Mine-Cart Madness
- This article is about the attraction in Super Nintendo World. For the level in Donkey Kong Country, see Mine Cart Madness.
Mine-Cart Madness, formatted as Mine Cart Madness in Japan and on the logo,[1] is a roller coaster attraction in the Super Nintendo World areas in Universal Studios Japan and Universal Epic Universe.[2] In the ride, the guests are tasked by Cranky Kong to stop the Tiki Tak Tribe, who had broken into the Golden Temple, from stealing the Golden Banana. He then explains Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong have gone after them but have not returned yet. Cranky goes on to warn them of Tiki Tong and his hypnotizing powers, and asks to look out for Dixie Kong as well.[3]
The ride uses a system known as a boom coaster, where the vehicle's bogie (the support structure with the vehicle's wheels) is attached to the passenger cart by an extended arm. While the bogie follows along the actual tracks hidden by the scenery, fake tracks can be placed under the passenger cart, which simulate different effects such as leaps in the track, or other surfaces.[4] Mine-Cart Madness has a historical wait time of 142 minutes in Universal Studios Japan and 102 minutes in Universal Epic Universe.[5][6]
Location[edit]
The ride takes place in the Golden Temple located at the back of the Donkey Kong Country area. Its entrance is on the left side when walking into the area, denoted by a large golden circular arch with golden palm trees on the sides. The exit of the ride is on the opposite side of the same wall as the entrance, leading back into the main area.
Queue[edit]
The queue is largely designed after the Golden Temple, with golden walls decorated with Kong statues and murals inspired by those of the temple levels from Donkey Kong Country Returns. One of those murals is based on 25m from the Donkey Kong arcade game, and also features four Pikmin depicted being crushed by a barrel. Further into the queue area, talking animatronics of Cranky Kong and Squawks can be found, with Cranky explaining the story of the attraction. A QR code located in the queue also provides a video detailing the story and characters of the ride.[7] An arrangement of "Burnin' Bop" from Donkey Kong Country Returns plays in the queue.
The ride's vehicles are shaped like Mine Carts, with each cart having four seats, and are launched individually on the ride. Speakers inside the carts play onboard audio during the roller coaster. As in Yoshi's Adventure, vehicles do not stop for loading and off-loading guests, so a moving walkway is used to assist guests.
Layout[edit]
Carts depart the loading area with a powered launch and immediately take a sharp turn. An animatronic of Dixie Kong can be spotted before carts begin climbing up a lift hill. At the top of the hill, carts are launched by a Barrel Cannon over a simulated gap in the tracks. Landing on the other side, the cart goes indoors into a hole in the temple, almost crashing into Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong on their own mine cart before dropping down through another gap into a banked turn that leads outdoors. What follows is a straight section with a leap over various wooden stakes and another turn around a Mugly statue and into another dark indoors section. In it, the cart leaps from side to side on segments of rails, avoiding a large crystal and Mole Miner Max on the way. The cart leaves the indoor section and arrives on another lift hill, marked as a checkpoint by a Professor Chops puppet.
The lift hill drops the cart through a hole, with Tiki Tong having torn out the rails. The drop leads into a section with many large Screaming Pillars and a turn after which the cart goes over a shallow pool of water, accompanied by splashing effects. Three Blue Pikmin can be seen on rocks in this section. Finally, the cart goes indoors through a scene depicting Donkey Kong beating up Tiki Tong, while Diddy Kong finds the Golden Banana safe. The ride then ends and carts arrive back in the boarding area.[8]
"Mine Menace" from Donkey Kong Country Returns plays during the ride.[2]
While the layouts between Universal Studios Japan and Universal Epic Universe are the same, a few elements in the scenery are different between the two parks, such as the addition of a waterfall flowing from the top of the Golden Temple in Universal Epic Universe.
