■USJ Mario Area: What Is SUPER NINTENDO WORLD?
USJ’s new area SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is an area where you can spend the whole day experiencing the world of the Mario games.
You can enjoy two worlds: “Super Mario Land” and “Donkey Kong Country.”
How to enjoy SUPER NINTENDO WORLD 10 times more
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■SUPER NINTENDO WORLD: Basic Information
USJ’s Mario area (Super Mario Land) is called “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.” Donkey Kong Country, which opened in 2024, is also located in the same area.
Before getting into the tips, here is some basic information.
Where is it?
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is located between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and WaterWorld.
There is only one entrance/exit to the area, right next to the WaterWorld entrance.
The entrance to Donkey Kong Country is at the back of Super Mario Land. You must pass through Super Mario Land to get there.
You can see Hogwarts Castle right beside it, but you cannot enter The Wizarding World of Harry Potter from there.
A common question is, Can you go directly between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD because they are next to each other?The answer is no. The map may make it look possible to go from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but you cannot.
It takes about 10 minutes on foot from the USJ entrance gate to the entrance of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
It takes about 15 minutes on foot to Gramercy Park, where shows in the New York area are held.
See the shortest route explained with photos and a map here
Fastest Route to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD: Photo and Map Guide from the USJ Entrance to the Mario Area
An Area Timed Entry Ticket Is Required to Enter
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is not very large, so the number of guests who can enter at one time is limited.
As a general rule, only guests with an Area Timed Entry Ticket or an Area Entry Guarantee can enter.
※Right after park opening and at night on low-crowd days, you may sometimes be able to enter without an Area Timed Entry Ticket, but this is best left to experienced visitors.
This ticket does not let you skip the wait for attractions.
It is an Area Timed Entry Ticket for passing through the entrance to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
In 2024, on weekends after around 9:00 a.m., and even on weekdays after around 10:00 a.m., it was common for only time slots in the late afternoon or later to remain.
On crowded days, distribution may already have ended by then.
Because there are many visitors from overseas, Area Timed Entry Tickets can run out early even on weekdays, so be careful.
We recommend obtaining one through the official app.
If you plan to arrive in the afternoon, we recommend buying an Express Pass.
See this article for the current distribution situation
What Time Do USJ Mario Timed Entry eTickets Run Out? Weekdays vs. Weekends in 2026
If you want to know which days are less crowded, see this article
USJ Crowd Forecast for August 2026: Summer Vacation, Night Events, and Best Days to Visit
■Tips for SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
Here are tips to know before you go, along with useful strategies for your time inside SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
1. Prepare in Advance
Official USJ App
You can use the official USJ app for many things in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
・Obtain and use Area Timed Entry Tickets
・Check how many coins you have earned while playing
・Check collected stamps and view your ranking
Download and set up the app by the day before your visit to USJ.
Buy a Portable Battery
Frequently checking the app will drain your phone battery.
Taking lots of photos will drain it too.
There is a charging station inside SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, but it is best to bring a portable battery if you can.
These days, even inexpensive models can offer high capacity and charge multiple smartphones.
2. Enter the Park
Try to arrive at least 1 hour and 30 minutes before USJ’s scheduled opening time.
USJ may open about 1 hour to 1 hour and 45 minutes earlier than the time listed on the official website.
If you do not arrive before opening, Area Timed Entry Ticket distribution may end, or only very late evening slots may remain.
Consider a JTB hotel package that includes an Area Entry Guarantee for SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, or buy an Express Pass that includes at least one of Mario Kart or Yoshi’s Adventure.
3. Get an Area Timed Entry Ticket
Once you have entered USJ, you can obtain an Area Timed Entry Ticket for SUPER NINTENDO WORLD in the app.
If you are visiting with family, one parent cannot enter ahead of everyone else and obtain Area Timed Entry Tickets for family members who have not yet entered the park.
Only guests who have already entered can obtain them.
