When you walk through the warp pipe and enter Super Nintendo World, you're basically entering a real-life video game. You can collect coins and stamps, earn keys and compete against other players and teams. But how can you keep score? Well, enter the Power-Up Band — a wearable technology that you link to your account in the Universal Studios Hollywood app to keep track of your coins, keys and stamps. It's an optional purchase item that's intended to enhance your experience in the land. It's necessary to unlock the challenges and games. We'll go over whether the Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band may be worth it to you and how to use it.
Overview of the Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band
A Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band is an RFID silicone slap bracelet that you link to your Universal Studios Hollywood app. It allows you to punch? boxes and bricks, uncover secret items and fully compete in challenges and games. The app virtually keeps track of keys, coins, stamps and other awards you collect. You even earn coins when riding Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. It also has an at-home function when playing select Super Mario Bros. games.
There are six designs available, plus a bonus special-release band:
- Mario
- Luigi
- Princess Peach
- Princess Daisy
- Toad
- Yoshi
- Golden Power-Up Band (special release)
The Golden Power-Up Band is available for purchase within the land and at Super Nintendo World retail shops in the theme park, as of Feb. 17, 2024. It's part of the one-year anniversary celebration of the Super Nintendo World opening.
The character bands put you on that character’s team. The Power-Up Bands cost $42 plus tax, and no discounts apply. You can purchase them at stores around Universal Studios Hollywood and in Super Nintendo World at the 1-UP Store (behind the counter) or at a kiosk in the land. You do not have to charge them at all. The bands come with a paper guide to the land. Keep that as it may be hopful to you.
@undercovertourist Time to tunnel warp to Super Nintendo World! 🍄🌟These new power-up bands are so fun and interactive! Have questions about them? We have answers! Here’s everything you need to know about this fun way to immerse yourself into the world of Super Nintendo World. #supernintendoworld #supermarioworld #supernintendomariokart #supermario #supermariobros #mariokart #marioworld #marioandluigi #princesspeach #universalstudioshollywood #ush #unistudios #princessdaisy #mushroomkingdom #bowser #bowserjr #nintendo #nintendoworld #howto #koopatroopa #goomba ♬ original sound - undercovertourist
Linking the Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band
How do you link the band? There is a QR code on the back of the band. Open the Universal Studios Hollywood app. Tap the Super Nintendo World white box on the home screen of the app. (You’ll need to log into your Universal Studios Hollywood account or create one.) You can link the band and then name it. Have a couple of name choices in mind in case your first choice is taken. I’m "Froggy" on Team Toad, BTW! But you can use your real name. Under Options, you can add or remove multiple Power-Up Bands to and from your app, edit players and follow other players.
Using the Power-Up Band to Play Games and Collect Coins
You attach your band to your wrist, kind of like a slap bracelet. Some bands can fall off easily, especially when playing games vigorously. (Our Mario band stays on much better than our Toad band. It has a tendency to curl up on itself.) If that happens, you can ask for a free lock in the shops that sell Power-Up Bands. But they may ask to see your band and look at how it fits you before handing it over. The Super Nintendo World shop just outside the land is less busy than the 1-Up store. The lock works really well. Mommy Frog also has a hack to keep it on if you cannot get a lock.
Mommy Frog uses a hair tie to hold the ends together and that keeps it secure. Just wrap the tie around one side of the band twice and slip the other side of the band under it when you put it on. It works in a pinch at the park if your band keeps flying off and you cannot get a lock.
You can use your band to punch blocks and bricks and unlock hidden images in the land. You can collect virtual coins and compete in games and challenges. Check your status in the app or on checkpoint screens in Super Nintendo World for that day and overall.
What if you don’t have a Power-Up Band? It's harder to enjoy the land without the band. At least one person in the group needs a band to unlock some games. Players without bands can join in the group games. Each individual needs to use a band for the single-player games. (You can share, but it may mean waiting a few turns between players.) You can ride Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge without a band. If you do not have a band, you just won’t collect points or hear coin sounds when you punch bricks and boxes. For Bowser Jr.'s dungeon, one band gets four people inside to play. (The band must have been used to collect at least three keys to get you inside.)
We have encountered mixed responses to us playing without a band. Some team members say we can play the games without a band but not Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown. Other times we have been turned away from the games. When sharing a band to play single-player games, we have been told the second person to use the band must get in line again in order to borrow the band and use it. So frankly, it comes down to which team member you encounter.
Touch Tap Points
Touch hidden "M" tap points that will reveal pictures on the wall. We found Luigi, Princess Peach and Bowser. The tap points blend into their surroundings, so they are a little trickier to find.
Punch Boxes and Bricks
Earn coins by punching underneath "?" boxes and bricks. Some only have one coin, while others have multiple coins so keep going as long as you hear the coin sound. Some are located in plain sight, while others are located inside buildings and along staircases. The indoor locations can be found at Princess Peach's castle, to the left of Mario Kart, up the stairs and to the left, and to the left of Toadstool Cafe.
