Mario, Legend of Zelda Theme Park Attractions Coming To Universal After Nintendo Deal

Ever wonder what it would be like to disconnect the controller and have a real-life Mario Kart or Diddy Kong race? You may get to have that chance by trying out all-new video game-themed attractions thanks to the recent agreement between Nintendo and Universal Parks & Resorts.

This agreement could bring about rides based on legendary franchises surrounding Donkey Kong, Link and the Legends of Zelda and Mario into the Universal Studio theme parks in Hollywood, Florida, Singapore and Japan, notes USA Today. In a press release, the companies explain that the recent team-up is "creating spectacular, dedicated experiences based on Nintendo's wildly popular games, characters and worlds."

Two months ago, Nintendo first detailed proposals to expand its gaming platforms to smartphones and tablets with the assistance of DeNA Co., Japan's mobile game creator. Nintendo announced on Thursday that the company turned a yearly profit for the first time in four years--monetary inconsistencies are often blamed on the dwindling yen.

As far as further details on the collaboration "the immersive experiences ... will be announced in the future," the companies said in a short news release. "Nintendo has created remarkable and imaginative worlds filled with captivating stories and beloved characters. Now, for the first time, those stories and characters will be brought to life in entirely new ways - only at Universal theme parks," it said. Universal Studios recently incorporated a ride based on Despicable Me called Minion Mayhem.

Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's president is scheduled to give a presentation to its Investors to further discuss specifics. According to Wired, Nintendo unveiled the Amiibo interactive figurines during last year's presentation, leading some to expect further news to drop in Thursday's meeting.