Three years after its official announcement in 2021, Nintendo has officially unveiled its newest endeavor, the Nintendo Museum! Located in Kyoto alongside the global Nintendo headquarters, this multi-storied showcase explores Nintendo’s rich history, as well as several interactive areas and a deep dive into the history of the company’s games, hardware, and more.
Many details were revealed and teased in a special Nintendo Direct posted onto their YouTube channel, with the entire building adorned in Nintendo memorabilia and even a Mario-style plaza just outside the main entrance. Among some of the rooms and exhibits showcased are massive displays with different Nintendo consoles and games, namely highlighting differences in appearance between those that came from the US, Japan, and Europe. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto himself also stated that the museum will house a copy of every Nintendo game ever published.
On the interactive side of things, the museum showcased several different rooms and exhibits that anybody can enjoy using, such as an interactive light game played on the floor, a real-time shooting simulator drawing inspiration from Nintendo’s classic Zapper, and digital batting cages in rooms that look like what the average home in Japan might’ve looked like in the ‘70s.
One of the more exciting announcements regarding the Nintendo Museum was also the reveal of a massive room in the museum, where visitors can play real-life Nintendo games using massive consoles and controllers that are fully functional! Because of the enormous size of many of these controllers, it takes multiple people to successfully beat a game or level, with a variety of different consoles available ranging from the original Famicom to the Nintendo Wii.
The museum will also feature an exclusive Nintendo restaurant available exclusively to visitors. A lottery system has been set up for anybody looking to purchase a ticket for its first opening months, October and November, with winning announcements coming at a later date. More details and ticket pre-sale lotteries are available on the official site here, with opening day being scheduled for October 2nd, 2024.