List of stamps[edit]
- Main article: List of Super Nintendo World stamps
The following stamps can be won in Mine-Cart Madness, if a guest has scanned their Power-Up Band at the start of the ride:
| Icon | Name | Requirement | Category | Repeatable | Coins Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Golden Banana | Get the Golden Banana on Mine Cart Madness. | Donkey Kong Country | Yes |  65
|
|
Jungle Explorer | Help Donkey Kong in the Mine Cart Madness 2 times. | Donkey Kong Country | No | 55
|
|
King of the Jungle | Help Donkey Kong in the Mine Cart Madness 5 times. | Donkey Kong Country | No | 125
|
|
Monkey Mouth | Dare to reach into the Monkey Mouth and walk the bite of passage. | Donkey Kong Country | No | 15
|
|
Temple Team-Up | Activate the Golden Temple statues. | Donkey Kong Country | No | 65
|
Gallery[edit]
A statue at the start of the queue
A mural based on Petroglyph from Donkey Kong Country Returns, itself based on 25m from the Donkey Kong arcade game
The Cranky Kong and Squawks animatronics
The loading area with the Mine Cart roller-coasters
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong riding a Mine Cart
Donkey Kong beating up Tiki Tong
Diddy Kong with the Golden Banana
Artwork of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong riding a Mine Cart on rails
Same artwork, without rails
Concept art for the ride
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ドンキーコングのクレイジー・トロッコ[9] Donkī Kongu no Kureijī Torokko |
Donkey Kong's Crazy Mine Cart | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 咚奇刚的疯狂矿车[10] Dōngqí Gāng de Fēngkuáng Kuàngchē (Mandarin) Dūngkèih Gōng dīk Fūngkòhng Kwongchē (Cantonese) |
Donkey Kong's Crazy Mine Cart | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 咚奇剛的瘋狂礦車[11] Dōngqí Gāng de Fēngkuáng Kuàngchē (Mandarin) Dūngkèih Gōng dīk Fūngkòhng Kwongchē (Cantonese) |
Donkey Kong's Crazy Mine Cart | |
| Korean | 동키콩의 크레이지 트램카[12] Donkgi Kong-ui Keureiji Teuraemka |
Donkey Kong's Crazy Mine Cart | |
| Portuguese | Mine-Cart Madness[13] | - | |
| Spanish | Mine-Cart Madness[14] | - |
References[edit]
- ^ Universal Studios Japan (December 5, 2023). Mine Cart Madness™. Universal Studios Japan. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Nintendo of America (November 11, 2024). SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Direct (Donkey Kong Country) 11.11.2024. YouTube. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Jacob Selleck (September 30, 2025). Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness Cranky Kong and Squawks Full Queue Pre Show Universal Epic Universe. YouTube. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ^ McVeen, Keith Michael et al. (June 11, 2019). "Boom coaster" US Patent number US20160288000A1. Retrieved January 10, 2026 from Google Patents.
- ^ Average wait times for Mine-Cart Madness in Universal Studios Japan. Thrill Data. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ^ Average wait times for Mine-Cart Madness in Universal Epic Universe. Thrill Data. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ^ Universal Studios Japan Official (December 9, 2024). 【Mine Cart Madness - Cranky Kong’s Message】| USJ. YouTube. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ^ Hi Japan (December 13, 2024). NEW! Full Ride: Donkey Kong Roller Coaster at Universal Studios Japan. YouTube. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ^ Universal Studios Japan (December 5, 2023). ドンキーコングのクレイジー・トロッコ. Universal Studios Japan. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ Official simplified Chinese website for Super Nintendo World. Simplified Chinese. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ^ https://www.usj.co.jp/web/zh/tw/areas/super-nintendo-world
- ^ https://www.usj.co.jp/web/ko/kr/areas/super-nintendo-world
- ^ https://www.universalorlando.com/web/pt/br/epic-universe/worlds/super-nintendo-world
- ^ https://www.universalorlando.com/web/es/us/epic-universe/worlds/super-nintendo-world
