2024-08-20 11:22:28
The building, which will open its doors on October 2 in Japan, will trace the centenary history of the Japanese company and offer several interactive experiences.
It didn’t take long for Nintendo fans to recognize its face. In a YouTube video, Japanese creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the father of Mario, runs through the halls of the Nintendo museum set to open on October 2 in Kyoto. He reveals some of the pieces and interactive installations that will allow visitors to explore over 130 years of history of the world-renowned brand.
Just a few kilometers from Nintendo’s headquarters, the museum is built on the site of the factory where the company made “hanafuda”, traditional Japanese playing cards. “This is a place full of nostalgia for me,” says Shigeru Miyamoto. “This area, once filled with trucks, has become a place colored with Mario”.
20 euros per ticket
On the first floor, Nintendo fans can admire the different versions of the Famicom, the iconic console of the Japanese firm launched in 1983, better known abroad by the acronym “NES” (Nintendo Entertainment System). They will also find famous franchises like Zelda, Mario, and arcade machines and games such as Donkey Kong, released in 1981.
“We want to show the evolution of entertainment while highlighting the elements that have been shared and built over the years”, emphasizes the creator. Display cases also feature more unexpected items made by Nintendo before its foray into video games, such as a photocopier, a stroller, or a laser gun.
The museum also contains a more interactive section, allowing visitors to play via a smartphone with giant cards projected on the floor or to hit plastic balls thrown by an old toy from the company, set in a Japanese interior from the 1970s. The creator of Mario himself tries it out before embarking on Super Mario Bros with a giant controller requiring two people to coordinate their actions.
At the entrance, each visitor will receive 10 “coins”, virtual coins to access different games, like in an arcade. “Please note that you will not be able to purchase additional coins”, the museum’s website specifies.
Entry tickets are already on sale for the months of October and November, with the registration deadline set for August 31. The visitor, who must have a Nintendo account, selects their day and time for the visit in advance and hopes to be drawn in a lottery to finalize their purchase. Such lotteries will take place every month.
According to the official website, an adult ticket costs 3300 yen (about 20 euros at the current exchange rate), 2200 yen (13 euros) for 12-17 year olds, and 1100 yen (6 euros) for ages 6-11. It also grants access to a shop and a café located in the museum.
By the end of the year, Nintendo is also set to open a new area dedicated to its character Donkey Kong in the massive Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka, the third most visited in the world.