Nintendo and Universal have announced the Super Nintendo World theme park in Osaka, Japan will be opening a new Donkey Kong-themed area this coming spring.
This expansion was announced back in 2021, but little else was shared about it at the time. A CGI teaser trailer posted to YouTube provides a glimpse at what the area will look like and, as expected, it’s incredibly authentic to the Donkey Kong Country games (the area is even called Donkey Kong Country). Judging by the aesthetics, though, the area looks to be drawing more influence from the modern Retro Studios entries rather than the original Rare games (so maybe don’t expect any Kremling cameos).
According to DTimes on Dec. 5 (via VGC), Universal told the Japanese press this area will increase Super Nintendo World’s size by 70 percent and will continue to make use of the park’s Power-Up bands to provide a video game-like experience for visitors, allowing them to interact with certain areas.
The main attraction will be a rollercoaster inspired by the mine cart levels from Donkey Kong Country; one which involves a confrontation with Tiki Tong, the final boss of Donkey Kong Country Returns. In the trailer, you can also see bongos (perhaps one of the interactables?) and a plane that resembles the one Funky Kong uses as a shop in the games. No doubt this will serve as a merchandise shop for the park. Speaking of merchandise, Universal Park News has images of new Donkey Kong-themed products and snacks that’ll be up for sale exclusively at the park.
Die-hard fans are no doubt already booking flights to Japan to experience the Donkey Kong area for themselves. With any luck, though, the Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Hollywood will receive the expansion eventually. The park opened roughly two years after the one in Japan so, unless Nintendo and Universal say otherwise, maybe expect the Donkey Kong expansion in 2025 or 2026.
Universal Studios Orlando is also meant to be getting the Nintendo park, with it still under construction and scheduled to open in the summer of 2025.
