Before Super Nintendo World decided on a Mario theme, there was apparently some discussion within the Japanese video game giant and Universal Studios about a “second” Nintendo-themed IP to be included in the park.
Speaking to Polygon, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned that Splatoon is one of the series considered outside of the company’s core franchise, Super Mario. Nintendo instead decided to make this new venture “lighter” by narrowing the focus to its main mascot:
Shigeru Miyamoto: “Adding other IPs, like Splatoon, has been discussed. But instead of having our focus scattered, we thought it would be easier to start with something focused. That’s why we ended up starting with Mario.”
While the focus is mostly on the Super Mario series right now, Miyamoto also teased “some other IP” sprinkled around Super Nintendo World in the background. Pikmin is one of the more notable sightings so far.
Nintendo previously announced that it will expand the park with the Donkey Kong expansion, which should open in 2024. Given that DK is also in the upcoming Super Mario movie, and is one of Nintendo’s oldest characters, this makes a lot of sense. This part of the park will allow guests to walk through the “lush” jungles where Donkey Kong and his friends live. There will also be roller coasters, interactive experiences and lots of themed merchandise and food.