Visitors at Super Nintendo World spotted a jungle-themed backdrop and new rollercoaster track in an off-limits area, possibly indicating Donkey Kong.
Visitors at Universal Studios Japan’s Super Nintendo World spotted construction progress for what could potentially become a Donkey-Kong-themed portion of the park. Super Nintendo World has gone through various ups and downs since its opening this past March, having dealt with delays and temporary closings due to COVID-19.
Rumors that a Super Nintendo World would include a Donkey Kong area have been swirling for a while, with some being traced back a few months before the theme park’s grand opening. In December – after a datamine of the Universal Studios Super Mario World mobile app revealed stickers of Donkey Kong Country characters and paraphernalia – expectations that Super Nintendo World would have a Donkey Kong expansion were already underway. Visitors have yet to see a Donkey Kong portion of the park even after Super Nintendo World’s official opening, and Universal Studios Japan hasn’t publicly mentioned any such plans. But recent developments suggest construction of such an area could be happening.
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Super Nintendo World visitors recently spotted a suggestive jungle-themed backdrop in an off-limits part of the park that was undergoing construction. Twitter user Hibirobo_Disney (via Video Games Chronicle) posted a series of photos revealing the area’s scaffolding, construction cranes, and colorful backdrop. The backdrop can be most closely associated with Donkey Kong’s aesthetic, seeing as its scenery shows four layers of tropical-looking trees in different shades of green.
This recent post comes as a reply to a tweet made earlier this month by another visitor, PUSJJJJ, who uploaded photos showing an assembled structure they theorized could be home to a new Donkey Kong rollercoaster ride. Witnesses to the ongoing construction suspect the new track could be home to a Donkey Kong mine cart ride, a recognizable part of the gameplay in a handful of the franchise’s titles like Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong 64. That being said, fans looking forward to a potential Donkey-Kong-themed rollercoaster and area in Super Nintendo World shouldn’t speak too soon – Universal Studios Japan has yet to officially confirm these theories.
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Donkey Kong has been a Super Mario character since the franchise’s inception. That fact alone should indicate why a Donkey Kong portion of Super Nintendo World would be both a fitting and exciting expansion. With a recent leak claiming Nintendo will release a brand new Donkey Kong 2D platformer at some point next year, an accompanying Donkey Kong area at Super Nintendo World is even more apt. Between these two options, it’s hopeful that Donkey Kong fans will see more of the beloved gorilla in the near future.
Next: Donkey Kong Was Never Mario’s Enemy, It Was Cranky Kong
Sources: PUSJJJJ/Twitter, Hibirobo_Disney/Twitter, Video Games Chronicle
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About The Author Jane Shin Agler (26 Articles Published)
Jane Shin Agler is a freelance Game News Editor at Screen Rant based in Chicago. She graduated from Oberlin College in 2020 and received her master’s of science in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 2021. Ever since she played Age of Mythology and Pokémon FireRed as a child, she became smitten with games — and she cannot believe how lucky she is now to combine such a hobby with her job. You can find her on Twitter @jshinagler.
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