26 Jan 2018
Final Fantasy VR coaster headlines Universal Cool Japan 2018
BY Tom Anstey
Cool Japan is set to return to Universal Studios' Osaka theme park this year with a VR rollercoaster based on the Final Fantasy series.
Called Final Fantasy XR Ride, the big attraction is a reformatting of Universal Japan’s Space Fantasy The Ride – a spinning steel coaster designed by Mack Rides which has now been overlayed with virtual reality.
The highly successful Universal Cool Japan campaign, which is based on popular anime and videogame titles, debuted in 2015, and concludes this year on 24 June.
In addition to the new Final Fantasy attraction, other popular IPs to feature include Detective Conan, Monster Hunter and Sailor Moon.
This year’s event is split into two parts, with the first openings taking place on 19 January, and the second set starting 16 March.
Last year, Cool Japan contributed to an increase of about 200,000 visitors a month during its six-month run.
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