After Super Mario Land has been perfected in various Universal parks around the globe I feel as though they have mastered the recipe when it finally came to Florida as the Epic Universe version of Super Mario Land may just be the best one yet!
With escalators that ascend you into the land, there is an incredible reveal moment that awaits you that no matter how many times you may visit the land, it will blow you away every single time. You don’t even need to be a big gamer to truly appreciate the vibrancy and immersion of the area.
What makes Super Mario Land even more great is the Donkey Kong Country extension which features even more goodies to sink your teeth into, it’s two lands in one and we absolutely adore it!
Super Mario Land
Full of innovative attractions and interactive experiences Super Mario Land is a lot to take in, the land feels as though it is alive around you and I can’t quite wrap my head around how much automation is happening here.
Coins are randomly spinning, and characters are just going about doing their own thing as you casually walk by and there are two attractions to sink your teeth into within the land, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
Getting mixed reviews from fans with regards to this attraction at other Universal parks it seems that the detail has never been the issue with Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge as it’s a jaw-dropping ride but Augmented Reality just really isn’t it in 2025.
The glasses you put on during your ride put a layer over the ride experience and I’d rather just keep the headset off and enjoy the experience as you navigate iconic race tracks from the game as you battle Team Bowser.
AR is such a hit-and-miss technology and for me, it just doesn’t work on Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and instead of immersing me in the experience it merely serves as a distraction and I’m quite happy to just take it off and enjoy the ride for what it is without the distraction.
Give me real animatronics and effects over VR / AR experiences any day of the week. I’d like to live in the real world and I should be immersed in it without the need for these gimmick add-ons.
Yoshi’s Adventure
Yoshi’s is such a relaxing ride, it’s so colourful and fun but is certainly the least intense not just in Super Mario Land but probably the entire park. It fits in and looks the part but if it’s thrills you’re after you’re going to be bitterly disappointed waiting any longer than 30 minutes for this particular ride.
The kids are absolutely going to love it though as you assist Yoshi in collecting glowing eggs!
Super Mario Land Experiences
Guests can arm themselves with Power-Up bands that allow interactive gameplay throughout the land, tap into blocks, take part in challenges and collect digital coins to unlock special experiences, this is a fun little addition which certainly keeps you within the land longer to fully soak it all up.
Super Mario Land also has a variety of dining and shopping options from Toadstool Cafe serving burgers and spaghetti, Yoshi’s Snack Island and Turbo Boost Treats also serve up a whole array of snacks and beverages and there is merchandise aplenty from T-Shirts to hats (yes even character headwear) and more!
Donkey Kong Country
If one land wasn’t enough simply get yourselves down to the lower level of Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country welcomes you in with open Donkey Kong arms as you step into a tropical land with towering trees, waterfalls and the iconic Golden Temple home to the lands only ride, Mine-Cart Madness.
Don’t worry, your power-up bands still work in Donkey Kong Country but everything is much more cramped in this area but this space seems to really enclose you and surround you and for me, I prefer this area Vs Super Mario Land, it just feels snugger but I’m not sure I’d feel the same if there were busy crowds around.
The Bubbly Barrel provide tropical-inspired refreshments and there are also merchandise stands here selling different merchandise, the themed drinks are also well worth checking out, it’s complete immersion and I’m here for it but sadly there’s one downside to the area, the actual ride.
Mine-Cart Madness
This flagship attraction is a groundbreaking roller coaster that simulates the thrilling mine-cart sequences from the Donkey Kong Country games. Utilizing innovative ride technology, the coaster features dynamic movements, including simulated jumps over broken tracks and barrel blasts.
All of that sounds good but in reality, it’s a rather rough ride which in a way compliments the name of it but the system just doesn’t seem to hit with me, the ride is fun in parts but for the most part, it’s quite lethargic with only small hits of nostalgia giving me a smile here and there.
If you haven’t played the games I can’t see this particular ride being too much fun and the capacity of the ride is an absolute nightmare, this ride is going to have some insane queues on opening day and waiting 3 hours+ (easily) for this ride just isn’t worth it, it really, really isn’t.
Overall
Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe delivers an immersive and interactive experience that appeals to fans of all ages but certainly, the younger ones will appreciate this more than most.
The combination of cutting-edge attractions, detailed theming, and interactive gameplay creates a dynamic environment that brings Nintendo’s beloved franchises to life.
I love that this land has been added to Epic Universe but at the same time, I’m not sure what they’ve done here belongs as part of the Epic Universe group of lands. It’s very much the same as what’s at other parks around the world, they haven’t really stepped out of the box with this one in any way shape or form with the attractions offered and it almost feels like a cop-out.
Out of all of the lands at Epic Universe, I certainly feel like this is the one that doesn’t fit in, it’s nothing new and whilst a Super Mario Land totally makes sense at Universal I just don’t think it should have been added to Epic Universe where every other area is new, fresh and innovative (take Dark Universe for example) whereas this one feels very copy and paste indeed.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a refined version of what is out there already and the Donkey Kong Country extension is certainly welcomed but I just feel it was an easy option as opposed to the rest of the entire park which is pushing the boundaries of themed entertainment with innovation around every corner as opposed to something we’ve already seen before.
We hope you enjoy the Super Mario Land Epic Universe walkthrough video we’ve popped into this article!
