Your First Look at Inside Nintendo’s First Store-Within-a-Store at EB Games Toronto

Nintendo is partnering with EB Games Canada to officially open North America’s first Nintendo store-within-a-store in downtown Toronto.

Located at 267 Yonge Street, across from the Toronto Eaton Centre, the permanent 1,500-square-foot space opens Saturday, October 17, at 10 AM ET, beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This weekend, EB Games Canada and Nintendo invite fans to the flagship Yonge Street location to see its new destination for Nintendo Switch 2 games, merchandise and interactive experiences.

As previously reported, the partnership marks Nintendo’s first retail concept of this kind in North America. While the company operates standalone stores in New York and San Francisco, the Toronto location takes a different approach by integrating a dedicated Nintendo experience into an existing retail space.

For Canadian fans, it’s an opportunity to experience something closer to Nintendo’s own retail destinations without travelling outside the country.

A closer look inside Nintendo’s new Toronto space

The Nintendo space brings together Switch 2 hardware, games, accessories and collectibles in an environment designed around the company’s most recognizable franchises. Visitors can explore Nintendo-themed displays, try games at dedicated demo stations and browse merchandise featuring familiar characters.

One of the more interesting aspects of the store-within-a-store is its emphasis on merchandise. Nintendo has spent years expanding its characters beyond video games through toys, collectibles, films and other experiences. The new retail space reflects that broader approach, bringing Nintendo-branded products together with its gaming hardware. So, physical copies of games like Donkey Kong Bananza can live alongside the LEGO Arcanine set or Mario Kart figures.

The store also carries exclusive My Mario products, including the Mario & Friends Wood Block set. These products won’t be available elsewhere. Additionally, with the lead-up to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the retail location has the EB Games Canada-exclusive Nintendo 64 pre-order slip for the game. Seeing it in person for the first time gave me another nostalgic boost. That is, on top of the feeling that I’ll be playing the Ocarina of Time remake on Nintendo Switch 2 in mere weeks.

One thing I quickly noted as I walked through the space is that the Nintendo store-within-a-store doesn’t carry any apparel, unlike the U.S. and Japan stores. So, as of opening weekend, there won’t be specialized, branded Nintendo Toronto shirts or sweaters in stock. Curiously, I also noticed a lack of Amiibos within the space. Of course, the retail space can change over time as new products come in.

“Now that we have this space, it’s a great opportunity for us to be able to celebrate these monumental moments,” vice president and general manager of Nintendo of Canada, Susan Pennefather, told me. “We have, you know, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort launching next week, and then of course The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, close behind it. So we’re really excited to evolve with the space and continue delivering for Canadian consumers.”

Why Nintendo is bringing the experience to Toronto

The opening comes as Nintendo builds momentum around Switch 2 and expands how customers interact with its games outside their homes. For EB Games Canada, the partnership also represents a larger investment in physical retail. The retailer returned to its familiar EB Games branding following a change in Canadian ownership in 2025. Since then, the company has emphasized creating more engaging shopping experiences rather than relying exclusively on traditional game sales.

So much so that the flagship EB Games Canada retrofitted nearly half of its existing footprint into a Nintendo store-within-a-store experience. Walking in, it was almost unimaginable that Nintendo could be given a dedicated 1,500-square-foot space. However, thanks to the strong partnership between Nintendo and EB Games Canada, it seems to have worked out. “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Nintendo,” Jim Tyo, president of EB Games Canada, says.  “They bring these magnificent games, these worlds and these characters. So, of course, we bring that retail physical space, and it just feels like an easy merge and an easy immersion to have people experience.”

It’s also notable that Toronto was selected for the first North American location. The Yonge and Dundas area is among the city’s busiest shopping destinations, attracting residents, tourists, and families year-round. Its proximity to the Eaton Centre gives the store considerable visibility heading into the holiday shopping season.

A space for fans and a community to gather

Notably, Nintendo Stores host exciting launch events and viewing parties for Nintendo Direct live streams. In a way, they serve as a third space for Nintendo fans and the gaming community. In the Toronto-based Nintendo store-within-a-store, two fairly large screens are on display. During my walkthrough, one was clearly set up for game demos. The other, larger screen, relayed gameplay of Mario Kart World. Looking at the latter, I could only envision how exciting a room full of fans would be, watch a Nintendo Direct live.

Pennefather was hesitant to call out any immediate upcoming events that’ll be hosted at 267 Yonge Street. “I think right now we’re just excited to open the store and have consumers get to come and check it out,” Pennefather says. “The fact that they can come here with their families or their friends and play some of their favourite games, pick out some of their favourite plushy characters too. The space offers something for everyone.”

However, there was a small tease about a potential launch event for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on November 5th. What that may look like is anyone’s guess, but with such a highly anticipated title releasing and a brand new space opening, it only makes sense to create a celebration.

For now, Nintendo’s first North American store-within-a-store opens at EB Games, 267 Yonge Street in Toronto, on Saturday, October 17, at 10 AM ET with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

EB Games is also offering special promotions to celebrate the opening. Customers who spend at least $200 on qualifying Nintendo products will receive a $50 Nintendo eShop gift card. Those who purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 system can receive two $50 Nintendo eShop gift cards, for $100 in additional digital store credit.