Is Pokémon even still that much of a thing? It is to some people, including the SF Board of Supervisors, who just declared this Friday, February 27, as Pokémon Day in San Francisco.

We admit that around ten years ago, SFist used to write a great deal about Pokémon at the height of the Pokémon Go craze, sometimes more than one article in the same single day. But that craze has cooled off entirely, except maybe among some hardcore gamer and collector types.  

So what on earth is going on with Tuesday’s San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting agenda, which here a full decade after the Pokémon Go bubble, proposes that the supervisors discuss a declaration of this coming Friday, February 27 as Pokémon Day?

Why? Is it because Union Square just saw the opening of a very popular Nintendo Store? Could be, but that store has been open for almost a full year now. Is it because San Francisco will be hosting the Pokémon World Championships at the Moscone Center this summer? That event is still a full six months away.

Looking at the full text of this head-scratching legislation, we see the explanation that “Pokémon was created by Satoshi Tajiri and originated as an electronic games series from Nintendo that debuted in Japan on February 27, 1996,” and that “2026 marks the 30th Anniversary of Pokémon, celebrating three decades of creativity, innovation, storytelling, and community building that continues to inspire generations of fans to explore, learn, and connect.”

Okay, we have it as an anniversary celebration. And yes, the supervisors unanimously approved the measure to declare February 27 as Pokémon Day, for the purpose of “celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Pokémon; and encouraging the public to participate in Pokémon related community activities.”

Related: Werner Herzog Seems Disappointed That Pokemon Go Players Don't Murder Each Other [SFist]

Image: Nintendo San Francisco

To mark the 40th anniversary of the release of the “Super Mario Bros” video game, SF’s Union Square Nintendo Store is bringing in Mario this weekend, or rather, someone in a Mario mascot suit that you can take pictures with.

The Chronicle reported Monday morning that Nintendo video game star character Mario will be visiting SF’s Union Square Nintendo Store this weekend, on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Though this may result in some confusing Google search results for both Nintendo fans and weather-watchers, considering that something called Tropical Storm Mario may be hitting the Bay Area later this week.

The Chronicle describes Saturday and Sunday’s Mario photo-op as “the first time fans in the Bay Area will have the chance to meet him in person.” But what is not mentioned there is that Mario already came to the store when it opened this past May. But maybe this is some new, juiced-up version of the Mario mascot suit?

As Nintendo notes above, we are upon the 40th anniversary of the release of the video game “Super Mario Bros,” which became one of the most popular video games of all time. Mario is slated to do fan appearances at the store from 1 to 5 pm Saturday and 12 to 4 pm Sunday. Yes you can get a photo with Mario, and there is no reservation system this time. So it’s first-come, first-served, which sounds like it would entail getting in line pretty early in the morning.  

CNet has a full lineup of all of Nintendo’s 40th anniversary of Mario activities, which involve some new Mario-themed Switch and Switch 2 games, and the new “Mario Tennis Fever” coming in early 2026 (though I will go into Simpsons Comic Book Guy voice and point out that Mario himself actually debuted in the arcade game “Donkey Kong” in 1981, which was 44 years ago).  

All this Mario madness is expected to culminate in the release of the upcoming film The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on April 3, 2026, whose trailer below will give you absolutely no insight into the plot of this film.

Still, the Mario appearance is a welcome sign that Nintendo is putting consistent efforts into making their San Francisco store a destination. “We believe in the city very, very much,” Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser (yes, his name is actually Bowser) told the Chronicle when the store opened. “San Francisco fit that bill perfectly. First of all, it’s an iconic city. It has a very large population, a very passionate population and community, and we’re really proud to be a part of it.”

Translation? There are a lot of video game nerds in the Bay Area, and this store is well-positioned to capitalize. Expect those video game nerds to be out in full force this Saturday and Sunday at the Union Square Nintendo Store at Powell and Geary streets.