4. Go to the Area Entrance at Your Assigned Time
Head to the area entrance as your assigned time approaches.
If you arrive exactly at your time, it may still take about 10 minutes to enter when it is crowded.
If you reach the crew’s ticket-check point before your time, you will be asked to go back toward the entrance.
5. Reserve the Restaurant (Smartphone)
A smartphone reservation is required to enter Kinopio’s Cafe.
(This is separate from the Area Timed Entry Ticket for SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.)
After entering the area and passing through the pipe, go down the stairs and scan the QR code at the restaurant entrance to make a reservation.
(Only one representative from your group needs to do this.)
Your reservation time may be 1 to 3 hours later.
Reserve early.
The following article explains the reservation method in detail.
※Before April 2024, paper numbered tickets were used, but reservations are now made by smartphone.
6. Buy a Power-Up Band
At SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, Power-Up Bandis an item that greatly adds to the fun, so we recommend buying one.
If you are visiting as a family, decide in advance who will choose Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, and Daisy.
They are sold just after you enter the area and in front of the warp pipe, but they are also available at the SUPER NINTENDO WORLD souvenir shop and at a cart after you pass through the pipe; those locations tend to be less crowded.
Do You Need a USJ Power-Up Band? What It Does, Price, and Buying Used
7. Rent a Portable Battery
A portable smartphone battery rental service started in 2022.
If your battery is getting low, rent one early.
You can rent them at the coin lockers just inside the USJ entrance and at restrooms around the park, as well as in front of the restroom next to Kinopio’s Cafe in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
They come with charging cables (iPhone and Android), so all you need is your smartphone. (You need to download a dedicated app when renting. It has not been confirmed whether minors can rent one.)
However, prices are higher than when renting at convenience stores and similar locations, so be careful with long-term use.
New Area: Donkey Kong Area 【Donkey Kong Country】
The Donkey Kong area, which opened on December 11, 2024, lets you enjoy the world of Donkey Kong through a ride attraction, a drumming activity that draws out Rambi the rhino, and more.
See the following article for tips on Donkey Kong Country.
For tips on the new Donkey Kong Country attraction, including the fear factor and floating sensation of Mine-Cart Madness and the impressive Golden Temple, see the following article.
■SUPER NINTENDO WORLD: Useful Facts and Things to Know
Here is a collection of useful information worth knowing.
Stay on a Hotel Plan with an Area Entry Guarantee
If you are staying at an official hotel, we recommend booking a JTB plan that includes an Area Entry Guarantee.
If you have an Area Entry Guarantee, you can obtain an Area Timed Entry Ticket in the morning and enter, leave the area once to enjoy the parade and other attractions, then re-enter in the evening using the guarantee. (You can also enter first with the guarantee and then use an Area Timed Entry Ticket you already obtained to enter again.)
Best USJ and Osaka Hotels: Minion Rooms, Hot Springs, Luxury and Stylish Stays
Free Wi-Fi Is Available
Fast Wi-Fi is available for free inside SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
You can use the app and post to social media without using a pocket Wi-Fi device.
However, connecting takes a little effort because a login screen appears.
You may also be logged out if there is no communication for a certain period of time.
There Are Lots of Stairs
Super Mario Land is a multi-level area, so there is a lot of movement up and down stairs.
※Guests with strollers or wheelchairs can also use elevators.
Stairs are the main way to move around inside Bowser’s Castle and throughout the area.
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. It is also a good idea to leave luggage in coin lockers outside the area so you can travel light.
Donkey Kong Country slopes upward a little, but there is not much climbing or descending.
Manholes at the Area Entrance Look Like Coins
The entrance to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is on the right side of the place shown in the photo above.
As you walk up the gentle slope, be sure to look carefully at the ground.
When you hear a coin sound, look down and you will find a manhole.
It is actually shaped like a coin.
Nearby, you will also see score displays styled after the Famicom era.
Near the first coin, there is a “100 points” display.
As you keep going, you will start finding some interesting surprises along the way.
Historic Super Mario Dates Are Embedded in the Ground
Dates from Mario history, such as the release dates of Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. and the opening of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD (March 2021), are embedded in the ground.
It is fun to watch the ground as you walk and look for them along with the coins♪
■SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Ride Attractions
There are three ride attractions you can experience in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD:
・Mario Kart
・Yoshi’s Adventure
・Mine-Cart Madness
Mine-Cart Madness
Board a four-person mine cart and set off on an adventure.
This attraction has you protecting the Golden Banana from the enemy boss Tiki Tong.
Like the game, the mine cart moves intensely. Its unpredictable motion delivers a new kind of thrill.
MARIO KART: KOOPA’S CHALLENGE
Ride Mario Kart and race alongside Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and friends against Bowser and his minions!!
Your score depends on how you play the race, making this an attraction you can enjoy again and again—some dedicated fans had ridden more than 100 times in roughly two months during the pre-opening period.
On your first ride, you may reach the finish while you are still learning the rules and taking in the world around you.
We recommend experiencing it at least twice.
It is also fun to play once you understand how it works.
If you want to aim for a high score, see this guide.
How to Score 200+ Points on Mario Kart at USJ: High-Score Strategy Guide
The attraction is located deep inside Bowser’s Castle.
As you go deeper into Bowser’s Castle, you will reach Bowser’s study.
The books on the shelves look fascinating and help convey the world of Super Mario.
Because the attraction queue runs through the inside of Bowser’s Castle, simply looking around reveals all kinds of discoveries and makes the wait enjoyable.
Yoshi Ride Attraction (Yoshi’s Adventure)
This is a relaxing attraction that even small children can enjoy, and it is also recommended for a date.
Set off on a journey to find three eggs!!
■Power-Up Band Key Challenges
Power-Up Bandis an item we strongly recommend buying to enjoy SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
When you wear the band and hit blocks, you can collect coins. Without the band, even the coin sound will not play…
Jumping like Mario to collect coins yourself is one of the fun parts of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, so we recommend buying one.
There are six Key Challenges among the activities you can enjoy with a Power-Up Band.
Clear three of them to unlock the final battle with Bowser Jr.
・Goomba Crazy Crank
・Koopa Troopa POWer Punch
・Piranha Plant Nap Mishap
・Thwomp Panel Panic
・Bob-omb Kaboom Room
・Recover the Golden Mushroom! Bowser Jr. Final Battle
After clearing them, you can enjoy Hard Mode.
Meeting conditions such as clearing a game skillfully can earn hidden bonuses, giving the experience game-like changes in difficulty and secret tricks that make it fun to repeat.
Some games can be played by 3 to 4 people at the same time, but guests without a Power-Up Band cannot participate.
If you are visiting with children, we recommend that parents buy one too so you can play together.
USJ Key Challenges: 5 Power-Up Band Mini-Games, Rules & Hidden Bonus Tips
Hit Blocks and Find Hidden Characters with Binoculars
Hit ? Blocks and Brick Blocks to collect coins, or strike Note Blocks skillfully to play rich Super Mario music through the park.
At three AR binocular locations, you can look at Mario characters walking around the area while searching for hidden characters.
In addition to the normal Note Block play, where you hit the glowing spots in order, there is also a secret Note Block challenge.
If you can hit them smoothly in the secret order and produce a special performance, it might look pretty cool.
■Greeting Photo Opportunities
・Mario & Luigi Photo Opportunity
・Princess Peach Photo Opportunity
・Donkey Kong Photo Opportunity
Mario and Luigi are extremely popular, so this spot often has waits of 20 minutes or more.
For Princess Peach, you may be able to take a photo after a shorter wait.
At both, you can purchase photos taken by a USJ photographer.
They will also take one photo (?) with your own smartphone.
■Food Available in the Mario Area
・Kinopio’s Cafe
・Yoshi’s Snack Island
・Pit Stop Popcorn
・Jungle Beat Shakes (Donkey Kong Country)
Kinopio’s Cafe has the largest number of seats of any restaurant at USJ.
However, because it remained extremely popular and long waits continued, it switched to a reservation system.
You can usually buy takeout from Yoshi’s Snack Island after a short wait.
It is also recommended when you just need a small bite.
However, there are few benches nearby, so you may end up eating while standing.
Where to Get a Kinopio’s Cafe Entry Ticket
They are distributed in front of Kinopio’s Cafe.
You cannot get one unless you enter SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
■Express Pass
If you purchase an Express Pass that includes Mario Kart or Yoshi’s Adventure, you can enter SUPER NINTENDO WORLD without an Area Timed Entry Ticket.
■Mario Merchandise Shops
There are two merchandise shops in the Mario area of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and one in Donkey Kong Country.
・1-UP Factory
・Mario Motors
・Funky’s Fly ‘n’ Buy (Donkey Kong Country)
You can also buy merchandise at USJ souvenir shops outside SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, but some items are sold only at “1-UP Factory,” “Mario Motors,” and “Funky’s Fly ‘n’ Buy.” If you want more specialized merchandise, be sure to check the shops inside SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
Standard souvenirs such as sweets, Mario headbands, and character headwear can also be purchased at the merchandise shops near the USJ entrance.
See the following article for merchandise types and prices.
Find Hidden Pikmin in the Mario Area
This is Nintendo World, not just Mario World, so there are game characters other than Mario.
Those characters are Pikmin.
Pikmin are hidden in many places, from easy-to-find spots to very difficult ones, so be sure to look for them.
What Kind of Company Is Nintendo?
Nintendo is famous as a game-system maker behind products such as the Famicom, Nintendo Switch, and 3DS, but its history goes back a long way: it was founded in 1889.
The company originally sold toys such as hanafuda and playing cards, so if you ask your grandparents or great-grandparents about “Nintendo,” they may tell you it is a hanafuda company.
Nintendo became famous worldwide with the Famicom game “Super Mario Bros.,” released in 1985.
■More Detailed SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Guides
Here are links to articles that collect our strategy guides.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Article List
Popular attractions such as Mario Kart and Key Challenges, greetings with Mario and Princess Peach, and restaurants inspired by Toad let you spend the whole day experiencing the game world in real life at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Opening Dates
The grand opening was originally scheduled for Thursday, February 4, 2021, but was postponed, and the area opened on March 18, 2021.
United States: Universal Studios Hollywood: opened February 17, 2023
United States: Universal Studios Orlando: opened May 22, 2025
(Universal’s Epic Universe. The new theme park and Donkey Kong Country within the area opened at the same time.
Singapore (Resorts World Sentosa): by 2025
How large is it?
Universal Studios Japan covers 54 hectares (0.54 km2), while
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is estimated to cover about 2 hectares (0.022 km2).
With the Mario area and Donkey Kong area combined, Super Mario Land alone is estimated at about 1 hectare (0.012 km2).
Donkey Kong Country is estimated at 0.01 km2.
That is roughly equivalent to an area 100 m × 100 m.
※We calculated the area from a map, so it may differ from any officially announced figure.
If quoting this calculation, please state and link that “this is an estimate by theme-park media Happyell and is not an official USJ announcement.”
※USJ officially announced that the area ratio of Super Mario Land to Donkey Kong Country is 1:0.7.
Also, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter covers about 3.1 hectares (0.031 km2), so SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is smaller by footprint. However, because SUPER NINTENDO WORLD has a roughly three-story, multi-level layout with a mountain and Peach’s Castle, its total usable area may be larger than The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
For reference, much of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is occupied by Hogwarts Castle and the Forbidden Forest, so the area you can normally walk through is not especially large.
The lagoon (lake) in the center of USJ is about 2.2 hectares, so SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is roughly similar in area.
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