After opening its first theme park in March, Nintendo is giving fans something else to get excited about: a planned Nintendo Gallery museum set to open in 2024.
The Japanese gaming company announced on Wednesday that it plans to repurpose an old factory site in Kyoto, where the firm's headquarters is located, to exhibit its history and beloved gaming products.
"Nintendo has been discussing the possibility of building a gallery, as a way to share Nintendo's product development history and philosophy with the public," the company said.
The facility "where Nintendo's historical products will be showcased, and exhibits and experiences will be available" is expected to be completed by March 2024.
Click through the gallery below to see more from Super Nintendo World theme park in Japan:
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A general view shows the entrance gate of Super Nintendo World, a new attraction area featuring the popular video game character Mario. Reuters -
Fans of Universal Studio Japan pose at the entrance of the Super Nintendo World, during a media preview of the theme park in Osaka. AFP -
The park opened to the public on March 18, 2021. AFP -
A staff member (front) rousing fans for posed photographs with Super Mario Bros characters Mario, right, and Luigi, left. AFP -
Signage at a souvenir shop in Super Nintendo World. AFP -
Souvenirs are seen for sale at a shop in Super Nintendo World. AFP -
A general view of Super Nintendo World. AFP -
A staff member cleans the facilities as a preventative measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus during a media preview of the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. AFP -
A fan interacts with items at Piranha Plant Nap Mishap. AFP -
Staff members clean the facilities as a preventative measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus. AFP -
The opening of the Osaka theme park was delayed because of the pandemic. AFP -
Yoshi's Adventure attraction inside Super Nintendo World. Reuters -
Peach’s Castle at Super Nintendo World. Reuters -
A souvenir shop in Super Nintendo World. AFP -
Mario and Luigi characters greet visitors in front of Yoshi's Adventure attraction. Reuters -
Various design of Nintendo Power Up Band. Reuters -
Yoshi's Adventure. Reuters -
Stuffed Mario toys are displayed at 1Up Factory souvenir shop. Reuters -
Fans of Universal Studios Japan wear themed augmented reality goggles for the Mario Kart ride. AFP -
Fans have long waited for the theme park to open. AFP -
The theme part is based at the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka, western Japan. Reuters -
A fan of Universal Studios Japan wears themed augmented reality goggles on the Mario Kart ride. AFP -
Music from the popular Mario games plays throughout the park. AFP
There was little detail yet on what fans of the company behind legends such as Super Mario and Donkey Kong can expect from the museum.
It will be located on the site of a plant in Kyoto's Uji city, which was built in 1969 and made western-style playing cards as well as the Japanese playing cards called hanafuda that were Nintendo's original bread and butter.
The plant also served as a video game console repair centre, but operations were transferred elsewhere in 2016, and Nintendo said it had been brainstorming ways to use the plant ever since.
Nintendo began life in 1889 as a manufacturer of hanafuda cards and launched its first home video game machines, known as TV-Game 15 and TV Game 6, in 1977.
The Super Mario Bros games were launched in 1985, two years after the company began selling its Nintendo Entertainment System console.
Super Nintendo World, the company's first theme park, opened in March after months of pandemic delays. It is part of the Universal Studios Japan complex in Osaka, and features a Mario Kart ride with a real-life Bowser's Castle.