Related: SF’s Union Square Nintendo Store Opens to Huge Crowds, and Mascot Animals Crossing All Over the Place [SFist]

Image: PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 23: Animators dressed as Luigi and Mario characters from the Super Mario video game series created by Nintendo pose during the 'Paris Games Week' at Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles on October 23, 2024 in Paris, France. Paris Games Week' is an international trade fair for video games and esport that runs from October 23 to 27, 2024. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)

Today was the long-awaited opening day of the new San Francisco Nintendo Store in Union Square, and it was on like Donkey Kong as many video game fans and their favorite mascots hedgehogged the spotlight.

There has been great excitement that Super Mario would swoop in and save San Francisco’s struggling Union Square when it was announced just about a year ago that Nintendo would open a San Francisco store in Union Square, only the second  Nintendo store in the whole US. And the news dropped in in March that the store would be opening on May 15 at 331 Powell Street in the Westin St. Francis hotel.

Well, here it is that magic mushroom day, and NBC Bay Area reports that the Nintendo store did indeed open, and to large crowds at that. But you probably didn’t go, because an advance pass was required, and those sold out almost immediately when they became available at the beginning of May.

But if you want a look at the place, CNET has a store preview, as does the Chronicle. The Examiner’s tour of the store notes that the “two-level store is organized by game franchise, beginning with Mario, who shares space with location-specific merch displaying the ‘Nintendo SAN FRANCISCO’ logo such as hoodies, water bottles, and t-shirts.”

The Chronicle coverage also notes that yes, the SF Nintendo store will have the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 console when it goes on sale June 5.

Still, if you want to visit the store, you’ll probably have to cool your heels a bit longer. The advance “Warp Pipe Pass” will still be required to set foot in that Nintendo store through Sunday, May 18. So you won’t be able to buy your Mario or Pokemon costumes there in time for Bay to Breakers. The Warp Pipe Pass will also be required on Memorial Day weekend (May 23 - 26). It’s unclear whether those passes are currently available, but the Warp Pipe Pass requires having a Nintendo account.

Regardless, you can still visit the store next Monday through Thursday from 10 am - 8 pm, and every day starting on Tuesday, May 27.

Related: Nintendo Announces They’re Opening a Store in SF’s Union Square, Only Their Second Store in the US [SFist]

Image: @alialmossawi via Twitter

Photo: Luke Galloway

Mario, Luigi, and Pokémon are swooping in to hopefully save San Francisco’s Union Square, as the video game giant Nintendo just announced they’re taking over one of the many vacant retail spots in the beleaguered shopping district sometime in 2025.

SFist noted in our coverage of last weekend’s Bay to Breakers race that there was a disproportionate number of Super Mario and Nintendo-themed costumes, which has been the case for years. But Party City may soon face some stiff competition for where these Nintendo fans are buying their Mario and Pokémon costume merchandise.

The Chronicle reports that the video game company’s US division, Nintendo of America, just announced Friday morning that they’re opening a Nintendo merchandise store in Union Square, which would be only the second Nintendo store in the US.

The announcement from Nintendo, seen above, is brief but still exciting. “Nintendo of America today announced plans to open an official store in San Francisco’s iconic Union Square, providing a way for a wide range of visitors from near and far to experience the world of Nintendo, its products, and characters,” it says. “The store, called Nintendo SAN FRANCISCO, will open in 2025 as the second official location in the US, joining the store in New York City.”

Mayor London Breed was quick to jump on and celebrate the news.

“@NintendoAmerica just announced they are opening a second store in the U.S. — right here in the ❤️ of San Francisco,” Breed said on Xitter just before 8 am Friday. “This is great news for Union Square and fans from everywhere! We’re excited  for San Francisco’s future and look forward to welcoming this iconic brand to our City.”

Of course, what’s lacking in these announcements is where the store will be located, other than the broad description that it will be in “San Francisco’s iconic Union Square.” But it’s no secret that Union Square has record retail vacancies at the moment, with an April report from Cushman & Wakefield noting that 20.6% of Union Square retail spaces are currently vacant.

As noted, there is only one other Nintendo store in the US. These Yelp pictures give you a sense of what that store is like, with plush dolls, action figures, t-shirts and merchandise related to Nintendo’s pantheon of video game characters, plus copies of the games, consoles, and a giant screen for people to play Nintendo games on.

