My husband and I stumbled upon this gaming store by happenstance. We were having dinner next door…read moreat Phu-Yen when my husband spotted it on the way into the restaurant, so we popped in after dinner. It looked like they were having some sort of boardgame playing event with kids when we were there. They had tables set up and an employee was explaining the rules of some game. We browsed quickly, but from what we saw they had a good selection of board games. I saw Dix-it, Ticket to Ride, various versions of Fluxx, various versions of Munchkin and other cool games. Prices were comparable to other game stores. In addition to board games, they also had videogames, including older stuff like original Nintendo and Gameboy! They had some figurines and also lots of different types of dice. Since staff seemed to be busy with the event, we were left to our own devices to browse, which I prefer anyway. They did thank us for coming in when we left though and they seemed friendly. It's a cool store for games if you're in Kanata North. It's in a strip mall with lots of parking.

From the owner: We sell video games, board games and magic the gathering singles.read more

Wow, what a beautiful place to buy retro-games! I have to say that the presentation is great; all…read moreof the games are featured in a way that makes it easy to find what you're looking for - and you will probably find what you're looking for! They have everything retro games and even some current/next gen stuff but the focus is clearly retro. In addition, there are plush/plastic toys and even Lego. The owner is very helpful and the atmosphere in general is pleasant. Stock: Most popular titles for all game systems; they also have common underrated games. If you're looking for a particular gaming system, they will have that too. Price: For a game player,? If you want to play Mega Man 2, you will find it here for a fair price and be happy with your purchase. Price: For a collector? Well, you will enjoy your visit for sure but this is not a thrift store; that doesn't mean you won't find a good deal though. Overall a welcome store to the Ottawa area. There are simply not enough stores that showcase retro-games so well. So check it out if you're visiting Ottawa or just enjoy retro-gaming.

What can I say about GameZetera other than the fact I still don't think I pronounce their name…read morecorrectly when I say it... I've gone there a handful of times, done a couple trade-ins and bought a few things. Simply put, they have a really nice selection of retro games, that's for sure. No matter what game you are looking for chances are they have it in stock. The only down side is their prices rival what you find on eBay so don't expect to be able to acquire a large number of cheap games for your own collection here. Personally, I think they would move a lot more product if they dropped the prices of retro games by about 20%. But I don't really think that's what they want to do as it seems the owners treat the place like their own personal retro game collection where they're more interested in having and holding all these games rather than selling them. It also seems that they are gradually moving move away from retro games and into trading card, sports memorabilia and card games like Magic and Pokemon. Most games start at about $20 for all the retro systems (NES, SNES, N64..etc.) and go up quickly from there. It's not uncommon to see a title you can pick up on eBay for a flat $20 with shipping being sold at GameZetera for $30 + 13% tax. There are only a few titles for less but usually it's because the cartridge is trashed with a ripped label or permanent marker scribbled on it. Either that or it's a widely unpopular title that no one wants or has even heard of. Beyond retro games and consoles they also have trading cards, some sports memorabilia, various geeky knickknacks like wallets, hats and backpacks. They also have some random game guides/books, a few older PC games and other random game related items. Sadly, it's clear though that they don't take any pride in their inventory. While they did TRY to organize the titles at some point often when going in you'll find 'B' titles scattered in with the 'R' titles and so on. They've also got several giant bins of mis-mashed stuff just tossed in. There's game cases, games, cables, toys..etc. All totally unorganized and caked with dirt. Speaking of dirt - I'm convinced they don't clean the games that come in beyond a token blowing in the cartridge. Every cartridge game I have bought there I've have to clean myself at home with alcohol and Q-Tips before it would even work as the pins are dark and caked with grime. As well, when you get a receipt from them all games are listed simply as "game" with an arbitrary price beside it. No inventory number, description or anything. Honestly it's 1 step above a hand scribbled note saying "you buyed stuffz for $22.60 - come again". They're fairly responsive on Facebook though there's been times it's taken them a couple days to answer a simple question about their stock. Really, it would be nice if they had a live inventory of their games on their website - maybe even allowed online orders that you could pickup. But you can tell they just don't care enough to do this. But when you're the only "game" in town for a place that's dedicated to retro video games I suppose you can get away with that sort of thing. Bottom line, It's worth just popping in if you're in the area as just looking at everything they have is an experience in of itself. A trip down memory lane as it were to which there is no admission fee. If you're looking for something specific, chances are they will have it but expect to pay top dollar for it.

Staff are very aggressive and not helpful. When my son and I realized we weren't going to buy…read moreanything, we figured we would just get some gift cards so he could either purchase a movie or DLC or use them as a gift to a friend. The manager when into a long rant about the demerits of purchasing cards and we should decide on a game and buy it. Then they wanted us to sign up for their EDGE card. We asked if we could simply just purchase the gift cards, and they continued to press the issue. We will not be returning back to this company ever. Overall and bad experience.

Fantastic service. I was looking for non-violent games as a woman and the man didn't condescend to…read moreme at all.

I accidentally stumbled upon Toy Heaven during a Google search. I'm thankful I did. I ordered a few…read moreitems I've wanted for sometime and the price and customer experience were both excellent. My items arrived in great packaging with a couple fun cards too :) I'm looking forward to ordering again in the future and hopefully visit someday. Highly recommended!

