If you’ve ever dreamt of hoarding official Nintendo merch without hopping on a plane to Tokyo, your oddly specific wish is about to come true.

Nintendo is bringing its wildly popular pop-up store back to Jewel Changi Airport, and it’s not messing around. From 25 April to 24 July, Singapore will be the only place outside Japan where fans can snag over 500 Nintendo-themed goodies, including more than 150 fresh and exclusive items themed after iconic franchises like Super Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Splatoon, and Pikmin. Yes, that means you can finally own a plush of a screaming squid or a Pikmin that looks like it pays taxes.

This retail comeback is helmed by Benelic Singapore, who sneakily teased it on 1 April—which, let’s face it, most of us dismissed as another April Fool’s Day prank.

But oh, it’s real. And it’s not just a glorified gift shop either.

Step inside Jewel and you’ll also find Mario Kart-themed installations, including a giant tribute to the infamous Rainbow Road—the track that ruined friendships and taught us the true meaning of gravity (or the lack of it).

There’s even a stamp rally challenge to make your shopping spree feel like a side quest. Collect six fancy tokens scattered throughout the mall and you’ll be rewarded with a blind box Mario Kart sticker pack. It’s delightfully random, much like the game itself.

Feeling lucky? Between 25 April and 6 July, drop SG$80 (~RM270) at participating outlets and you’ll earn a gachapon token for a sure-win prize. No luck? You can also buy a go at the machines for SG$6 via the Changi App. And if you’re paying with Mastercard, you’ll score a bonus token, because capitalism loves you just a little more when you swipe right.

Oh, and in May, a photo challenge will let you earn even more tokens. Just snap a pic with the Mario Kart setups at Forest Valley, slap it on your socials, and follow Jewel Changi’s accounts like the good digital citizen you are. More details on that are racing your way soon.

This isn’t Jewel’s first rodeo with Nintendo either—the last pop-up ran from November 2023 to January 2024, and by the time it ended, the only thing emptier than the shelves was your bank account.

So mark your calendars, charge your phones, and maybe set aside some savings. Nintendo fever will take over Changi for the next three months, and your wallet might not survive Rainbow Road. And even then, you may want to have some left over as the Nintendo Switch 2 is looming on the horizon. While Nintendo hasn’t officially dropped the bombshell in terms of Singapore pricing, it’s safe to assume it won’t come cheap.

Nintendo’s next-gen handheld-console hybrid is officially priced at US$449.99, but if you’re hoping to grab one in Singapore, brace yourself. With SST (Sales and Services Tax) and the usual import mark-ups, it’s reasonable to expect the Switch 2 to cost 10–20% more than its US sticker price.

That puts it somewhere around SG$660 to SG$730, depending on how generous—or diabolical—retailers decide to be. Regional pricing has a way of turning launch hype into financial horror stories.

No word yet on whether the Jewel pop-up will tease or take pre-orders for it, but if you’re already halfway to bankruptcy thanks to Mario plushies and blind box stickers, you might want to start fattening up that savings account now.