By Sam Nussey and Irene Wang
UJI, Japan (Reuters) – Japanese firm Nintendo will next week open a museum showcasing its history, where fans of “Super Mario”, “The Legend of Zelda” and the Game Boy and Switch can gain insight into one of the world’s most renowned game makers.
Located in Uji near the company’s Kyoto headquarters, the museum underscores the many evolutions of Nintendo, which was founded in 1889 as a maker of “hanafuda” playing cards and is now a global gaming giant.
Shigeru Miyamoto, executive fellow at Nintendo and creator of “Super Mario”, said the museum was intended to deepen understanding of the company.
“If making products while protecting concepts such as family, fun and ease of understanding is rooted in our employees then the new Nintendo will continue to grow,” he told reporters.
The museum, which opens to the public Oct. 2, is located on the site of a plant that used to make playing cards and was a centre for product repairs. Tickets on its website are sold out for the following two months.
In addition to displaying iconic devices such as the Wii console and the handheld Game Boy, visitors will be able to see lesser known products such as the “Mamaberica” baby stroller and the “Copilas” printer.
The museum also offers a range of interactive experiences, with visitors able to partner to play the video game “Super Mario Bros.” featuring moustachioed plumber Mario on a single, oversized Family Computer controller.
While a push into mobile gaming has tapered off, other efforts by Nintendo to expand beyond its core gaming business have gained traction with the company opening stores and employing its roster of characters in theme parks and film.
The Switch console has been a runaway success with an install base exceeding 140 million units, but with sales slowing, investor attention in now focused on the prospects for a successor device, with Nintendo due to reveal details in the current financial year, which ends in March.
(Reporting by Sam Nussey and Irene Wang; editing by Miral Fahmy)
