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Mario Bros Park Japan is really Super Nintendo World, a compact, high-voltage land inside Universal Studios Japan (Osaka), wedged between Harry Potter and WaterWorld. You’ll race Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge (AR shells, bragging rights), float over the Mushroom Kingdom on Yoshi’s Adventure, and refuel at Kinopio’s Café (block tiramisu = non-negotiable).
Learn how to get in (timed entry vs. Express Pass), where it sits in the park, top rides (Mario Kart, Yoshi), food, merch, and easy transport tips.
| ➡️Read our guide: cool things to do in Osaka with kids: enough variety to build several very different family days without repeating yourself. |
Table of Contents
Where is Mario Bros Park Japan located
This park is actually a themed area within Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. It has helped USJ continue to attract visitors, joining other themed areas such as the one dedicated to Harry Potter.
Buy tickets for Universal Studios Japan
If you want to skip the lines and buy your USJ ticket (which includes Super Nintendo World) conveniently online, you can do so through our trusted providers. Plus, you’ll be helping us keep Tokyo Candies alive with the best information about Japan.
Remember that you CANNOT buy tickets directly from the USJ website using a foreign card, so our providers (there are two, both official and approved by the park) are the best option if you don’t want to miss out on tickets or Express Passes (required for Super Nintendo World and Harry Potter). We’ve listed both options because sometimes tickets (or Express Passes) are sold out at one site but available at the other.
Buy your ticket on GetYourGuide
The entire Super Nintendo World themed area is located at the north end of the park, between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Water World. To enter Super Nintendo World, you’ll have to go through a pipe that will take you to Princess Peach’s castle.
The castle is decorated with paintings and music from Super Mario 64, and once you pass through it, you’ll gain access to level 2 of the Mushroom Kingdom. If you’ve played Super Mario in Spain, you’ll know it as the Mushroom Kingdom, or as the Mushroom Kingdom if you’ve played it in Latin America.
Super Nintendo World brings classic Nintendo worlds, adventures, and characters to life. It is primarily based on Super Mario games, Mario Kart, and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island.
This way, visitors feel like they’re playing inside their favorite Nintendo games. In the future, there will also be an area dedicated to Donkey Kong, one of Nintendo’s classic games from 1981, in which Mario made his first appearance.
Construction of Super Nintendo World began in June 2017, and it was initially scheduled to open in the summer of 2020, in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics . However, its opening was delayed until February 4, 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
How to secure access to Super Nintendo World
To access Super Nintendo World (as well as the Harry Potter area), you need an Area Timed Entry Ticket , which allows you to enter at a specific time, or a Universal Express Pass that includes an Area Timed Entry Ticket. You can get one on the USJ app when you arrive at the park, but they sell out fast!
Therefore, for us, acquiring a Universal Express Pass is the best option for foreign travelers and ensures you can enter both Super Nintendo World and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter even on days with high visitor traffic (when access to both areas is limited by the “Area Timed Entry Ticket”).
There are several Express Passes available, which allow you to skip the line at 4 or 7 attractions. All of them include access to Super Nintendo World and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , so with any of them (even the cheapest) you’re guaranteed entry to both areas. So, decide which attractions you absolutely want to go on and skip the line, and then choose the Express Pass that’s right for you.
Buy your Express Pass
If you want to guarantee entry to restricted areas like Harry Potter or Super Nintendo World, the best option is to purchase an Express Pass, as almost all of them include the timed-entry ticket required for these areas. Buy it through our trusted official provider (and you’ll also be helping us keep the website running).
Express Pass prices vary depending on visitor numbers and availability.
Another option is to get an Area-Timed Entry Ticket on the park’s app , although they tend to sell out quickly!
What is Super Nintendo World like?
Super Nintendo World, despite being located within USJ, has its own official website. There you can enjoy a kind of “virtual tour” of its different areas. It makes you feel almost as if you’re inside one of the Super Mario games.
Below, I’ll briefly tell you what you’ll find at Super Nintendo World. For now, we know there are two attractions, each lasting about five minutes. One will be ideal for younger children and the other for older ones.
In addition, there’s a restaurant, a snack stand, a popcorn stand, and two shops with all sorts of Nintendo merchandise. So be careful with your credit cards; they might take a hit.
Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge
“Koopa” is the name Bowser is given in Japan, Mario’s archenemy in the Nintendo video game series. So the translation of this attraction would be “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.”
This attraction, inspired by the Mario Kart franchise, is an interactive roller coaster that uses augmented reality technology. During the ride, which recreates races from the famous game, you must throw turtle shells at your opponents. And, after visiting several Mario Kart worlds, you have to cross the finish line alongside Mario and Peach.
The goal of this attraction is to remind you of the excitement you feel when playing Mario Kart races, so… get ready!
