If there’s one thing that’s become a regular at your local box stores and comic/toy shops, it’s an abundance of Nintendo and video game collectibles and goodies. From miniature arcade cabinets to killer socks, there’s video game merchandise for collectors of all sizes and stripes. We’ve narrowed down some of the best your money can buy, all in the hopes that you can earn yourself the title of “Shopper of the Year” in your household!
Free Downloads
Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you make yourself. Luckily, Nintendo can help get you started with that via its website Play Nintendo. It’s a place full of all sorts of different things, including free downloads of everything from gift tags to coloring sheets and much, much more in between. Take advantage of it! It’s a wonderful resource.
PDP Super Mario Collectors Pins— Series 4: Enemies ($4.99)
PDP has been quietly making these gorgeous enamel Super Mario pins for years now, with this fourth series focused exclusively on the plumber’s enemies. Who can resist that Shy Guy pin for five bucks? Certainly not me!
Think Geek Pokémon Pikachu Coin Bank ($49.99)
This adorable little bank features a mechanical Pikachu that pushes the lid open once a coin has been deposited, then takes its paw and swipes the cash into the container. Great for a shelf or desk!
Fangamer SNK NEO GEO Schematics T-Shirt ($24)
Fangamer is one of the best sites around when it comes to unique, stunning pieces of video game memorabilia and collectibles. Their shirts are always eye-catching and this NEO GEO Schematics top is easily one of the coolest they’ve ever made. Keep in mind that in this writer’s experience the sizing skews towards slim fits, so make your purchases accordingly.
Banjo-Kazooie Totaku ($9.99)
Totaku are basically Amiibo without any sort of NFC functionality. They’re just really pretty figurines boasting a ton of different characters from across platforms beyond Nintendo’s. That said, there are some exceptions like the iconic bear and bird duo above who made their debut on Nintendo 64. There are a bunch of Totaku to buy, including ones based on Sonic the Hedgehog, Yu-Gi-Oh, Crash Bandicoot, and more, but they can be hard to find… which really makes them like Amiibo, come to think of it.
Thinking Studios Pokémon Poké Ball Waffle Maker ($19.99)
Act fast because this special Poké Ball shaped waffle maker is on sale for only 20 bucks at GameStop right now! Waffles + Pokémon is a total no-brainer insta-purchase, people!
Good Smile Company Corocoroid Kirby Figurine ($7.99)
There are four of these beautifully detailed blind box (randomly assorted) plastic figurines available from Good Smile Company, with each offering a different face for Kirby and item for him to hold. This one was found at a Hot Topic, but there are undoubtedly plenty of other locales to get it from!
Bandai Mega Man Series 2 Figurines ($7.99)
This is the second series of these Mega Man figurines from Bandai. They’re imports, but can readily be found at places like Barnes & Noble or local toy/comic shops. There are five possible figures to collect, but these are blind boxes, so it’ll be about the luck of the draw if you’re looking for one in particular!
Hallmark 2018 Nintendo Keepsake Ornaments ($17.99-$19.99)
Hallmark has now for a second year in a row produced Nintendo-themed Keepsake ornaments for fans to go crazy over. This year’s offerings include Super Mario Kart and NES Link ornaments as well as the above Donkey Kong arcade cabinet (which plays authentic music and sounds and lights up!).
Funko Pop Pokémon Pikachu ($8.99)
This special Pop figurine is exclusive to Target and is also available in a (harder to find) larger version, as well. If the lack of pupils disturbs you, a quick blob of paint or White Out will do the trick!
Super Mario Odyssey Socks ($9.99)
To be clear, this is a single example of dozens if not hundreds of different video game socks available on the market. They can come in single pairs, multipacks, and everything in between. It’s a glorious time to be a sock collector and a fan of video games.
Dark Horse The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia- Deluxe Edition ($75.99)
There’s a standard edition of the Zelda Encyclopedia, of course, but why not go all-out with this insanely cool Deluxe Edition that mimics the form factor of an NES cartridge? It’s stuffed with information on the entire Legend of Zelda series and a must-read for fans.
Fangamer Hyper Light Drifter— Drifter Figurine ($24.99)
Hyper Light Drifter is a gem of a game and there’s quite possibly no cooler lead character than the nameless “drifter” himself. Own this delightful replica of the character, which is sold through Fangamer’s web storefront.
Super Mario Princess Insulated Travel Bottle & Tea Infuser ($19.99)
These bottles are ridiculously high in quality and able to maintain the temperature of the contents of the bottle for hours. They’re also gorgeous, coming in two variants (a red Cappy theme and a blue Yoshi theme) that will make it hard to choose between all three. Target tends to carry these if you’re looking for one in the wild!
Splatoon Playing Cards ($9.99)
These beautiful playing cards are adorned with a variety of Splatoon-related images. They’re only available from Nintendo’s online store, as far as I can tell. That shop is definitely a resource to look into for oddities that you won’t find anywhere else!
Super Mario Magic-8 Ball ($12.99)
This special Magic-8 Ball is not only shaped like an iconic question mark block, it also has responses based on how everyone’s favorite plumber is known to talk!
Think Geek The Legend of Zelda Master Sword Letter Opener ($9.99)
There’s no better way to open your mail than with this letter opener! We don’t recommend doing a spin attack, though.
Jakks Mega Man Deluxe Figure ($39.99)
Jakks Pacific has a ton of different Mega Man figures for sale right now. Some are pixelated, 8-bit representations of the character, while there are others like this enormous Deluxe Figure which skew more realistic. It also emits a bunch of authentic Mega Man noises, making it a really cool item for collectors.
NEO GEO mini ($109.99)
This is SNK’s version of the “classic” console craze. There’s the Japanese and International editions available, plus a special Christmas edition that comes in a unique red and gold color theme. There are 40 different games packed into each, with different rosters of games depending on which version of the NEO GEO mini you purchase. They can be hard to find but are a great way of reliving these legendary games!
Arcade1Up Arcade Machines ($299)
Retro arcade cabinets can be exceedingly expensive, but Wal-Mart has stepped up to the plate to take some of the sting off of your wallet. These arcade cabinet replicas clock in at about four feet tall, meaning they’re not identical in size to the real deal, but they’re very authentic in every other way. At roughly $300 apiece, it’s not as impossible for most people to potentially get one of these into their homes.
Those are our choices for some of the best goodies you can buy for the holidays! Is there anything else you’d recommend? Let us know your picks on social media and in the comments!