Related: Pokémon Go Creating Security Nightmare For IT People [SFist]

Image: David G. via Yelp

Do you remember classic brainteaser puzzles like the one where you have to put wolves and chickens on rafts, but only in certain combinations? Or the one where you have to draw things without picking up your pen, and without redrawing a line? Of course you do.

Now, there’s a video game that features all of these puzzles, all wrapped into a story of lost treasure, murder, kidnapping, and other mysteries. It’s called Professor Layton and the Curious Village, and it’s both extremely fun and utterly frustrating.

One of the best looking games ever to appear on the Nintendo DS, with Professor Layton and the Curious Village you will find hand-drawn animation in parts, and also some pretty decent voice acting. (Alas, there’s also some scratch-your-eyes-out bad voice acting, but not too much of that.) The art is reminiscent of Studio Ghibli or , without being a straight rip-off.

The basic concept of the game is that you arrive in town, and everybody (including the cat) has a puzzle for you at every turn. This can be humorous in parts. “Sure, I’ll help you chase down the kidnapper who needs to be caught before he escapes town, but first will you tell me how to get from point A to point B without taking any left turns, and without retracing your steps?”

If you find yourself stumped by any of these puzzles, and you will be (unless you Google the answers), you can buy hints with hint coins. The first hint is useless if you have ever solved any puzzle, but the second and third hints can be useful. You’ll have to find “hint coins” throughout the village, and they are in limited supply, so you can’t just go around asking for hints without consequence.

Tournaments will be held in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston, with the winners of each city going to finals in New York. San Francisco's chance at playing will be on February 23 at 1015 Folsom, starting at 2 PM. The first 256 people at the door will get a chance to play, along with $10 Best Buy cards. While that's a lot of people to battle, the prizes are very sweet. According to Nintendo:

The grand prize winner will receive a crystal-coated Wii with a design from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a home theater system from Best Buy and a copy of the game. The second-place finisher will receive one Wii system and Wii Remote, one copy of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and a $1,000 Best Buy gift card. The third-place finisher will receive a Wii and Wii Remote, a copy of the game and a $500 Best Buy gift card. The fourth-place finisher will receive a Wii, an extra Wii Remote, a copy of the game and a $250 Best Buy gift card.

We already decided to only leave the house for essentials this weekend, like liquor and toothpaste, so we were thrilled to stumble upon one last 'best of' list for 2007. Craftster, the hub for all things handmade has compiled the most comprehensive list of the best craft projects from 2007. A bonus of this forum-based site is that most crafters post step-by-step instructions and photos for making the projects they list. We're bookmarking this for a little DIY inspiration in 2008.

Some of our favorites on the list include; the amazing reversible Uno Dress pictured here, the Embroidered Plush Nintendo System, this Bright Red Dress made from XL t-shirts, the transformation of these Wedding Shoes, and this reusable Plastic Bag made from plastic bags, a perfect project for SF residents depressed about the plastic bag ban.

He truly exemplifies the Japanese concept of Jinba-Ittai (人馬一体), the unity, the oneness between rider and horse.

He's not cloistered inside with the Nintendo Wii or the Guitar Hero. No, he's out there in the turning world. His simple message: "Have Fun On Bikes."

And what's wrong with that?

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This week's show recommendations: Hurry up and head over to Amoeba at 6pm for a chance to see Okkervil River perform for free and then get a free, limited edition CD sampler when you purchase their new one The Stage Names (while supplies last, of course). Later on this evening you have a serious wealth of options to see good music. Our dear friend Ashod Simonian is on the road with Stereo Total who play tonight at Bimbo's with The Octopus Project. Ashod's toured with many a great band and recently put out a book called Real Fun which features 100+ candid Polaroids of musicians on tour during their downtime, including Spoon, Death Cab, Jenny Lewis, Broken Social Scene and tons more plus a CD with tracks by Irving, Dios Malos and Norfolk & Western. Over at the Warfield, Rilo Kiley perform songs from their new one Under The Blacklight (which we don't think sounds at all like Fleetwood Mac, for the record) with Lewis' man-friend Jonathan Rice and Grand Ole Party. Cafe Du Nord's got the oddly-named pair of Joan As Police Woman plus Michael Zapruder's Rain of Frogs. Bottom of the Hill presents Sacramento's nostalgic Nintendo-music tribute band The Advantage with Them Hills and The Lovely Public. For some local music, you could see Thee More Shallows at Hemlock or Eats Tapes and Lemonade at Rickshaw Stop.

