socalfunplaces Chapter 980: A Sincere Welcome to You
Chapter 980: A Sincere Welcome to You
Chapter 980 - A Sincere Welcome to YouThe entrance to the Mario-themed park was a six-story-tall red-brick castle, about 20 meters high.
It was the iconic building from the very first Super Mario game.
At the center of the castle stood a massive archway large enough for over a dozen people to walk through side by side.
As visitors passed through this entry tunnel, Mario's appearance gradually became more and more refined.
It began with a simple red pixelated Mario, then shifted to the red-and-blue overalls version in pixel form, followed by the clearer 2D sprite, then the early polygonal 3D model, and finally, the rounded, high-definition Super Mario Odyssey version.
That Odyssey version represented the peak of Mario's visual evolution—a design that would remain unchanged for a long time.
Walking through the corridor felt like witnessing Mario's own evolutionary journey, as well as the evolution of video games themselves.
Throughout the walk, a medley of Mario theme songs played continuously, enhancing the experience.
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Upon exiting the tunnel, the entire theme park burst into view—just like the moment of revelation described in the ancient Chinese fable Peach Blossom Spring. A vibrant wonderland spread out before the guests.
Directly ahead was a giant flowerbed with a central stone fountain.
Unlike most fountains that are stately or elegant, this one was fun and whimsical.
At its center was a giant stone sculpture of the iconic Mario piranha plant, mouth open and spewing water. Around it were sculptures of Toads holding fire hoses, also spraying clean water from their nozzles.
This instantly became a hotspot for photos. Everyone who passed by took at least one picture.
To the sides of the path, people dressed in Toad costumes ran about energetically, bringing the park to life—making it feel like you had truly entered Mario's world.
"Chief! Chief, slow down! We can't keep up! Huff... huff..."
Some of the Toad-costumed team had started to lose formation.
"You guys can't even keep up with an old man like me? Seriously, what's wrong with this generation? Back when we were developing games, the whole team went out for re
Just exploring this central castle could take guests two to three hours.
And to truly experience everything in the park—even without waiting in line—would require at least ten hours. The content was absolutely packed.
Just like their games, Gamestar's park wasn't just visually impressive—it was full of depth and joy.
"Five minutes until the opening ceremony."
A giant countdown clock at the center of the plaza ticked away the seconds.
The plaza in front of the castle was packed wall to wall with people.
Thousands had gathered, all eyes locked on a single point.
Giant screens had been installed around the area so that even those standing farther away could still see everything.
"One minute until the opening ceremony."
The Super Mario theme began to play, prompting waves of cheers from the crowd.
All fifty thousand attendees were true video game lovers.
Their cheers roared like ocean waves, rising and falling in sync with the music.
"Begin the ceremony!"
At the director's signal, fireworks exploded into the sky.
Even though it was daytime, the fireworks revealed familiar silhouettes:
Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser...
And finally—Mario himself.
At that moment, Takayuki rose from the central castle platform, slowly lifted into view.
He opened his arms wide in a triumphant pose—the most carefree moment of his life.
"A heartfelt welcome to you all... my fellow gamers!"