SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ Area Expansion…DONKEY KONG COUNTRY™ Officially Opens at Universal Studios Japan on December 11, 2024!
Press & Media, Articles

World’s First Area Featuring Donkey Kong – “Donkey Kong Country”

OSAKA, Japan (Nov. 12, 2024) – Universal Studios Japan is expanding the popular SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, which has been visited by many guests every day since its opening in March of 2021. The world’s first-ever “Donkey Kong Country” area, themed on the world of Donkey Kong, will enhance and deepen the experiential value of the SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. The grand opening of the area will be Wednesday, December 11, 2024. With the addition of this new area, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD will expand by 70% its current size with an all-new area by providing new experiences full of innovation and creativity that takes the guest experience to an even higher level. At 7am (JST) today, the media got a first look at the ride vehicle and station for the new Mine Cart Madness™ attraction, which is located inside the iconic “The Golden Temple.”

Interior of The Majestic “The Golden Temple” Created With Stunning Quality Is Unveiled
Also today, part of the interior of The Golden Temple, one of the area’s landmarks, was unveiled. The Golden Temple is a shining structure located in the deepest part of the jungle that has actually appeared as a level in Donkey Kong games. Once inside, you will feel as if you have entered the world of Donkey Kong and feel the atmosphere of the mysterious ruins with your whole body. Furthermore, inside The Golden Temple is a mural, which you have seen somewhere before! Guests can experience the excitement of the attraction even before they board the attraction in this dynamic space.

“In Donkey Kong Country, visitors can immerse themselves in the lush tropical landscapes seen in the popular video game series and explore real-life locations deep in the jungle, including The Golden Temple. The new attraction, Mine Cart Madness, is a new and innovative coaster design that is not bound by conventional ideas and will offer an unpredictable experience that will make you seemingly jump over gaps. We are looking forward to welcoming our guests to “PLAY WILD!” with a thrilling and ultra-exciting experience that is both visually and instinctively stimulating.” – Daniel Greer, Producer, Universal Creative.

A Grand Adventure of an Unpredictable and Super Exciting Experience! State-of-the-Art Next Generation Coaster: “MINE CART MADNESS”
The ride vehicles and boarding area for “Mine Cart Madness,” a new and innovative attraction that breaks away from conventional ideas, were also unveiled for the first time today.

This attraction is a stimulating, innovative and thrilling coaster that will shake your instincts both visually and physically, developed in cooperation with Nintendo’s creative team, including Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director and Fellow of Nintendo Co.

Guests will hop into a mine cart and careen through the jungle to help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong protect the coveted Golden Banana from the Tiki Tak Tribe on this first-of-its-kind family coaster. Utilizing an unprecedented ride system and a unique coaster design, it will send riders on a thrilling adventure where they will experience the jaw-dropping maneuvers – including getting blasted out of a barrel, seemingly jumping over gaps as they speed along a rickety track, and so much more.

Donkey Kong is a video game series created by Nintendo and led by Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s representative director and Fellow, and has been loved around the world for generations. “DONKEY KONG COUNTRY” features a state-of-the-art attraction with unpredictable surprises, as well as food and shopping, to provide a comprehensive experience that is a new journey for Universal Studios Japan. Information about the new area and the experiences that await guests there will be announced between now and the grand opening.