Nintendo SAN FRANCISCO — Attraction in San Francisco

A Golden Memory and a Cold Morning

I remember the first time I played The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It was December 25th, 1992. I was 12 years old and had just arrived in a strange new country.

I didn’t speak a word of English. I didn’t know how to ask for help or even understand what the kids around me were laughing about. Every morning, I woke up with a knot in my stomach. I missed home. I missed feeling understood.

That Christmas, my mom gave me a gift: a Super Nintendo and a cartridge with a golden label. She said it was popular here, and that it might help me “learn the world.”

It was more than a game. It was a map through the fog. I played it until the TV screen burned itself into my dreams.

That game didn’t just entertain me, it gave me courage. It reminded me that even if I didn’t understand the words, I could still understand the story. I could still be brave.

Zelda became my secret friend. The language of Hyrule didn’t require translation. Swords. Hearts. Hidden caves. Mysterious forests. A boy lost in a storm, called to something greater... It felt like it was written just for me.

The fear, the loneliness, the silence at school...all of it faded when I held that controller. The music, gentle and haunting, was the first English I learned by heart. It taught me rhythm. It taught me to listen. And it showed me that even in a world I didn’t understand, I could still find my place.

I didn’t have guides. Being able to save mid level, No internet. Just trial, error, and wonder. I mapped dungeons on paper, drew out puzzles like blueprints. And eventually, I reached the end. I saved Hyrule ..all by myself.

Back then, that game was everything. Even now, I can still see it clearly: The Master Sword glinting in the Lost Woods. The sparkle of light as the Dark World fell away.

Sometimes, my mother would sit beside me. She couldn’t read the screen either, but she’d watch...silent, curious, as I battled through dungeons and solved riddles. She came from days of books and ballads. To her, this strange fantasy was a door to something beautiful.

I remember the day I handed her the controller. She wandered into a cave, got lost—and laughed. I laughed too.

She wasn’t made for Hyrule. But she liked being there with me. She liked seeing me strong. Curious. Alive.

Earlier, I mentioned “learning the world.” And interestingly enough, that happened too—thanks to Mario Is Missing!, an educational game also released in 1992. It was designed to teach geography and culture. I explored cities like Paris, Tokyo, and New York...not with a passport, but with a controller in hand.

Now, decades later, I still carry that feeling with me. I speak the language now. I’ve built a life here. But that moment, that cold winter morning, that golden cartridge...it still lives inside me.

Whenever I hear the Zelda theme, it takes me back. To her. To home. To a time when a little boy found courage in a world he couldn’t yet speak.

A Note on the Nintendo Store in San Francisco

So when I heard about the new Nintendo store in San Francisco, I was beyond excited. After all these years, after everything Nintendo meant to me, I wanted to be part of it again, this time not as a lost kid, but as someone who had grown up with these stories.

But honestly, the experience was frustrating.

I waited in line for hours. I had entered every drawing, used up all my points trying to score a Warp Pipe invite... only to be denied entry in the end. Just like that. No access. No explanations. No walkthrough this time.

It’s strange how things have changed. Back then, you could just walk into a Toys “R” Us or Circuit City and buy a Nintendo GameCube (which you can now experience on Switch 2) Now? You need an invite or to win a drawing just to walk inside a video game store.

Don’t get me wrong....the store is beautiful. And I love that they’re letting people browse freely. But I genuinely believe there should be time limits or some kind of flow control so more fans get a chance to...

The store is amazing! This review has only one star because of the treatment I witnessed of the General Manager Diana towards the employees who were working super hard and trying their best. She spoke to customers waiting in line during Memorial Day weekend (Saturday) in a super rude way. I got there at 9:30 am with my husband who had a 10:00 reservation. We had a family account and thought we had tickets for both of us on my husband’s Nintendo account. It didn’t work for a family reservation but luckily I made one on my account for 10:30. We explained what happened and Diana said I needed to get out of line and go to the very back, which was at the end of the block. By this time it was about 10:10 am so I moved over to the side to let the 10:00 am reservations past me. While I was waiting quietly, Diana made a family get out of line who had a 10:30 time. The kindest employee told me I would be the first for the 10:30 slot and the poor family right behind me had to go all the way to the back while being berated by the GM. I waited a few minutes after being checked in and saw no employees in sight. I asked the security guard at 10:28 if I just go in at 10:30. He wasn’t sure so he politely asked the manager. She treated him like it was the dumbest question ever and rudely said, “they can wait until 10:30”. It’s appearing to be a toxic work environment and I get that people are stressed. I love Nintendo for their joy, fun, and company credibility. However, this general manager did not represent the company in the best light. Nintendo, please check on the employees who might be too afraid to speak up because they are afraid of...

Went there on Monday the 19th and stepped in line at 3 pm just around the corner of the store. The wait to get in from that spot was 3 hrs and 40 minutes as I believe it was the first day you didn't need a warp pass to get in. Shortly after we arrived, a staff member came up and warned us the line may take up to 4 hrs as there were 150 people in line and there was a chance we may not be able to make it in, but we were committed. He was right about the time. Those near 4 hrs went by incredibly quickly as we entertained each other in line. We stepped foot in the store at about 6:40 pm —an hr before closing, and spent that remaining hr shopping and seeing the many awesome items they had. The staff was absolutely wonderful the entire time! From checking in with guests as they waited in line to answering questions or checking inventory and during checkout —they always made sure guests were well taken care of. After all, they understood just how long the wait times were and were empathetic, just as we were with them and how busy they were as well. The store was also very clean, consodering the number of people going in and out and was constantly being stocked until items started to run out. Overall, my family is looking forward to going again, but... maybe after the hype goes down a bit or if reservations pop up again. For anyone planning to go: It will be hard to be disappointed if you go in, but prepare for the long line these first couple of days/weeks or keep an eye out on the website for reservations to pop up (For example, reservations are required for memorial day weekend). Can't wait to go again and wish...