Last summer, Nintendo announced its plans to collaborate withe the entertainment icon, Universal Parks and Resorts, to bring their beloved games, characters, and worlds to Universal’s parks. It was later announced, earlier this year, that the first attraction will cost roughly $350 million, kick off in Japan by 2020, and will primarily focus on Mario. Other than those few facts, not much is known about the collaboration… until today that is.

Nintendo and Universal Parks and Resorts proudly presents Nintendoland VR! Check out all the details after the break!

Nintendoland VR (NLVR) poses itself to be a state of the art interactive Virtual Reality Playground that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. NLVR will consist of one large building with six different floors, floors two through to six will be sectioned out into different themes based off Nintendo’s popular franchises. You could be taking a stroll in the Mushroom Kingdom one moment, then explore the depths of Tallon IV in another. This isn’t just simple decoration however, Nintendo promises that each theme will go into insane detail, much like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where it will feel like you have just been transported into your favourite game.

What makes NLVR so special though? Well, that would be the various Virtual Reality experiences in each world. Sometimes it can be very difficult to achieve optimum immersion with a rollercoaster and other rides, but Virtual Reality is something which can easily break that barrier. The following are some examples of the experiences you can witness at NLVR:

Ever wondered what racing in the Mushroom Kingdom is really like? Strap yourself into the brand new racing pod karts and prepare for the race of your life in Mario Kart VR! Race in up to 32 different tracks, most of which are new and exclusive to this experience, and go for gold. Feel every turn, drift, banana peel, and zero gravity transformation in the ultimate Mario Kart experience.

You’ve seen her take on the vicious Space Pirates and the dangerous inhabitants of Talon IV, but have you ever taken the chance to explore the vast beauty of the worlds she explores? Jump into Samus Aran’s newly modified gunship with up to 39 other space explorers, and prepare to be amazed as she gives you a tour of the various worlds she has explored in her career as a Bounty Hunter. Uncover the secrets of the Chozo Ruins on Talon IV, creep through Torvus Bog of Aether, and be careful you don’t cause a cave in at Brinstar of Zebes. There are so many possibilities to explore with Samus Aran, but just remember, there’s always someone or something who has it out for her, so be sure you don’t wind up in the middle of an epic conflict.

Wan’t to be the legendary Hero of Time, test out your archery, and cut some grass? Then hop onto your trusty steed, put on your hero’s goggles, and get ready to shoot some Moblins, Octoroks, Stalchildren, and more of Ganondorf’s minions in this fast paced archery simulation in the land of Hyrule. Once you have your Hero’s Goggles on, it will feel like your the hero himself (or herself) as you gallop on Epona and save the day! There are many area’s you can explore, including those which Epona never would have dared go near before. Travel above ground and take in that Hyrule fresh air, try the Kakariko Cemetery, perhaps there’s a Poe or two to deal with, you can even weird your bow at Zora’s Domain.

Those are just some of the experiences you will be able to experience at NLVR. Best of all, due to the nature of these attractions, a much smaller space is taken up compared to other rides and rollercoasters, meaning there is more space to accommodate more visitors onto the attractions as well a space for new attractions altogether. There will also be a few themed restaurants in some of the sections. Want a nice Rock Sirloin with a nice glass of cold milk, then be sure to check out Telma’s Tavern in Hyrule. Perhaps Mario can finally get his cake at Patisserie Peach in the Mushroom Kingdom. Or maybe a seafood diet will keep you fresh, in that case you’ll want to visit The Squid Skillet in Inkopolis.

Finally, the first floor is perfect for those who love a bit of retail therapy as it will be transformed into the biggest Nintendo Store. Be sure to pop by to purchase some awesome Nintendo merchandise, software and hardware, best of all, they will deliver all products purchased in the store to almost any home in the country for a small price, or to your Universal Resort hotel room for free. There will also be plenty of stations where you can have the chance to try out some of the latest games on offer from Nintendo, as well as some which have yet to be released. You also have a chance to take a blast from the past as there will also be various golden oldies from Nintendo’s past to play on. These include, Arcade games, NES games, SNES games, and N64 games.

Unfortunately, all this will take some more waiting, but it will definitely be worth it by the end of the day. Nintendo plan on opening parts of Nintendoland VR gradually so that guests are able to experience the attractions as soon as possible. It all kicks off in 2020 to coincide with Mario’s 35th anniversary and the 2020 Olympic game, as Nintendo opens up the Mario Section and the Nintendo Store at Universal Studios Japan. 75% more of Nintendoland VR will open a year later in Japan, while a large part will open up in the Orlando and Hollywood parks. Nintendo hopes to have Nintendoland VR opened fully in Japan, Orlando, and Hollywood by the end of 2022.

What do you think of this huge announcement? Could this be the best announcement from Nintendo yet? Or is Nintendo a fool to make such a big risk? Post your opinions in the comments below!

UPDATE Yes, this was an April Fool Joke! Hope you enjoyed it!

Leon Fletcher

I am a huge Nintendo fan, hence why NintyBuzz exists. I especially love all things Zelda and Metroid. NintyBuzz was started by me back in the Summer of 2014, it started out mainly as a hobby, though the site has gradually grown, and I hope it grows for many years to come!