Christmas Gift Guide 2017: 14 gadget gift ideas for Nintendo fans

SNES Classic Mini (£79.99)

It might be rarer than a blue shell when you’re leading the race in Mario Kart but if you can get hold of one, the SNES Classic Mini is easily the best gift you can buy a Nintendo fanatic this Christmas. With 21 games built in, including Mario World, Super Metroid and the previously unreleased Star Fox 2, it’s worth keeping an eye on Game’s website for any new stock. Good luck!

Super Mario Question Block Light (£17.99)

Navigating a pitch-black room after a late-night gaming session is a sure-fire way of bruising toes. Spare your friends the pain with this Super Mario-themed gadget. Power this block via a microUSB – or alternatively add batteries – and upon bopping the top they’ll get a welcome surprise. No, not mushrooms – it will turn into a lamp, guiding your friends safely back to bed.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Plus: Zelda Edition (£29.99)

Nintendo’s Pro Controller is one of the best control options for the Switch, but it also costs a ridiculous £60. This Zelda-themed version costs less than half the price because it’s constrained by a pesky wire. Still, you likely won’t even notice with the 8ft cable, so it still represents a legendary bargain that will save you a good few Rupees.

SNES New 3DS XL (£171.90)

Struggling to nab a SNES Classic Mini for your friend this Christmas? The New 3DS XL is a fantastic alternative, with a huge library of classic NES and SNES games available to purchase on Nintendo’s eShop. It even has a SNES aesthetic, to trick you into believing you’re playing a handheld version of Nintendo’s retro console, while also being able to play fantastic modern titles.

PowerA Nintendo Switch Everywhere Messenger Bag (£24.99)

The Switch’s greatest trick is allowing you to play the likes of Super Mario Odyssey on the train. However, it’s just a little bit too large to fit in your pocket. The Switch Everywhere Messenger Bag is the perfect mode of transport for your Nintendo handheld, while there’s even enough room for a dock, so you can challenge your mates to an impromptu Mario Kart tournament while you wait for the bus.

8Bitdo SF30 Pro (£34.75)

Nintendo has always been good at controllers. Even the GameCube’s purple Space Invader became a cult favourite – but the SNES controller is a bona fide classic.

Based on the four-button original, the SF30 Pro gamepad has added joysticks, motion controls and vibration feedback, with updated Bluetooth innards to make it compatible with pretty much anything running iOS, Android, Mac OS X or Windows. You can even use it with your Switch.

HORI Switch Compact PlayStand (£9.99)

The Switch’s physical design was clearly thought up by the ditzy Luigi, since it’s impossible to simultaneously charge the Switch and play it in tabletop mode. Well, it was until Hori came up with this simple, yet genius, PlayStand accessory. Now you can use the Joy-Cons to hurl Mario Odyssey‘s Cappy in all manner of directions without the worry of a battery crash.

Super Mario Bros. Notebook (£10)

Doff your cap and stroke your moustache: this here is an 8-bit power-up of a scribble pad set.

Inspired by artwork from the 1985 Super Mario Bros. release, it comes with three – yes, three – notebooks, all with everyone’s mushroom-loving Italian plumber adorned across them. Plunger not included.

Nintendo 64 Cartridge Soaps (£11.99)

From a time when gaming was all about good, clean fun, each of these soaps is styled like a classic N64 title. And they all sport the same citrus scent, so you don’t have to worry about Donkey Kong leaving you stinking like an ape.

Amiibo 8-Bit Link: The Legend of Zelda (£10.99)

OK, yes. Technically, Amiibos are just statuettes of your favourite Ninty characters that connect to your Wii U or 3DS to do… pretty much nothing. But take a good look at that little 8-bit Link. You want it, don’t you?

Even though it costs more than a round at your local. Even though you haven’t actually played The Legend of Zelda and probably never will. Even though Tingle is clearly the series’ best character, anyway. Because it looks darn cool – and that’s reason enough for anyone.

Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack (33 1/3) (£9.99)

Named after the turntable RPM speed for a 12in record, the 33 ⅓ books are generally pretty pretentious – but also truly insightful. Alex Niven’s take on Definitely Maybe is essential reading for anyone with a passing curiosity towards Britpop, while Carl Wilson’s approach to Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love is almost certainly the most interesting thing ever to be associated with that album.

Part study of ’80s video game music, part compositional analysis, this examination of the Super Mario Bros. soundtrack is a similarly essential stocking filler for any Nintendo fan wont to hum the tunes of their childhood.

Pokémon GO Plus (£34.99)

Still onboard the Pokémon GO bandwagon? Then there’s no excuse for not picking up the only wearable to be officially endorsed by Pikachu. Probably.

If you want to keep filling out your Pokédex with a minimum of fuss, the Plus is a no-brainer. Forget pulling out your smartpone every time you’re looking to catch a new ‘mon: turn on your handset’s Bluetooth, pair it with the Plus and it’ll do the hard work. Pokémon master – has a nice ring to it, don’t you reckon?

8Bitdo Retro Cube Speaker (£26.30)

Sure, you could hook the NES up to a proper, boring-in-black Hi-Fi system for the full 8-bit experience. Or, you could bag this retro Bluetooth number and revel in its Ninty goodness.

Good for 8 hours on a single charge, it’s not just a pretty face: the direction pad doubles as its controller, for a clunkily satisfying audio experience. Now, where’s that Zelda soundtrack album?

8-Bit Chopping Boards (£19.99)

Food breaks are the bane of any gamer’s life. Sure, that mac ‘n’ cheese is deliciously calorific, but every second spent cooking is a second away from their glorious Japanese console.

Available as either a very recognisable controller, cartridge or games machine, put an end to Nintendo kitchen tears with these themed chopping boards – so that they can cry over the onions instead.