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We’ve covered all the games, but what about the toys, peripherals, clothes, and every other gaming tchotchke that fans love to unwrap during the holidays? Nintendojo has all that covered, too, so read on for the ultimate gear and goodies to push your gift-giving to the next level!
Play Nintendo Downloads
Price: Free!
Shopping on a budget? Avoid paying for anything by heading to the Play Nintendo website where there are a ton of printable goodies on offer, including Mario paper craft figures, Chibi-Robo! rulers, and much more. There’s digital stuff on offer, too, like wallpapers and quizzes, but if you want to be a little DIY this holiday season, Play Nintendo is an excellent resource for doing exactly that while adding some gamer flair to your efforts.
WaterField CitySlicker 3DS Case
Price: $59
From our review:
“The CitySlicker is a case made for people who know what they want in a case, but couldn’t figure out how they wanted it presented. From its almost poetic style to its incredibly sumptuous looks, the expectations for this case are exceedingly high. Things that are simply built with such devotion usually focus on how to perfect one thing and leave else to the wayside, but here, the extra mile was taken.”
PDP Wired Fight Pad for Super Smash Bros. Wii U
Price: $19.99-$24.99
From our impressions:
“I generally am wary of third-party controllers. From rigid buttons to frequent malfunctions, it can be hit or miss buying a controller from a company that isn’t Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft. PDP, however, seems to have gotten its faux GameCube controllers right, as far as I’m concerned. As someone who owns the GameCube controller adapter and several GameCube controllers, I’ve still found myself using these PDP pads almost exclusively. They’re the sort of fan service, frankly, that I wish Nintendo would do itself. PDP’s Wired Fight Pads are fun to look at, fun to use, and aren’t a bank breaker.”
Donkey Kong Barrel Game Card Storage
Price: $9.99
It’s easy to lose track of stray DS and 3DS games; they’re not much bigger than a Cheez-It, after all. There are plenty of utilitarian plastic cases and zipper pouches to buy to solve that problem, but why not try something a little more… stylish by picking up this exceptional DK Barrel for storage of your cartridges and styluses, instead? It’s rocking a great mold of the famous barrels, and it’s also a steal at ten bucks.
Power A Amiibo End-Level Display
Price: $29.99
Though they’re known for their functionality with various games, Amiibo themselves are first and foremost toys. Very finely crafted and detailed toys that look a lot like miniatured high-end statues. As such, Amiibo are fun to display, but it can be tricky thinking up good ways to go about it. Thankfully, the fine folks at Power A have come up with a variety of different stands and displays over the past few months to help gamers get creative with showcasing their Amiibo, including everything from a plastic Mario pipe to plant the figurines in, to more traditional, clear plastic cubes. Their best effort so far, though, has to be this recreation of the iconic Super Mario Bros. end of level approach and flag pole!
Super Mario Hot Wheels
Price: $3.99
This isn’t the first time that Super Mario (or other Nintendo franchises, for that matter) has been featured on die-cast cars, but these six Hot Wheels have been created specially in recognition of the franchise’s 30th anniversary! They’re fairly hard to find in the wild, but stores like GameStop have been loading up on them lately, and they make great stocking stuffers.
Super Mario Maker 4-Piece Ornament Set and Snow Globe (GameStop Exclusive)
Prices: Ornament set $4.99 | Snow Globe $8.99
You’ll have to trek over to GameStop in person or go to its website in order to get hold of the retailer’s exclusive Super Mario Maker ornaments and snow globe. Both would make any Nintendo diehard extremely happy, and they’re decorative, to boot; so either gift them to someone else, or treat yourself and use the excuse that your home needed decorations for the holidays! They’re still fairly available, for the most part, so try to avoid paying Internet scalpers double the price, if you can.
Hori Battle Pads for Super Smash Bros. Wii U
Price: $23.99
Not to be outdone by PDP, Hori has its own line of excellent Smash Bros. controllers available for purchase. The Hori controllers offer its own array of designs, and come with their own take on the GameCube controller. These pads also have turbo options, for those interested. The Pikachu controller alone is worth a look!
The Legend of Zelda Microland Playsets
Price: $16.99
Jakks Pacific makes some pretty awesome Nintendo toys, and the company hasn’t slowed down a bit as of late, with the latest waves of its World of Nintendo figures and Microland playsets hitting store shelves. The World of Nintendo line now offers Shy Guy, Deku Link, Skull Kid, Fox, and others, while the Microland series has expanded to encompass The Legend of Zelda. The Wind Waker has served as the basis for all the sets released to date, but easily one of the coolest available is this one of Toon Link and the King of Red Lions!
Legends of Localization Book 1: The Legend of Zelda by Clyde Mandelin
Price: $29.99
For video game history buffs or those who are simply curious about the intricacies of game localization, this book should be a must-read! It’s written by Clyde Mandelin, who maintains a website dedicated to detailing the history of gaming localization, including titles like EarthBound and Super Mario Bros. We hope to have an in-depth look at this title in the coming weeks, but if Mandelin’s work on the website is any indication, this should be a fascinating title for fans to keep their eyes on. Hit up the link above to head over to Fangamer where you can pre-order a copy (shipping late December) straight from the publisher!
