When you visit at Universal Studios Japan, you’re immersed in the world of the Mario games–and even get to track down some very fun . In fact, the theme park land’s two rides are based on the Mario Kart franchise and Yoshi, Mario’s dragon sidekick. The Nintendo-based fun doesn’t end at the park, though. In fact, the wearable Power Up Band that you can purchase in the park can also be used with your Nintendo Switch at home.
Power Up Bands allow you to interact more with the land while visiting–from punching coin blocks and finding Easter eggs, to tracking your score on the Mario Kart ride and fighting Bowser Jr. in a boss battle. However, the band also acts as an Amiibo for use with your Nintendo Switch.
“Super Nintendo World Power Up Bands were designed to also be Nintendo Amiibo by default,” Senior Director of Technology and Innovation for Universal Creative Tom Geraghty said in a statement. “This allows you to use your Power Up Band beyond Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan. You can use your Power Up Band just like you would use any other Amiibo.”
What isn’t clear, exactly, is what this particular Amiibo will unlock on your Switch–or DS or Wii U if you are still using them. During a media event to celebrate Super Nintendo World’s opening, Geraghty teased, “You can put it on your Switch, and you’ll get a Princess Peach costume for the characters in your game or whatever.” We just don’t know what games, which particular costume, or if it’ll be exclusive to Super Nintendo World.
Beyond acting as an Amiibo, the Power Up Band will help keep track of the score you accrue during your visits to Super Nintendo World by syncing with an app. “The app has leaderboards,” Geraghty. And that leaderboard not only tracks your progress, but the progress of everyone else visiting. Their hope is that adding this competitive edge to Super Nintendo World will motivate users to make regular trips, lest they be bumped from the high school list.
And before you ask: No, there aren’t physical prizes for topping the leaderboards at Super Nintendo World. But having the bragging rights for having the high score at a theme park seems pretty cool.
Super Nintendo World is now open at Universal Studios Japan. Versions of the land are also in the works at Universal’s California and Florida parks.
