After a six month delay, Common Studios Japan’s Donkey Kong Nation themed Tremendous Nintendo World enlargement lastly has a gap date. It will be barrel-blasting open its doorways from eleventh December, and for those who’re curious to see what’s in retailer, now you can watch Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto take a tour of the world, with a quick pause to bonk on some bongo drums.
A Donkey Kong themed enlargement to Common’s Tremendous Nintendo World theme park space was formally introduced in September 2021, simply months after the opening of its primary Mushroom Kingdom-themed space (though it had been noticed on mock-ups lengthy earlier than). On the time, Common teased it might characteristic “interactive experiences and themed merchandise and meals”, alongside a brand new coaster – and we have now had our greatest look but on the completed factor.
Miyamoto toured the Donkey Kong Nation enlargement in particular ten-minute-long Nintendo Direct, starting by whisking gamers via the now unsealed warp pipe towards the rear of the Mushroom Kingdom. As park guests navigate its size, its crimson brick partitions transition to rocks earlier than the pipe opens out right into a jungle-themed expanse of swaying palms, fake wood walkways, and even Donkey Kong’s iconic treehouse. And looming over the entire space is its imposing centrepiece, the Golden Temple, housing a brand new coaster experience.
Earlier than attending to that, although, Miyamoto spent a while exhibiting off the world’s (admittedly not particularly enthralling) different options, together with the Jungle Beat Shakes store the place guests can purchase hotdogs and different assorted meals; Funky’s Flay ‘n’ Purchase, the place a variety of Donkey Kong themed merchandise might be perused and bought, plus Donkey Kong’s Treehouse, the place patrons can seize their Donkey Kong pictures ops.
Moreover, there is a three-player bongo-themed rhythm sport the place gamers should comply with alongside to blinking lights with a view to rouse Rambi the rhinoceros from his slumber inside a crate. “If there is not a spot to play bongo drums,” Eurogamer’s Tom Phillips wrote again in 2021, “I will be disenchanted.” Tom’s bongo-based desires have lastly come true.
Elsewhere, Common’s Donkey Kong Nation space utilises the identical Energy Band system seen within the Mushroom Kingdom a part of the park, and band wearers can discover their environment in the hunt for Donkey Kong’s acquainted orange letter blocks, gathering all of them within the Common app. All of which lastly took Miyamoto to the sprawling Golden Temple, the place – as detailed by a few Cranky Kong and Sqawks animatronics – guests can experience its Mine Cart Insanity coaster in a bid to assist shield the Golden Banana from Tiki Kong.
Sadly, at the moment’s Nintendo Direct did not present a lot of the coaster in any respect, past temporary peek at its barrel-themed raise hill, however we do know – thanks to numerous theme park fan websites through the years – it encompasses a distinctive experience system designed to present riders the phantasm their carts are leaping over sections of damaged observe, whereas the actual observe is hid beneath.
You possibly can take a digital tour of Common Studios Japan’s new Donkey Kong Nation enlargement in video above, and people in a position to attend in individual can accomplish that from eleventh December this 12 months. Alternatively, the world shall be included as a part of Common’s new Epic Universe theme park in Florida, which opens on twenty second Could 2025.