Yoshi’s Adventure
“Yoshi’s Adventure” is an omnimover attraction—a train ride that never stops and travels at a low speed, ideal for young children. Inspired by the character of Yoshi, you’ll actually climb aboard Yoshi to search for Captain Toad. The attraction is a relaxed treasure hunt, perfect for the whole family.
The attraction is known for its incredible views of the Mushroom Kingdom. So even if you’re not a kid anymore, don’t miss it if you want to enjoy those views.
Power-Up Band Bracelets
With the “Power-Up Band” wristbands, you can fully enjoy the Super Nintendo World themed area. These wristbands let you participate in an interactive treasure hunt. They are actually a series of activities where you must defeat Bowser and obtain the Golden Mushroom.
In addition, you can also collect virtual coins, keys, and items by hitting question blocks and note blocks, using POW blocks, and so on. The idea is to make you feel like you’re inside one of the Mario games. It’s a fun way to make your visit to the park more “intense” and “real,” and we can’t wait to try it.
Photos with Mario, Luigi and Peach
Want to meet Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach? Well, at Super Nintendo World, you can! Here you’ll have the chance to take photos with Mario and Luigi, as well as with Princess Peach and her castle. And if you’re lucky, you might even meet one of the famous Toads, the mushrooms that live in the Mushroom Kingdom.
And if you wear a “Power-Up Band” bracelet, the experience is even better.
Where and what to eat in Mario Bros Park Japan
Kinopio’s Cafe
The citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom are called Toads (“Kinopio” in Japanese), so with that in mind, it’s easier to understand the name of this cafe, right?
This restaurant is the home of one of the kingdom’s citizens, and here you can enjoy all sorts of dishes prepared by Chef Toad. Plus, you can also take in some beautiful views of the Mushroom Kingdom.
For example, you can order Mario’s bacon-and-cheese burger, made by Mario himself. It’s a complete bacon cheeseburger with pecorino cheese and mushrooms on a mushroom-shaped bun. And it even comes with a Mario hat-shaped toothpick that you can keep as a souvenir of your visit.
Another option is the super mushroom pizza bowl with tomato sauce and mushrooms, a secret recipe from Chef Toad. It’s a kind of calzone with tomato, bacon, and mushrooms inside. Also noteworthy is the “piranha plant” caprese salad, a caprese salad with tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
For dessert, the “block tiramisu” stands out—a truffle tiramisu shaped like a “block” with a small item inside. As you’ll see, all the dishes are Italian-inspired, as befits the star of the show.
Pit Stop Popcorn
Flavored popcorn at a theme park? If you’ve never been to a Japanese theme park, this might surprise you. But in Japan, it’s common to buy special popcorn makers at theme parks and eat popcorn while you’re there. And these aren’t just any old popcorn makers; they’re genuine collector’s items, and you can find all sorts of them, depending on the park you’re visiting.
In Super Nintendo World, there’s a popcorn stand where you can buy two exclusive popcorn buckets. The “Mario Kart Popcorn Bucket” is a Mario Kart-themed bucket whose wheels light up. Then, the “Super Star Popcorn Bucket” is a beautiful star (which also lights up) that makes you invincible.
Yoshi’s Snack Island
If you get hungry while visiting Super Nintendo World but don’t want to sit down to eat and waste time, don’t worry. You can stop by this stand and buy a couple of snacks to eat while you continue exploring the area.
On one hand, you can try the savory snack, which is a green calzone that resembles a Koopa shell (called “nokonoko” in Japanese) filled with yakisoba noodles and cheese. The sweet snack, on the other hand, is “Yoshi’s Lassi,” a yogurt drink made with Yoshi’s two favorite fruits (cantaloupe and mango) and served with whipped cream.
Shops and merchandising
In the Super Nintendo World area, there are two shops with exclusive Super Mario merchandise for Universal Studios Japan.
One is 1Up Factory, located near Princess Peach’s castle. The other is Mario Motors, located next to the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge attraction.
Also on Hollywood Boulevard, you’ll find the Mario Cafe & Store, a shop and restaurant with all kinds of Super Mario food and items —don’t miss it!
A video tour of Super Nintendo World
In December 2020, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of our favourite plumber, gave us a live preview of what the park would look like in a video uploaded to the official YouTube channel.
In this video, Miyamoto takes you to Super Nintendo World, passing through the green curved pipe to Princess Peach’s castle, where the music from Super Mario 64 plays. And from there, you can enjoy an incredible view of the entire area.
The level of detail is so impressive that it genuinely feels like you’re inside a Mario game. You can see Yoshi or a tower of Goombas moving freely across the mountain, just as they would in the game. Or watch Miyamoto performing “activities” with his Power-Up Band, hitting question blocks or POW blocks here and there.