Collect Gifts
When you first enter Toadstool Cafe, there is a place to collect a gift on the left-hand side.
Collect Stamps
As you play and explore the land, you can collect stamps. There are three stamp books:
- Super Mario Land
- Mario Kart
- Super Nintendo Land
Looking at these stamps ahead of time can give you clues about things you can find and do. There are 128 stamps. For some of them, you can collect more than once. This gives repeat visitors new missions every time they visit to try to collect all the stamps. When you tap each stamp book, it shows you the ones you've collected and the ones you can add to your goal list.
Collect Coins on Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
When you ride Mario Kart, you’ll touch your band to the “M” on the steering wheel to link the band to the ride so you can collect coins. Hint: You'll shoot where you look, so turn your head and look right at your targets when throwing. The "throw" buttons are on top of the steering wheel.
Games and Challenges to Collect Keys
You can collect keys at four challenges. You’ll generally tap your Power-Up Band to the key before and after playing. Team members are there to help. You can play solo or as a team on some of them. The group challenges are harder to do solo but not impossible. Once you've collected at least three keys, then you can access the fifth and biggest group challenge of them all — Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown! You can bring up to an additional three people with you when you enter (and all four of you can play)! You can see how many keys you've earned in the upper right corner of the app.
Bowser's minions guard the keys. You need to win to take the keys from them. Here are the four challenges leading up to the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown:
Piranha Plant Nap Mishap: 1 to 4 players
You might want to assemble a team for this. Can you punch all the red alarm clocks to turn them off in time? You can use both hands for this, and I highly recommend that you do. It's located on the left when you enter the land. You need at least one Power-Up Band for the group to play.
Koopa Troopa POWer Punch: 1 player
This is a game all about timing. The turtle shell is moving back and forth through the horizontal pipe. Can you punch the box at the correct point in its path to get it to light up the other Pow boxes and go up through the vertical pipe? The game is located to the left of Bowser Jr.'s Shadow Showdown. We find it to be the most challenging game. First, there is Easy Mode. That's when you want to hit the shell before it enters the tunnel. Then after you master that mode, it goes to Hard Mode. You have to hit it before it hits the wall. If you fail, it goes back to Easy Mode. Each person needs to scan a band to play.
Goomba Crazy Crank: 1 player
Located just behind Princess Peach's gazebo is this challenge. You tap your band and spin the crank as fast as you can to knock off the Goomba. Each player must use a band (but you can take turns with a band).
Thwomp Panel Panic: 1 to 3 players
In this indoor game, you need to change all the blocks to one color. Watch out! Some of the boxes with arrows also change a nearby box. You can use that to your advantage in this timed game. One band can be used for multiple players. It's in a dungeon between Mario Kart and Toadstool Cafe. Can you see the steam coming out as Thwomp crashes down above the entrance? There are so many toadally cool details and moving parts in this land! The more times you try, the harder it gets.
Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown: up to 12 players
Once you collect three keys, you can compete in the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown. Guests with three keys can scan their wristbands at the entrance to unlock the door and collect coins from the challenge. You must have at least one Power-Up Band and three virtual keys to enter. One band gets four players inside to do the challenge.
Bowser Jr. stole Princess Peach’s golden mushroom. Can you win it back? Pay attention to the instructional video. It’s a full-body game:
- Swap. Use your arms to swap Bob-ombs away.
- Duck. Watch out for things coming from the side. When Bullet Bills fly toward you, duck to avoid them … or they’ll shrink you down, which makes it harder to play.
- Jump. Jump up and punch? boxes to get a power up to size up. (These are hopful if the Bullet Bills got you.)
- Swing. When you get a Fire Flower, swing your arms to throw fireballs.
Each player with a band gets a coin total at the end of the game.
Additional Game (no keys earned)
(New!) Frosted Glacier: 1 to 4 players
In the all-new Frosted Glacier game, it's a race to the finish to smash everything in front of you with your team! One band can be used for your whole party. There are multiple variations of the game and you never know which one you'll get. Break some bricks, launch fire at koopas or ward away goombas! This wall is a bit tricky to find. The entrance is to the right of Bowser Jr.'s castle and up the stairs.
If you don't have a band, you can hit coins that appear, but that is all. If you have a band, other options pop up. But you do not earn a key for Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown with this game. This one is just for fun!
Is a Power-Up Band Necessary?
Starting at about $42 a piece, it’s a hard call. It’s a lot of allowance money for a band. But if you are a huge Super Mario fan and want to fully play the games and compete, you’ll need a Power-Up Band. If you are just a casual visitor and don’t care about virtual coins, you can still look around the land, ride Mario Kart and dine at Toadstool Café without a Power-Up Band. If you want to play games or compete in the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown, you'll need at least one Power-Up Band in your party.
A Power-Up Band is more worth it for frequent visitors and super fans. The bands work at all Super Nintendo Worlds, including Japan and Orlando once Universal Epic Universe opens in 2025. At home, you can use a Power-Up Band as an amiibo when playing select Mario games (but it's not compatible with Wii U or Nintendo 3DS).
