parkscope?). I could easily see a situation where once the attraction is finished, you can open your Nintendo app and scan a QR code to unlock in-game benefits. Maybe guests who actually manage to win the race in the attraction would receive something different like a rare vehicle. Then they get home, win an in-game race with that kart, and someone asks where it came from. Bam! Instant viral marketing. Want the kart? Go to Universal. This really writes itself. Mix in some Star Tours 2.0-style scene (course? ) randomization and you have the attraction with the most re-ride value in theme park history.

 

[martymcflyy85]

Do we know if Mariokart will have a Test Track like portion of the ride? It seems Disneyhead hinted at it over the in the Fallon forum, unless I misunderstood.

 

[JungleSkip]

Do we know if Mariokart will have a Test Track like portion of the ride? It seems Disneyhead hinted at it over the in the Fallon forum, unless I misunderstood.

I don't think it will be anything like anything we've seen before.

 

[Scott W.]

Do we know if Mariokart will have a Test Track like portion of the ride? It seems Disneyhead hinted at it over the in the Fallon forum, unless I misunderstood.

I wonder if it will be single seater cars or have several people at once. They could use a system similar to Empire of the Penguin but you would probably need a colossal amount of room to do it and it would severely limit the speed you could go. It would maybe give the option of having a bit of variety in the ride however if any kart could win.

 

[Teebin]

tapping my digit like a raptor... :look: