□ What Is the New “Minion Mayhem Mission” Attraction?
An immersive attraction where you team up with the Minions to become a “villain” has opened in the expanded area of Minion Park.
It is housed in the former Backdraft building.
Your performance in this attraction is displayed as a score.
It is packed with game elements, and one of its defining features is that your play style changes depending on how you customize the blaster weapon called the “E-Liminator X.”
At Universal Studios Florida in the United States, the attraction opened in August 2023 under the name “Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast.” At Universal Studios Japan, it opened on July 11, 2025.
I am the editor-in-chief of Happyell, and I played several times during the preview opening. On my fourth playthrough on opening day, I scored more than 1 million points.
Here are the tips I learned for earning a high score.
◇ What Makes the Scoring System Fun? Aim for the Top of the Leaderboard!
After the attraction, you can check your score.
The names and scores of the day’s top players are also displayed.
Mario Kart at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD lets you have fun competing for scores in a similar way.
Many first-time players seem to score around 100,000 to 300,000 points.
After playing several times, you may be able to average around 300,000 to 600,000 points per playthrough.
Complete missions and obtain powerful weapons, and you can score more than 1 million points.
On opening day, highly skilled players were scoring more than 3 million points.
In the United States, some top scorers appear to have accumulated more than 2 billion points over two years.
They have probably played close to 1,000 times, though…
Next, I will explain the tips for earning a high score.
Minion Mayhem Mission: Basic Attraction Information
Duration: About 7 minutes
Type: Moving-walkway shooting attraction
Note: This is the first attraction of its kind at USJ.
Note: Guests under 122 cm tall must be accompanied by a supervising companion. Guests may not ride while holding a child.
Note: Wheelchairs and strollers may remain in use, but powered wheelchairs cannot be used.
Minion Mayhem Mission Location
From the USJ entrance, head toward the lagoon and continue to Minion Park at the back of the park.
The attraction opened on the former site of Backdraft.
View the location of Minion Mayhem Mission on the map
□ How to Play Minion Mayhem Mission
In this attraction, you hold a blaster gun and fire continuously.
The blaster has two buttons. One fires many shots. The other fires more powerful shots, but at a slightly slower rate of about one shot per second.
□ Tips for Getting a High Score
◇ Master the Basic Blaster Controls
The location you are aiming at with the blaster is shown by a symbol such as a square, triangle, circle, or diamond.
Because many players compete on the same stage at the same time, identical symbols are distinguished by different colors.
Your symbol appears on the blaster just before you step onto the moving walkway, so be sure to check it.
On the screen in the photo above, the targets shown from left to right are:
a blue circle, a green diamond, a light-blue square, and a purple downward-pointing triangle.
In the photo above, the blue diamond was selected as the target symbol.
The symbol changes randomly each time you experience the attraction.
Your selected blast is shown below it.
◇ The Keys to a High Score Are Consecutive Hits and Bonus Targets
Land a Certain Number of Consecutive Hits to Increase Your Score Multiplier
Do not miss the “gold coins” and “items” that appear at specific moments.
Special items: 2,000 points each
Vicious 6: 2,500 points each
Each stage has targets that can earn high scores, so see the stage guide later in this article.
□ Boost Your Score with the Dedicated App! Upgrade Your Blaster
◇ How to Download the App and Complete Initial Setup
About the dedicated “Minion Mayhem Mission” feature in the official USJ app:
The app automatically saves your data while you participate in missions.
The first time you use the feature, set a name for your blaster.
Tap the Minion on the screen or press the settings button at the lower right.
You can choose your favorite Minion and color.
◇ Customize Your Blaster to Improve Its Performance!
You can change settings such as the shot type and ammunition capacity in the app.
On the first screen, select “Lab” at the bottom.
Tap the part you want to change, then press the edit button displayed below.
You can then change your equipment.
There is also a powerful, uniquely Minion-style weapon called the Fart Bomb.
Many equipment options cannot be selected at first, but collecting stamps by reaching certain scores or completing missions unlocks new parts.
What Is an Elemental Blast?
The Elemental Blast, activated with the front button, lets you use one of four attacks: force, fire, ice, or lightning.
You do not need to tap repeatedly. Hold the button down to keep firing. There is no need to worry about running out of ammunition, because it can be fired without limit.
However, pressing the Launcher Blast button gives priority to that attack.
・Force Blast, an explosion of energy
・Fireball, a ball of fire
・Freeze Ray, which freezes targets
・Lightning Bolt, an electrical explosion
As your villain rank increases, the enhancement features become more powerful.
Enhancement Feature: Mega Blast
Recommended for players who want to land one powerful hit.
・Force Supercharge, which makes Force attacks larger and more powerful
・Fireball Supercharge, which makes Fire attacks larger and more powerful
・Freeze Ray Supercharge, which makes Freeze attacks larger and more powerful
・Lightning Supercharge, which makes Lightning attacks larger and more powerful
Enhancement Feature: Spread Blast
Even if your aim is slightly off, multiple shots are fired at once, making it easier to hit targets.
Force Spread Blast, which fires multiple Force shots across a wide area!
Fireball Spread Blast, which fires multiple fireballs across a wide area!
Freeze Ray Spread Blast, which fires multiple Freeze Blasts across a wide area!
Lightning Spread Blast, which fires Lightning Blasts that spread across a wide area!
Enhancement Feature: Multiburst
Multiple shots are fired in succession at the same location, so this is recommended for players who can aim accurately at a target.
・Force Multiburst, multiple consecutive explosions
・Fireball Multiburst, multiple consecutive bursts of fire
・Freeze Ray Multiburst, which fires multiple consecutive blasts
・Lightning Multiburst, multiple consecutive explosions
Create your own blaster and use it in the attraction. You can enjoy customizing your blaster differently for each playthrough.
Wanting a new weapon gives you another reason to play again and level up.
What Is a Launcher Blast?
The Launcher Blast, activated with the rear button, delivers a powerful attack.
However, after firing one shot, you cannot fire the next for about one second.
・Banana Bomb
・Fart Bomb
・Seasonal Launcher
The following Launcher Blasts can be earned by completing missions.
・Iron Fist
・Bomb Chuck
・Sonic Blast
・Spike Vengeance
・Laser Party Ball
Ultimate Mode
An extremely powerful blast that becomes effective in the final battle. Complete missions to obtain even more powerful blasts.
・Banana Rocket
The following Ultimate Modes can be earned by completing missions.
・Unholy Guacamole
・Lethal Lava
・Piranha Sickle
・Boom! Box
・Swarm Shot
□ Recommended Equipment and Play Styles
◇ Recommended Blaster Setup for Beginners
Enhancement feature: Spread Blast
Launcher Blast: Fart Bomb
The giant monitors in this attraction are fixed, but the platform where players stand moves. You must gradually adjust the angle and direction of your blaster as you move, or you will not keep hitting the target.
The combination of the wide-area “Spread Blast” and “Fart Bomb” makes it easier to hit targets consistently and earn points.
◇ For Advanced Players: Aim for a High Multiplier with Precise Shots!
Enhancement feature: Mega Blast
Launcher Blast: Banana Bomb
It is harder to hit targets, but players with accurate aim should be able to earn high scores more easily.
□ The Experience Flow
Scan the QR code in the attraction queue, or install the official USJ app in advance.
If you scan the QR code, choose your name and character while waiting in line.
After passing through the villain event exhibit area, pick up a blaster.
Press the “Pair Blaster” button in the smartphone app,
then bring the top of your phone close to the wireless-signal mark on the blaster.
Once pairing is complete, you may pass guests who are still pairing and continue forward.
□ Take on Missions
Touch a mission-unlock point with the app to take on a challenge.
Missions include objectives such as “Deal elemental damage to 20 Minions” and “Earn a V6 medallion worth at least 25,000 points.” Completing them unlocks powerful blasters and launchers.
Completing a mission also allows you to take on a new mission.
To start a mission, find the location shown in the photo below inside the park, select “Unlock a Mission with Your Smartphone,” and then touch the point.
These points are scattered across 10 locations in Minion Park. It is recommended that you unlock at least one mission before experiencing the attraction.
◇ Get Even Stronger by Playing Again! Raise Your “Villain Level”
You can earn trophies based on the number of times you play and what you accomplish.
There are many objectives, such as “Freeze 25 targets with the Freeze Ray” and “Finish without blasting a single Minion,” so you can enjoy the attraction with a different goal each time.
□ Stage, or Scene, Guide
There are eight stages, or scenes, in total: seven gameplay stages and one ending stage.
Top row from left: Jean Clawed, Belle Bottom, Stronghold
Bottom row from left: Svengeance, Nun-Chuck
Stage 1: Laboratory
A laboratory belonging to the Minions.
There are many fire-element Blast Boxes.
Destroy the walls to reveal a variety of rooms.
Items are hidden at the back of the rooms.
Stage 2: Museum
Battle villains in a museum displaying artworks and valuable objects.
Villain: Stronghold
He has a giant iron hand and appears in the movie “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
Stage 3: Flying Organ
Fight Nun-Chuck as she rides a floating organ.
Villain: Nun-Chuck, female
She looks like a bespectacled nun and attacks with nunchucks. She appears in the movie “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
Aim at and attack the pipes of the pipe organ!
Destroy them to collect a large number of gold medallions.
Stage 4: Underwater Hideout
This is a very wide and tall stage, with targets located all around.
There are two golden boxes.
Villain: Jean Clawed
His right hand is a lobster claw. He appears in the movie “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
Stage 5: Roller Derby
Speed-skating Minions and swarms of robots appear.
With few power-up items, this stage is relatively difficult.
Villain: Svengeance
He wears roller skates and attacks with cone spikes. He appears in the movie “Minions.”
Stage 6: Disco
Bubbles fill the disco stage.
When you shoot a bubble, it splits and becomes smaller. Targeting these bubbles makes it easier to earn a high score.
Villain: Belle Bottom, female
The new leader of the Vicious 6
Stage 7: San Francisco Area
Various villains take turns challenging you to battle.
San Francisco landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge appear, along with Ghirardelli Square, the building that houses this attraction.
Each time you defeat a boss, a large number of gold coins appear, giving you a chance to earn a huge score. Keep firing until the very end!
□ Summary: Use the App and Your Skills to Become a “True Supervillain”!
This is more than a ride! It combines progression, scoring, and competition in one attraction.
Discover the appeal of a score-attack attraction available only at USJ.
Tune up your blaster now!
Restaurant and takeout food information is available here:
How to get a high score in Mario Kart:
