Once again, Nintendo's Switch console - in either its detachable-pad OG version, new OLED model (our review, here) or handheld-only Lite variety - is sure to be a popular item under Christmas trees this year. However, there are plenty of gift options for Nintendo fans other than consoles and games (well, y'know, proper video games) - and we've selected some of them here, to suit a variety of budgets.
Please note that all prices listed and stock levels were accurate at the time of writing. Please also note that if you buy any of the products via the affiliate links on this page, we may earn a commission.
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Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. - Amazon link - £49.99
A combination of two legendary Nintendo products - the Game & Watch range and the company's iconic Super Mario Bros. game - this full-colour handheld device also features a clock with an array of fun features; an updated take on the first-ever Game & Watch release, Ball; and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. So that's three games on a single pocket-sized unit that, in hand, is so perfectly evocative of the original Game & Watch toys. A real treat for piquing the nostalgia - but no stand, annoyingly. Wanna know more? Read our review.
Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda - Amazon link - £44.99
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Following 2020's Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch, Nintendo did the same - only better - for The Legend of Zelda in 2021. Released to mark the series' 35th anniversary, this compact device includes English and Japanese versions of The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, alongside the Game Boy classic The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. There's also a Zelda-themed take on the G&W release Vermin, plus an interactive clock and timer. And unlike Super Mario Bros., this one does include a stand. Read our review of this treat, here.
LEGO Super Mario Adventures Starter Course - Amazon link - £30.00
Turns out that Nintendo and LEGO are perfect partners - but if your budget doesn't stretch to either the LEGO NES console or Super Mario Question Mark Block, then the build-your-own-courses fun of the Super Mario Adventures range may be more suitable. The Starter Course gets you the interactive Mario figure and a handful of enemies to bounce him on - and you can easily add to it, choosing from a wide array of expansion kits that range from pocket-money prices to main-present amounts, and bring the likes of Luigi, Bowser and Yoshi into play.
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Super Mario Bros Thwomp Cushion - Amazon link - £29.99
If you're playing on the Game & Watch - or your Switch, handheld - you may wish to do so in a comfy spot. And this Mario-themed cushion might just be the thing for protecting that butt of yours from a hard surface. Angry on the outside, soft on the inside, it's basically the cushion version of an internet lurker who keeps posting crap beneath your articles, but wouldn't say boo to a goose. Boo to a goose? Can't believe I have to flag my Mario puns, these days.
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Super Mario Yoshi Plushie - Amazon link - £12.99
Sticking with squishy Mario-related goods, there's a heap of plushies available, designed around Nintendo's most famous franchise. This Yoshi one is, indeed, one of them. But if you're more into Toad, or Luigi, or Daisy (uh, why?), you can absolutely find a cuddly toy that fits.
The Legend of Zelda Water Bottle - Amazon link - £15.99
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Stay hydrated. You've gotta. And you can do so in style, with this Legend of Zelda bottle, which bears artwork from the GameCube classic, The Wind Waker. Which will no doubt come to Switch in 2021. Right? It's stainless steel, so will stand up to some rough and tumble (IDK why, but my kids always break these things unless they're really sturdy), and its capacity is 470ml, so you can fit most of a pint of lager into it, as and when and if you need to. Haha. If.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit - Amazon link - £99.99
Okay, so for this one - and the next one - you do already need to have a Switch. But I've gotta be honest with you: Home Circuit is brilliant. It's an AR-featuring remote-control toy car/kart that you control with your Switch, and the kart-mounted camera relays the picture to your Switch screen. So what you see on there is your own room, but so much more - with other racers, obstacles, items to pick up, weather conditions and more. Read our review of this slightly magical thing, here.
Ring Fit Adventure - Amazon link - £64.99
I don't have one of these myself, but I know folk who swear by them. This fitness-focused peripheral (and accompanying game) for the Switch will be incredibly useful for anyone telling themselves that they need to get in shape in 2021. (So do not show it to my wife, who will then get it for me.) Wanna see how it works, in comparison to other fitness add-ons for games consoles? Check out this video from Inel Tomlinson, who used the Ring Fit right through 2020.
Monopoly: Super Mario Celebration - Amazon link - £32.98
Is there a better family game, at Christmas time, than Monopoly? Yes, hundreds. But still, Monopoly is an exceptionally popular board game, with many special themed editions available. Here's a Super Mario Celebration edition, for those of you who like to get one over the banker while pretending to be a resident of the Mushroom Kingdom.
NES Cartridge Coasters - Amazon link - £5.99
And while you're playing board games, you might want to sup a lovely drink - be it a steaming mug of something hot, or a crisp white wine to see the day out. But before you plonk that glass down on the sideboard, and leave a stain, use a coaster. Here are some NES-themed ones, shaped like cartridges, and featuring game titles including The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros, and Duck Hunt. As you'd expect, there are many more game-themed coasters available, so if these aren't doing it for you, or are sold out, there's plenty to pick from.
PowerA Spectra Wired Controller - Amazon link - £21.59
The PowerA Spectra Enhanced Wired Controller is a bargain-buy alternative to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. With a smooth feel, it's comfortable even during lengthy play sessions. Add to that its multicoloured light options, and it's just as pleasing to the eye as it is the hand. While it may not have a wireless option or rumble capability, it sells itself with its two mappable buttons on the back of the unit and a 3m braided USB cable. Compared to the almost twice-as-expensive Pro Controller, the PowerA gets our backing if you're in the market for an extra Switch pad.
SNES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium - Amazon link - £29.66
Bitmap Books are one of the best publishers of games-related tomes around, and this fantastic insight into a world of 16-bit delights is a great gift for retro-leaning Nintendo-loving pals. At over 500 pages long this is a beast that'll test any coffee table, and it's absolutely packed full of art and information on the most famous games and developers to ever grace the Super Nintendo - one of the most iconic home consoles of all time. If you'd rather order directly from the publisher, you can do so here - and while there, why not check out Bitmap's other books, including the amazing Game Boy Box Art Collection, which we reviewed here.
Featured Image Credit: NintendoTopics: Super Mario, Nintendo Switch, Lego, The Legend of Zelda