How A Goomba Attack Shut Down The Super Mario World Park

Super Nintendo World recently shocked some parkgoers when real-life Goombas suddenly attacked unsuspecting fans. Super Nintendo World is a theme park that opened earlier this year in Osaka, Japan. It allows visitors to explore the world of "Super Mario" and various other Nintendo properties in a whole new way. You can ride a Yoshi, interact with the attractions using Power Up Bands, or even race your friends in a friendly round of real-life "Mario Kart." As the BBC reported, the park got off to a somewhat rocky start with several pandemic-related delays to its grand opening, but now it's finally open and there are even plans to open new parks stateside. The first is already under construction in Universal Studios California and the second is scheduled to be built in Universal Studios Florida.

It hasn't all been sunshine and Boomerang Flowers since Super Nintendo World opened, however. The park got some unfavorable press when one of the props in the "Yoshi's Adventure" ride seemed to be based on a fan-made mod, resulting in an embarrassing mistake for Nintendo. Now, it seems that Super Nintendo World is having other issues. Asahi Shumbun Digital (translation via VGC) recently reported that a large stack of decorative Goomba's fell off one of the attractions on Monday, August 9, nearly hitting several guests who were standing below. For curious Nintendo fans, video of the incident made its way to the internet. 

It's hard not to see the irony in the situation. After all, Goombas are among the most common enemies in the "Super Mario" video game franchise. Dodging them is a pivotal part of navigating the games. Still, it's important to remember that this was a serious safety hazard.

A video was taken after the incident and posted on Twitter by user @Tatata7774. The view is somewhat obstructed by a pair of Yoshis, but viewers can see five Super Nintendo World employees struggling to lift the Goomba statue, implying that it is quite heavy and could have seriously injured a visitor if it had hit someone. The incident led to several of the park's attractions being shut down until the following morning as the staff performed safety inspections on the other displays to make sure everything was secured safely.

Bugs are a given in any new park, but the safety of the guests should never be overlooked. Super Nintendo World has not yet commented on why the structure broke or what it will do in the future to further guarantee guests' safety. Hopefully, the latest safety checks have ensured that incidents like this don't happen again.