We’ll leave you with the video, but be warned… When you see it, you’ll be dying to hop on a plane to Osaka —you’ve been warned!
How to get to Super Nintendo World
Super Nintendo World is located at Universal Studios Japan and is easily accessible by public transport.
So, from Osaka , you’ll generally need to take either the JR Osaka Loop Line (valid with the JR Pass) or the Hanshin-Namba Line to Nishikujo Station. There, transfer to the JR Yumesaki Line to Universal City Station, which is right outside the park. This line is also valid with the JR Pass.
For example, from Namba you can take the Hanshin-Namba Line (towards Amagasaki) to Nishikujo Station (8 minutes, not covered by the JR Pass). From there, take the JR Yumesaki Line (towards Sakurajima) to Universal City Station (5 minutes, covered by the JR Pass).
Purchase the Osaka Amazing Pass
One of the best ways to get around Osaka and enjoy the city’s tourist attractions is to purchase the Osaka Amazing Pass. This 1- or 2-day pass offers unlimited public transportation and discounts at select tourist sites.
Purchase the Osaka Amazing Pass
Alternatively, if you want to travel the entire route using a JR Pass, from JR Namba Station you’ll need to take a local train on the JR Yamatoji Line (towards Oji) to Imamiya Station (3 minutes, covered by the JR Pass). Then, you’ll need to transfer to a Rapid train on the same JR Yamatoji Line (towards Kyobashi) to Nishikujo Station (5 minutes, covered by the JR Pass). From there, you’ll take a train on the JR Yumesaki Line towards Sakurajima to Universal City Station (5 minutes, covered by the JR Pass).
From Kyoto, the plan is to get to Osaka Station (you can take the Shinkansen if you have a JR Pass, or the Himeji Line rapid train) and then take the Osaka Loop Line towards Sakurajima to Nishikujo Station (6 minutes, covered by the JR Pass). Finally, take the Yumesaki Line to Universal City (5 minutes, covered by the JR Pass).
FAQs: “Mario Bros Park” Japan (Super Nintendo World, USJ Osaka)
Where exactly is “Mario Bros Park” in Japan?
It’s not a separate park. Super Nintendo World is a themed land inside Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka, on the north side between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and WaterWorld. You enter through a giant Warp Pipe into Peach’s Castle.
Do we need a special ticket to get in?
You need a USJ day ticket to enter the park and a Timed Entry to enter Super Nintendo World. Timed Entry is either included with an Express Pass or claimed (free, limited) in the USJ app on the day.
Is an Express Pass worth it?
If your dates are fixed or it’s a busy day, yes. Express Passes include Timed Entry for Super Nintendo World (and Harry Potter) and skip-the-line access for selected rides.
Can we still enter without an Express Pass?
Yes—try to secure a free Timed Entry in the USJ app as soon as you’re inside the park. They can sell out quickly.
How long should we budget inside the land?
2–4 hours covers both rides, a Power-Up Band quest or two, snacks, and shopping. Add time if you want photos at golden hour.
What are the main rides?
- Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge (AR dark ride with shell-throwing gameplay)
- Yoshi’s Adventure (gentle omnimover with great Mushroom Kingdom views)
Are there height or age restrictions?
Yes—USJ posts requirements at each attraction. If you’re traveling with small kids, Yoshi’s Adventure is the easier win.
What’s the Power-Up Band and do we need it?
A wristband that unlocks interactive mini-quests, coin/key collecting, and app tracking. Optional but fun—especially for kids and game fans.
Where do we eat inside the land?
Kinopio’s (Toadstool) Café for sit-down themed meals, Pit Stop Popcorn for collectible buckets, and Yoshi’s Snack Island for grab-and-go (Koopa-shell calzone, Yoshi’s Lassi).
Any pro tips for timing and photos?
Hit Mario Kart first, save Yoshi’s Adventure for late afternoon light, and stick around for evening ambience if your time slot allows.
How do we get there by train?
Ride to Universal City Station (JR). Typical route: JR Osaka Loop Line → Nishikujo → JR Yumesaki Line → Universal City. From Kyoto: JR to Osaka Station, then Loop Line → Nishikujo → Yumesaki Line.
Can international cards buy tickets on the USJ site?
Many travelers report issues with some foreign cards; official resellers (e.g., Klook, GetYourGuide) are a reliable alternative and often the best way to secure Express Passes.
What if it rains?
Go anyway—lines can shrink and the land looks great in drizzle. Bring a compact umbrella; some outdoor areas can be slick.
Is there a Donkey Kong area?
A Donkey Kong–themed expansion has been announced/planned; check current park info for status during your trip dates.
Where can we stash bags or strollers?
Use coin lockers near the park entrance and follow on-site guidance for stroller/ride policies. Keep hands free for coin blocks!
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