According to Game Informer Online, Nintendo of America may be relocating -- and one of the rumoured destination cities is right here in San Francisco. More employment opportunities are always good, especially establsihed companies that can bring some economic stability -- not to mention fun aspects like more local video-game testing opportunities.

Of course, another rumoured option is New York. Not fair. Wii propose a video-game-off, San Francisco's best versus New York's. Winner gets Nintendo; loser has to buy a PS3 at full price-- from Best Buy.

Of course, we're still scouring the internets for any hint of game news. There's plenty of coverage all over the place, in particular GameSpot's media blitz and Joystiq's ongoing blog updates, dealing with the horrors of E3 so we don't have to. But what if you're only casually interested in videogames, and you don't care about all the lights and noise and information overload? Well, we cover the internet coverage so you don't have to. Here are our highlights:

Console Wars
Both the Sony Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii were fully unveiled to the public. The general consensus is that Wii won. Nintendo played up its motion-sensing remote controller, which now includes a speaker. Its first-party games such as and Super Mario Galaxy will use the remote to simulate shooting arrows, swinging swords, fishing, and hopping over boss monsters and eating mushrooms.

The PS3, on the other hand, will be extremely expensive and larger and heavier than the original Xbox. Much like the Xbox 360's release, the PS3 will come in two varieties: the outrageous $499 for a stripped down version, and the no-way-you've-got-to-be-kidding $599 for the version that people actually want. The biggest difference between the two versions is hard drive size: 20GB versus 60GB. Also notable is that the 20GB version has no HDMI output, support for other memory cards, or wireless internet.

More after the jump. Image of The Staples Center the burned-out husk of a ruined city from Metal Gear Solid 4 on Konami's website.

Nintendo gave bloggers-who-think-they're-funny a present on Thursday by announcing the new name for their upcoming Revolution console (). It's going to be called "Wii."

Seriously. With a "distinctive ii spelling" that's pronounced like "we," "wee," "oui," and "Wheee!" Early buzz has been somewhat less than favorable. In Nintendo's defense, the company was forced to come up with a distinctive name to compete with another upcoming console, the Sony Deuxdi.

Kotaku has an entry about our state assemblyman, Leland Yee, and his ongoing quest to ride the coattails of the hot-button topic of the moment keep our kids safe from Grand Theft Auto. Yee spoke with a writer for gaming site 1Up.com, defending his position as being in the best interest of kids while still preserving the free speech rights for adults. Hal Halpin of the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association responded to the article by pointing out that the statistics Yee used while making his argument were inaccurate, and that videogame merchants do just as good a job at policing themselves as movie theaters do.

News on Redwood Shores' favorite "sweat shop", after the jump.

Image from the Dutch site Puppycursus in Zeist which we can't read but looks awesome.

Microsoft announced on Tuesday that its Vista operating system won't be released until January of next year (link from CNet news.com). Office 2007 is also delayed to come out in tandem with the new OS.

PC manufacturer Dell bought gamer-targeted manufacturer Alienware (link from Ars Technica). Alienware will continue to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary, and at least at the moment, Dell continues to sell its own ludicrously expensive high-end gaming machines, the XPS series.

The Game Developers Conference has been going on in San Jose (link to GameSpot's coverage). Highlights so far have been Nintendo head Satoru Iwata's keynote about the company's plans for the Revolution and the Nintendo DS, and a presentation from Will Wright of Maxis talking about the influences towards the design of Spore. Wright is also guest editor of this month's game-centric issue of Wired magazine.

And because it wouldn't be the SFist Tech Labs without mentioning Apple: Gizmodo.com is passing along a rumor that seems to give more weight to all the speculation about an upcoming iPod cell phone.