Ultimate Gift Guide For Nintendo Fans

We're starting off big with one of the coolest LEGO sets to drop in 2024. This build captures the 16 bit look of the iconic Super Mario World game for Super Nintendo. If you have an elder Nintendo fan, who grew up exploring Dino Land (the world in Super Mario World) chances are they'd love this! It was so fun to build. It has an elaborate crank system that makes Yoshi Run and stick out his tongue. Plus after the building is done, it looks amazing as a display piece.

Socks can be such a bad gift, it's almost a joke. But when they look this great, who could resist? Bioworld has several sock sets for Nintendo fans. I picked these ones because there's varying degrees of subtlety in these designs. The Mario ones are bright and popping, but the Bowser and DK ones are a little more subdued. In adult life you don't get to game as much as you like to, but you can still feel connected to the games you love with the right wardrobe pieces.

Chances are the Nintendo fan in your life already has a Switch. So this suggestion is a bit more niche. As a nerd and collector, I can say this is one of the most tough-to-resist Nintendo drops of the year. The "Hyrule Edition" Switch Lite launched alongside The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. This could be a great gift if you have someone who is a collector and wants a "complete in box" console for their display. Or a Switch owner who really could be spoiled by having the portable Switch Lite. This is an extravagant purchase, but I don't know your budget, so consider it a luxury option.

The Nintendo Switch Joy Cons slide into the side of the console allowing you to game on the go. Until recently I had never considered trying anything other than Nintendo's own controllers for Switch. But after buying the GameSir G8 control for mobile gaming I decided to give it a try with Switch and was shocked at how great the experience was. Using a small (included) USB cable) you can slide your switch screen into this controller, giving you an incredibly solid (and maybe even more secure-feeling) gaming experience when playing your Switch portably. The bonus is that it works great with your mobile phone or small tablet when you're playing non-Switch games, too!

When Bowser meets Jenga, it becomes a whole new game! This is a super fun twist on the classic game of Jenga. In this scenario, you're still removing and building bricks on top of a tower, but in addition, Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad are racing around a tower collecting coins. It's just challenging enough to require skill but not so difficult that you're not having fun as you move your Super Mario characters up the tower. With the addition of a game spinner each turn you may be required to make multiple moves, so be careful as you climb!

The stories told through the Legend of Zelda video game series are so detailed and interconnected between titles. For a Zelda fan who wants a deeper dive, or just to relive the adventures of Link through Hyrule, this is the ultimate collection. This collection includes games from the Super Nintendo, Game Boy/Color, N64, and DS eras of the franchise. Aside from the great reads and vivid illustrations, Zelda fans will also receive a collectible poster with this Manga box set.

For the Pokémon fans, this keychain set captures some of the game's most iconic characters. No matter their trainer class or character type these officially licensed keychain charms will be a perfect addition to any fan's Pokédex. This collection includes five different charms that can be attached to a keychain, backpack, or zipper tag. The Zinc alloy material with the enamel fill are durable and a great way to power up any accessory they're attached to!

Amiibo figures unlock special abilities in certain Nintendo games. Beyond that they can look really cool on a shelf or desk as a decoration. I wanted to show some love to one of Nintendo's oldest franchises, Metroid, as part of this gift guide and decided on the this Amiibo. It's not so much that I expect a person to use this as part of their game play (since this was from the Wii U era), but more so because it captures a very classic looking Samus giving the Nintendo fan on your gift list a cool figure they can display on display at work or home.

Nothing has done more to raise awareness of the musical instrument the Ocarina than the N64 Zelda game Ocarina of Time. And just like the hero of time, you too can learn how to play this musical instrument! It's about as simple as the recorder and with this set you get a music book featuring transcriptions of iconic Zelda songs, the instrument, and this holder. Even if a person never masters the tunes, it still looks great when displayed on a collectibles shelf.

The Nintendo Switch comes with a dock, but changes are you have more than one TV in your home. An extra dock is a great gift because it allows the Nintendo fan in your life to plug their Switch into an additional TV for big screen gaming. I chose this one because it has a slightly different design than the one included with the Switch. It also has easy access to the ports, and the price is very reasonable.

This guide already has one Nintendo LEGO set on it, but there's definitely a corelation between how cool a LEGO set is and how expensive it is. So if you're looking for something video game themed but a little more budget friendly, the Piranha Plant is a great choice. This classic villain has been popping out of tubes to thwart Mario since the very first Super Mario Bros. game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. This set is a 540 piece build (which in the LEGO world is quite easy/not too time consuming) and at 9 inches tall is still small enough to find an easy place to display this prickly plant once the build is done.

The Switch (and Switch Lite) are THE gaming on the go consoles. But when you're on the go, it's nice to be able to put that beloved console into a quality case. PowerA makes really great gaming accessories and this case is both high quality and classic Nintendo nostalgia. From the iconic Mario power ups, to the dedicated storage compartments for games, extra Joy Cons, and charging cables, this is everything a Nintendo fan would want in a travel case.

One of the most iconic games in the franchise was the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It's an adventure between the light and dark world where Link, the hero of time rescues Princess Zelda from the clutches of the Evil Ganon. In this nearly 200 page graphic novel, that story plays out with further insights that players may not have gleaned from the original game. If there's a retro gamer on your list who is also a Zelda fan, this will be a welcome addition to their home library.

A very fun part of gaming on Nintendo Switch is capturing screenshots of iconic moments during your game. You can share these easily to your phone, but there's one very special accessory that allows you to enjoy those screenshots in the real world! The Instax Minin Link is a Bluetooth printer that can connect to your Nintendo Switch and print your screenshots. They appear on instant-developing paper and you have the option to decorate these with a companion smartphone app. It can be purchased on its own or with a special Pikachu bundled case.

While the official Nintendo Switch Pro controller is excellent, this one from 8 Bit Duo has some very nice features. It comes in two finishes: black and white. Has esxcellent ergonomics and epic battery life (up to 22 hours). And aside from being able to pair with Nintendo Switch, you can use it to game on your computer or mobile phone as well. Plus when it's not in use, it rests in an elegant charging stand to keep that battery topped up.

Can a gift card be a personal gift? In the case of Nintendo Switch, I'm going to say yes because you can suggest a title from Nintendo's eShop for the fan on your list. Some great indie titles like Cat Milk bring back NES-era nostalgia. Or it can be put toward something more modern and mainstream that the Nintendo lover on your list will enjoy! They could also apply this gift card toward a Nintendo Switch Online Membership to unlock a vast collection of retro Nintendo games and the recently launched Nintendo Music app allowing them to enjoy songs from their favourite Nintendo games everywhere they go. Trust me, an eShop gift card is a wonderful gift!