Yahtzee: The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition
Price: $19.95 to $29.95
It’s Yahtzee… but with Zelda! What more do you need to know?! Besides the fact that it comes with this awesome Zelda treasure chest in place of the standard cup, of course. And that there’s a Super Mario Bros. edition available, too. Seriously, though, Zelda Yahtzee! Yay!
Zelda Necklaces (Hot Topic Exclusive)
Price: $10.50
Younger readers won’t need much persuasion, but for those needing motivation to walk head high and proud into a Hot Topic, these Zelda necklaces should be able to do the trick. There are three to choose from: Navi in a bottle, the Master Sword and Hylian Shield, and the Ocarina of Time. They’re finely crafted and appear fairly unisex, so guys and gals alike can be Hylian fashion-forward. Hot Topic tends to run some buy-one, get-one sales this time of year, so if you happen upon the mall when one is happening, you have even more incentive to pick one (or all!) of them up. Hot Topic carries a lot of other Nintendo and gaming-related goodies besides what we’ve highlighted here; check them all out!
Sonic the Hedgehog Throw (Target Exclusive)
Price: $14.99
Sonic on a soft, warm blanket, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, a chili dog in one hand, a GameCube controller in the other with Sonic Adventure 2 booted up– what more could a human being want in life? We can’t tell you where to get the rest, but the blanket is definitely (well, likely, unless it’s sold-out!) sitting in the bedding aisle of the local Target and waiting to be taken home. The throw features awesome imagery from the original Genesis Sonic titles, making it a retro gamer’s dream!
Gaming Graphic Tees
Prices: Various
So far we’ve been specific about which items to buy, but for this entry we’re being a little vague because, well, there are a ton of mainstream retailers that are carrying a number of video game graphic tees this holiday season! Stores like Kohl, J.C. Penney, Walmart, Sears, Hot Topic, and more are offering t-shirts with the likes of Sonic, Super Mario, Duck Hunt, Mortal Kombat, Mega Man, and more at rock-bottom prices. The sheer volume of these shirts and the variety of retailers offering them is pretty unprecedented, so if you’re in the market for gaming tees, this holiday is the time to stock up for yourself, friends, or relatives!
UDON Capcom Fighting Tribute
Price: $49.99 to $59.99
UDON Entertainment has been producing stellar video game art books for years now, specializing (though not limited to) in a number of Capcom titles. This latest release is a compilation of art work from both professional and amateur artists in tribute to the video game developers’ various fighting games. From Street Fighter to Darkstalkers, this book will have readers’ eyes glued to its pages– and surely inspire the creative minds of any artists who come across it, too! Be sure to check out UDON’s other gaming art books, including ones based on Marvel vs. Capcom, Mega Man, Okami, and more.
First 4 Figures Zero Statue
Price: $299
We’ve strayed into the luxury gift area of gaming collectibles, but the quality of First 4 Figures’ work is undeniable and irresistible. The only problem with these statues is that they tend to be incredibly scarce unless collectors pounce on pre-orders as soon as they’re announced. If you have deep enough pockets, this exclusive Zero statue is worth a look, along with other pieces based on Sonic the Hedgehog, the Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and more. Zero won’t be available until 2016 (pre-order early, though!), but there are plenty of others that can be ordered just in time for the holidays!
Pokémon Trainers Choice Legendary 3 Pack: Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza
Price: $29.99
Toy manufacturer Tomy has been putting out a number of these “black box” Pokémon products for a couple of years now, which are notable for their more sophisticated packaging and premium figurines. There are numerous other Pokémon toys to snag from the “black box” line, but this new set of Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza is particularly cool. Toys “R” Us tends to carry these toys in the greatest abundance, but they can be found at other retailers like GameStop, too.
That’s just a sampling of the toys, clothes, and accessories available for holiday shoppers; what do you recommend? Share your finds in the comments!
As an adult, I was way to excited about The Legend of Zelda Microland Playsets then I probably should be :)
I’d also add that another great book to pick up is the Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia (although it’s been out for a couple of years now).
I’ve never known about the Play Nintendo site until now.
It’s an awesome sight. It’s all digital stuff, but it’s pretty cool how many free things there are to enjoy/download/print/etc. =)
Awesome List! I had never seen the Wind Waker Microland playsets. I really dig the Jakks Pacific Nintendo products.
They rocked my world the first time I saw them! Target is carrying some of the new World of Nintendo plushies, too, including Toon Link in his crawfish pajamas. I have a no stuffed animals rule for my collection (that I still sometimes break, sigh), but I won’t judge any man who makes the plush plunge. These Nintendo ones are definitely worth it.
Robert: “I have a no stuffed animals rule for my collection.”
We agree on something! Lol.
And thanks for the Target tip btw.