Donkey Kong Country, a brand new space at Universal Studios Japan’s Super Nintendo World park that’s based mostly on certainly one of Nintendo’s oldest mascots, lastly opens on December 11. At a particular press day forward of the opening, I checked out the cool new rail-jumping rollercoaster, tried new themed meals, and scoped out the unique new merch on the park.
Visitors enter via a particular gate inside Super Nintendo World, which begins as a brick tunnel however devolves into crooked rocks as you emerge into the jungle. Tropical timber and cabanas dot the foreground, because the mysterious Golden Temple fills the horizon, with the brand new zone’s rollercoaster constructed into it and round it. The impact is nice, because the surroundings blocks out the surface world virtually utterly and throws you into the dominion of Nintendo’s well-known ape.
The new zone is thematically largely based mostly on the Donkey Kong Country collection, particularly 2010’s Donkey Kong Country Returns, which is odd contemplating that there hasn’t been a brand new DKC for a really very long time. It feels just like the Super Mario Bros Movie rendition of DK can be extra related to youthful guests, no less than till Nintendo follows up with a model new sport. (Also, why did Nintendo and Universal Studios select DK for his or her enlargement as an alternative of Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon or different ongoing hit collection? That’s a query I’d wrestle to reply.)
Mine Cart Madness is the all-new rollercoaster attraction. It’s a quick thrill trip with a few steep drops, twisting sections, and – similar to the video games – a number of cases the place the rails forward of you disappear utterly and the cart feels prefer it’s leaping via mid air. The impact may be very cool – from the second you’re blasted from a barrel close to the beginning of the trip, you actually get the sense of leaping from observe to trace or using alongside toppled stone pillars in your four-rider cart.
The attraction is just like the Indiana Jones Adventure trip at Tokyo DisneySea and Anaheim Disneyland, each when it comes to its excessive velocity and its Aztec-themed jungle structure as you race to search out the Golden Banana earlier than Tiki Tong.
Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto promised in a current Nintendo Direct that the trip can be accessible even for individuals who don’t like rollercoasters. And imagine me, I don’t like rollercoasters. But even with my complete dread of heights, I managed to maintain my eyes open via a lot of the trip, screaming with pleasure (I believe?) as we hurtled via the course.
Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong and their numerous associates come out to say hello at numerous factors, whereas music from the video games blasts from the audio system in your cart, for a fairly immersive expertise. It was pouring with rain once we visited, so the water traps on the trip didn’t have a lot impact, and because the G-force blew my raincoat hood again, all I might do was go along with it. It was nice enjoyable.
At the top, a stand sells pictures of every rider, seemingly taken throughout one of many drops. I really like the look of terror on my face, particularly in distinction with the joyfully beaming face of my buddy subsequent to me.
Since I used to be attending a press preview, there was no line, however care has been taken to adorn the queue with enjoyable stuff to have a look at. It’s nowhere close to as densely packed as the road for the Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge trip, which is bursting with element, however there’s a cool life-size animatronic of Cranky Kong and Squawk which briefs riders forward of their mine cart journey. Primate murals on the partitions embrace one pulled straight from the unique Donkey Kong arcade sport, the place the enraged ape threw barrels at a plucky younger Jump Man, AKA Mario.
Elsewhere in Donkey Kong Country, there are smaller sights similar to a set of congas: Hit them in time with the music and lights, and rating excessive sufficient to make Rambi the rhino come out of his crate. You also can do a meet and greet with DK himself and take a photograph collectively in entrance of his treehouse. Sadly all of this was closed throughout our go to due to the climate.
At the lovable aeroplane-shaped Funky’s Fly ‘n’ Buy, you may choose up unique souvenirs themed on DK and friends – highlights embrace Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong plushies, barrel-shaped mugs, mine cart tissue field covers, keyrings, face towels and DK plush hats. It’s solely a small retailer, however some gadgets have been already on sale on the 1UP Factory retailer in Super Nintendo World, so presumably the remainder of the gadgets can be obtainable there in some unspecified time in the future too.
Meanwhile, similar to at Super Nintendo World, interactive screens and blocks are dotted across the new space, encouraging guests to purchase an non-compulsory Power Up Band to hook up with their telephone and accumulate digital goodies. There are additionally letter blocks dotted across the park, starting with a “Okay”, and, properly, you may work out the others.
At the Jungle Beat Shakes dessert stand, I obtained a Tropical Banana Flavor DK Crush Sundae, which is a banana-flavoured shake in a barrel-shaped memento mug. Balanced above the shake is a crunchy waffle cone full of tart fruit sorbet, popcorn and sprinkles, designed to seem like a barrel had simply been thrown by Donkey Kong and exploded. I loved the shake much more than the toppings – a refined banana flavoured drink that was not too candy.
I additionally tried the DK Wild Hot Dog, a fats and fairly tasty frankfurter in a mine cart formed bun with avocado sauce on high and tortilla chips inside. This… was not a spotlight. The bun was dry and spongy, the avocado sauce was creamy and bizarre, and the tortilla chips managed to be too sharp to eat whereas within the bun however soggy when eliminated to eat individually.
All in all, Donkey Kong Country is a small however enjoyable addition to Super Nintendo World – a well-polished nugget of bodily DLC, if you’ll. Thrill-seekers can discover wilder rollercoasters at Universal Studios Japan to fulfill their adrenaline wants, however Mine Cart Madness has sufficient Easter eggs to enchantment to Nintendo followers, and sufficient velocity to get your coronary heart charge up. The remainder of the park is a cheerful and properly rendered paeon to Donkey Kong. The nice ape’s enchantment might not be as broad as Mario and associates in the principle Super Nintendo World space, however as an older gamer, I couldn’t assist however be charmed by the chimp.