The Power-Up Band is most useful during Early Access. That's when people can enter Super Nintendo World an hour before park opening. The lines for challenges are short then. During Early Access, we were able to complete each challenge and the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown all within the first 25 to 30 minutes. After the park officially opens, it might take at least that long to wait for one challenge.
Another perk of Early Access is that it gives you access to the Express line for the Studio Tour up until 11 a.m. If you miss your Early Access time (traffic happens), you can use your Early Access code to enter Super Nintendo World later in the day, even if there is a wait or Virtual Line in place.
If you walk into the land late morning and it's an hour to wait for each challenge, a Power-Up Band may not be worth it unless you are patient enough to wait in lines all day. Hopfully, as time goes on the land will be less crowded. Try hopping by at night for much shorter lines. But there is no wait to punch boxes and bricks with the band.
Can You Share a Power-Up Band?
With the cost of the band, you may be wondering if your tadpoles or you can share a band. When we visited with two tadpoles and two adults but only two bands, we all waited in line together. Mommy Frog and Leap asked if they could use Lily's and my bands to play the single-player challenges too, and the team members told us it was one try per band. Then we'd have to get back in line and my parents could use our bands to play. So keep that in mind if you are looking to save money that way. It might cost you more time, though it may also depend on the team members' discretion.
You can all share one band to play group challenges and complete in Bowser Jr.'s Shadow Showdown. Our parents had fun joining us for those games.
We get questions about buying a used Power-Up Band. We have not tried this, but we are hearing reports that people are not able to clear the original owner's information off them. So while you can use them, you could be stuck with a band with keys, coins and stickers the previous owner acquired. That could be a positive or negative for you. If you just want a cheaper band to be able to play, it's not a big deal. If you want to earn your own stickers, you probably need to buy a new band.
Managing Crowds
Super Nintendo Land is small and popular. That means that it can get incredibly crowded. Lines can get long for each of the challenges. The best way to beat the crowds is to be an early bird or a night owl. The shortest lines at during Early Access or in the last hour of park opening.
Purchase Early Access a few weeks ahead of your visit. That will allow you to enter the land one hour before the park (and land) opens to everyone else. You can experience the ride, grab a reservation for Toadstool Café and complete all the challenges without having to wait in long lines. Once the crowds enter, the land will quickly become packed — especially the interactive games.
If you cannot purchase Early Access — it can sell out early — then you can try to be at the front of the crowd coming in at park opening. Be at the park gates an hour early. You may get to enter 30 minutes early and be let into Super Nintendo Land right at park opening. Complete a challenge or two and come back later. The largest crowds are in the morning from about 10 a.m. to noon. The rest of the Lower Lot has short lines in the morning. Don't waste the shortest lines of the day in the rest of the park to wait in long lines inside Super Nintendo World. Those lines will still be the same later when the other ride wait times climb.
Go enjoy the park and come back later to complete your challenges. If you have Express, you can use it to enter the land. If the Virtual Line is operating, be sure to get a reservation. Or if you have a Toadstool Café reservation, you can return later with that and compete in your challenges. The lines will still be long, but so will the ride wait times in the park at that point. You will feel less frustrated if you at least get to experience several attractions with short waits before waiting in the challenge lines.
Be a night owl. Visit at the end of the night for much shorter lines. If you want to ride Mario Kart, keep in mind that if the ride breaks down late you might miss your only chance to ride. So don't save your only ride for the end.
The other thing to watch out for is the sun. Most of the challenges and lines for them are outside. Wear sunscreen and hats to protect your skin.
Power-Up Band Tips
Here are a few tips for using a Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band:
- Choose a band based on the team you want to join.
- Find a way to secure the band. (Ask for a free lock from shops that sell the bands.)
- Use the Universal Studios Hollywood app to find challenges and boxes in the land.
- Make sure to tap your band on the steering wheel on Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge. Also, no matter which direction your car is facing, you'll shoot where you are looking.
- Check your status in the app or at checkpoint screens in the land.
- Allow plenty of time to compete and play. Lines can vary and can get long on busy days. Arrive as early as possible for the shortest wait times.
- Purchase Early Access online several weeks ahead of your visit to enjoy low capacity and short lines for an hour before the park opens to the public.
- Come back at the end of the night to play challenges.
- Sometimes Super Nintendo World operates with a virtual line. Arrive early to get a reservation (in the app or at a kiosk in the Lower Lot) to enter the land.
- Use sun protection. Hats and sunscreen can help protect your skin while you wait for all these outside challenges.
Are you getting a Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band? Which team do you want to join? Share with us in the comments section below. If you need any Universal Studios Hollywood tickets, save some green on discount tickets with Undercover Tourist and use your savings to get a Power-Up Band. You can save up to $50 on a 1-day ticket and even more on Universal Express tickets or the VIP Experience. The VIP Experience gets you access to the land and lets you skip the line for Mario Kart!
Related: Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood
Stay cool!
