Despite debuting in the late 90s, Pokemon has remained incredibly popular, with its catch, train, and battle gameplay finding fans in every new generation of gamers on both game consoles and tabletop play. With the release of Scarlet and Violet on the Switch last week, Pokemon-mania is back in full force. Sure, the excited buzz about the new games are mixed with complaints of crashes and performance issues among some players, but that kind of thing has been par for the course among nearly all video game releases in recent memory. Fact is, there’s still more love than ever for the good old pocket monsters, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Because of its longevity, Pokemon fans exist among the old and young alike, from older people who found it when there were only 150 or so species to newer fans being treated to the over 1,000 pocket monsters available today. Whether they discovered it through the original GameBoy titles, the trading cards, the animated series, or the newer Switch games, any Pokemon fan in your shopping list will appreciate gifts that celebrate their favorite franchise. Here are some ideas about what to get them.
Pokemon Scarlet & Pokemon Violet Double Pack
For Switch-gaming Pokemon fans, the ninth generation of the video game series seems like the obvious gift to get them this season. You can get them either Violet, Scarlet or both. Either way you go, they’ll be able to enjoy catching, trading, training, and battling their Pokemons while exploring an open world filled with both busy urban areas and open wilderness alike. That’s right, Pokemon went open world this time around and it makes the game more exciting than ever.
- If you purchase either the physical or digital double pack, you will receive a 200 Poké Ball bonus...
Takara-Tomy Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly Plush
The new Pokemon games introduce three new starter Pokemons, namely Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. If your recipient is currently playing with that new game, chances are, they will appreciate getting a plush doll of one of those new starter creatures. For reference, Sprigatito kind of looks like a cat, while Quaxly is unabashedly a duck-like creature (hence, the quack name). Fuecoco, on the other hand, is what a crocodile will probably look if they evolved into incredibly cute creatures. All three are available now.
Pokemon Assorted Cards
This is as basic as a Pokemon gift can get – a 50-piece set of trading cards your recipient can use to start or beef up their card collection. These are random assorted cards, by the way, so some cards will be stronger than others, while duplicates can also occur. Since these are not in the original TCG packaging, they’re not the nicest to look at, but you can always order a separate box (or a binder) to make them look at lot more presentable. Hands down, this is the cheapest way to get a bunch of cards in one go, making it a great gift for a kid wanting to start a card collection.
- YOUR BEST VALUEPOKEMON CARDS: Lookfurther for the best dealsassorted Pokemon cards.
Funko Pop Pokemon Figures
Whatever pop culture franchise you’re into, there’s a good chance Funko Pop has toy figures of the franchise’s main characters in their collection. The same is true for Pokemon’s creatures, many of which have been cast as a Funko Pop vinyl figure. Sizes for the figures vary anywhere from 2 to 4.5 inches tall, depending on how big they are in the games. If you know your recipient’s favorite Pokemon, it should make choosing a character easier (if they’re available), although you can’t really go wrong picking just the most adorable ones you can find.
- From Pokémon is Bulbasaur as a stylized Pop! vinyl figure.
Nanoblocks Pokemon Series Building Kit
Ever wondered why there hasn’t been a Pokemon LEGO set? Well, that’s because Nanoblocks makes the officially-licensed Pokemon construction toys. If your recipient is a fan of both construction toys and pocket monsters, Nanoblocks’ Pokemon Series is your best option for satisfying both curiosities. They’ve got a large collection of Pokemon characters, too, from Articuno and Blastoise to Flareon and Gengar to Yamper and Zapdos and more.
- Psyduck from Nanoblock's Pokemon Collection series stands approximately 2.2" tall and has 130 pieces
Accutime Kids Pokemon Pikachu Analog Quartz Watch
If you want to teach a young one about time management, getting them a watch is an important step. If they’re Pokemon fans, this quartz timepiece is a good one to do that. An analog watch, it comes with a Poke Ball cover, so your kid can look like they’re just out and about hunting for Pokemons in the wild. Opening the cover reveals an analog watch face with Pikachu prominently featured on it. Do note, this is pretty big at 36mm, so it should be more suited to bigger children.
- Pokémon-themed analog watch with a unique spinner top featuring the iconic Poké Ball emblem,...
Pokemon TCG Battle Academy
The Battle Academy set is, basically, just a starter set for Pokemon TCG, which includes a board to make those two-player Pokemon card battles just a little more organized. This makes a great gift for players new to the card game, as the board has designated areas for your deck, your active card, your prize cards, and your discard pile, complete with a list of basic game rules. The set comes with three 60-card decks, each with a card that includes a special Pokemon. There are two sets: one with Charizard-GX, Raichu-GX, or Mewtwo-GX; and another with Cinderace V, Pikachu V, or Eevee V. Either one will be sure to thrill the Pokemon fan in your list.
- 3 complete Pokémon TCG decks (60 cards each)
Ultra Pro Eclipse 9-Pocket PRO Binder
For card-collecting Pokemon fans, a binder makes a great gift that can help them tidy up their decks. This one comes with nine pockets on each side (18 pockets on each spread), with the whole binder sporting a total of 360 pockets to help them clean up a whole lot of any loose cards they have lying in the room. They come with side-loading pockets to keep cards from falling out, acid-free non-PVC material to keep your cards safe, and an elastic strap that keeps the binder shut when not in use.
- Archival-safe, acid-free non-PVC material.
Mega Construx Pokemon Pack
If Nanoblocks’ blocky Pokemon toys isn’t quite your cup of tea, maybe this construction set from Mega Construx can satisfy the building itch. It comes with six buildable Pokemon creatures, namely Pikachu, Eevee, Meowth, Magikarp, Jigglypuff and Ditto, each with their own Poke Ball stands. Set comes with 175 bricks. Mega also makes tons of other Pokemon construction sets, if you want bigger characters to assemble.
Hori Nintendo Switch Split Pad Pro (Black & Gold Pikachu)
Much as we love the Nintendo Switch, the diminutive analog sticks and less-than-stellar grip don’t exactly make for the best gaming experience with many modern titles. To many Switch gamers, the Hori Split Pad Pro is the best option to replace the standard Joy-Cons in this regard, as it allows for a gaming experience similar to other modern gamepads, with its full-sized controls and more ergonomic grip. This version of the controller comes with Pikachu in a black-and-gold color scheme that gives it a somewhat tactical feel. If your recipient will appreciate something more colorful, there’s a red Pikachu & Charizard, a green Pikachu & Eevee, a blue-and-gray Pikachu & Lucario, and a white Arceus.
- Full-size Controller experience in handheld mode
The Wand Company Poke Ball Electronic Die-Cast Replica
This display-grade replica of the Poke Ball is made with an engineered metal shell, giving it that solid feel that can properly house a pocket monster when you first catch it in the wild. The middle button is equipped with a multi-color LED that can glow in the familiar sequence that happens every time you catch a new Pokemon when pressed, while quick presses lets you change up to different colors for decorative purposes. The ball is equipped with a motion sensor, by the way, which triggers it to light up whenever someone approaches, as if it’s beckoning for you to grab and catch yourself some pocket monsters. It comes with a metal display box.
- Highly accurate 2.95 inch (75 mm), electronic, display-grade replica with a finely detailed metal...