'Super Mario' leaps into real world in Universal Studios park launch

OSAKA - Universal Studios Japan (USJ) opens on Thursday its $550 million, pandemic-delayed Mario-themed attraction in a major leap by games maker Nintendo Co Ltd beyond the virtual world.

The addition in Osaka bulks up USJ's roster of franchises, which include "Minions" and "Jurassic Park", in its rivalry with Disney, with the moustachioed plumber also coming to other Universal parks worldwide. Entering through a giant warp pipe, visitors to "Super Nintendo World", a real-world version of games creator Shigeru Miyamoto's Mushroom Kingdom, are met with chomping piranha plants, punchable coin blocks and a flag-topped Mount Beanpole.