I never thought I would feel so compelled to write a review for a shop I haven't even had the…read morepleasure of visiting in person but here we are! Toy Heaven is AMAZING. I discovered them online and marveled at their selection of rather rare toys at really excellent prices (not to mention I love their selection of gently used toys, too- I hate seeing perfectly good toys thrown out when other children can be enjoying them). Since I live on the other end of the country, I had some questions before purchasing. The staff were SO kind and knowledgeable, got back to me very quickly (over and over again- sorry, guys!) and went out of their way to help. I cannot recommend Toy Heaven enough, I will certainly buy more from them in the future. On behalf of me and my 4-year-old daughter- THANK YOU!!

Used to love going here but my October visit will be my last…read more They seem to forgot they are located in a flea market, refused to negotiate at all on my last visit while insisting that they never did. While in truth every time in the past when i visited I would spend a few hundred dollars and get a bit of money off the sticker price being a flea market and all. May as well go to Gamezetera and avoid these greedy owners. Move out of the flea market if you are a legit business please, quit pretending.

From the owner: Located inside the Stittsville Flea Market, we have one of the largest selections of Retro and Used…read moreGames in the Ottawa. Come visit us this Sunday and take a trip down memory lane.

This store is a bit of a hidden gem. The only store that I know in Gatineau for retro gaming and…read morecollectibles. They've got Pokemon TCG, various old consoles; Xbox, Nintendo, SEGA, etc, as well as figurines and other collectible items. It's hidden in the strip mall across from the Promenade Mall. The parking lot is accessible and I've never had issues. The service at the store is good, what I like about it is that they usually leave you alone to browse and don't get in your face like at most stores. It's a good place to get a gift as well.

I only review stores that sell retro-games - see my other reviews if you want to see more…read more If you live in or are visiting the Ottawa/Gatineau area and you are into Retro Gaming you must stop in at The Blue Gryphon! What an awesome store - they have everything retro-gaming. Also, their prices are very reasonable. If you have some retro (or newer) games they will accept them in trade too. They also sell retro consoles. Sega fan - they got tonnes! Nintendo - tonnes! Turbo-Grafx 16 - some Neo Geo - some Playstation - lots Playstation 2 - tonnes! Xbox - lots Gamecube - lots. They have another store at 380 Notre-Dame but this location just recently opened up and, because it is a bigger store, has more stock. Additionally, this store has regular store hours; open daily. And they have a HUGE amount of stock. Most popular games are available and many can be purchased complete in box. The staff are very friendly and are ready to help if you need anything. The owner attends many conventions and, as a result, is always bringing in lots of variety. If you are looking for a specific title, just ask; they will make a note of it and when they get it, give you a call. I live in Ottawa and have been to ALL the retro-gaming stores in the area - don't pass through without checking it out, you will not be disappointed.

Bought a used game Gold edition (came with all dlcs). Got home and loaded it up. Noticed the dlcs…read moredidn't install and I wasn't given a code to do it myself. Contacted customer service who told me they didn't have to give me a code for the dlcs because it's a used game (Even though when I bought the game I was charged for the gold version.)

Tried to buy a new wii game today, 5 people in line - one guy on cash the other buried in boxes,…read morestood beside him waiting to ask a simple question. He stood up wouldn't even look at me and went to till after 5 min. Ridiculous customer service - screw them, I took my 6 year old and went shopping for games at Best Buy!

Video store owner Barry is quite polite and knowledgeable on the various videos he has and always…read morehas a recommendation. Phoenix Video is a nice little video store with lots of options and some toys! Bubble gum machine to try your luck in getting a black gum for a free rental.

So Westboro Books is a bookstore that recently (October 2023) opened up where The Wild Child…read moreProject used to be (before that it was Cococo Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut). They obviously have books, of all genres, but they have so much more than books. They have board games/card games and they have toys too, including Celestial Buddies, which are plushies of planets, moons and all things, well... celestial, lol. I especially liked the Saturn plushie. They have "Every Child Matters" stuffed bears as well. They have really cool bookmarks (I especially liked the Spaghetti and Meatballs bookmark). They have earrings that are book covers! Perfect for the bibliophile in your life who also loves jewelry (and has their ears pierced). The bookstore is very open and not cluttered at all. They had some shelves still empty when I went the first week of November 2023, so I think they will be getting more merchandise. Prices are comparable to other regular bookstores. No bargain basement prices, but no huge markup for being in trendy Westboro, lol. Staff are friendly and pleasant. They leave you alone to browse, which I like, but seemed helpful with other customers who needed help (I did not need help, so did not interact too much with staff). Great place to pick up gifts. They are definitely a welcomed addition to Westboro! Street parking only.

This is an amazing new addition to our neighborhood. A new independent book store that is huge…read moreselection of books with a great kids section. Also a nice choice for unique small gifts. Prices are great and yiy have the added value of contributing to a local independent store..almost forgot to mention how nice and knowledgeable the owner is, I got great service a was able to get all my question answered. She also mentioned she intends to host book related events and have kids events which will be perfect for winter. Definitely added to my fevorite places list.