In May of 2015, Nintendo took a significant step outside its traditional gaming realm by announcing a groundbreaking partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts. This collaboration aimed to bring the magic of popular Nintendo games and characters to life through innovative theme parks, marking a bold expansion into new entertainment avenues. A decade on, this vision has been realized with the launch of Super Nintendo World, a dynamic theme park that has opened its doors in Japan, Los Angeles, Florida, and is set to expand to Singapore. These parks offer an immersive experience filled with thrilling rides, interactive attractions, themed gift shops, and character-inspired dining options.
As we approach the launch of Universal's new Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, Florida, which will include the first-ever Donkey Kong Country expansion in America, I had the privilege of sitting down with Shigeru Miyamoto. As the legendary game designer behind iconic characters like Super Mario and Donkey Kong, Miyamoto shared insights on the development of these parks, his collaboration with the next generation of Nintendo game developers, and his excitement about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console.
