As I’ve grown, Pokémon has evolved with me, from booting up Pokémon Red on my Game Boy color and following lores on Pokémon Go to commandeering my sister’s Switch to play the newest edition. I think that’s why in 2024, the 28-year-old franchise is still going strong. The “gotta catch ’em all” creatures are all over the toy aisle, video games, and nearly any other medium you can think of, and Kyle Klemmer, co-founder and COO of Mech and a lifelong Pokémon fan, says the brand is actually cooler now than when he was first introduced to it. (There is even a forthcoming collab with Squishmallow — another highly collectible, hugely popular brand.) “It’s a lot different than when I was 11, 12 years old. I remember getting kind of harassed by the older guys at the comic bookstore,” Klemmer says.
Pokémon fans now range from pre-K first-timers to adults who remember when the species numbered just 151 (there are 1,164 now). If your loved one is one of them, you might be wondering where to start. To help answer that question, we chatted with nine of the franchise’s biggest devotees to find out the coolest gifts to give the Poké-fanatic in your life, including soft plushies, trading cards, and even a collaboration with Le Creuset.
The overwhelming frontrunner for the best gift for younger Pokémon fans is a set of cards. The cards your giftee will want most depends on a few factors, like the amount of damage each Pokémon can take. But according to 9-year-old Hattie, a basic starter set like this one is ideal for any fan who is still building their collection. Once they have a basic set, 8-year-old Finn says they can start to trade cards — “and then you could get other cards you really like.” Klemmer points out that cards can be a good place to start when choosing a gift for fans of any age. “The cards are the coolest. And I think even kids are starting to see that now too,” he says.
Pokémon influencer and YouTuber RealBreakingNate, who has been a fan since Pokémon launched in the U.S. in 1998, says this two-player board game is the perfect introduction for fans who find the trading cards intimidating or confusing. “One of the questions I get asked the most is how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and the Pokémon Battle Academy is a great entry point to learn at all ages,” he says. “It comes with premade decks so there are no extra purchases you need to make in order to learn. You can use this to learn to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game or simply use it on a board-game night to play with friends and family.”
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2024 was a skip year for the franchise, meaning there were no new Pokémon game releases. But the 2023 releases — one called Violet and one called Scarlet — were mentioned by all of the fans we talked to. Billed as “the first open-world RPGs in the Pokémon series,”gameplay involves new adventures, new Pokémon, and new challenges. Author and Pokémon superfan Saurav Dutt enjoyed getting to know the the new characters, “particularly Paldean Wooper which is a new form of Wooper native to the Paldea region,” he says. “It lives in bogs and covers its body in a protective, poisonous film.” While these games came out in 2022, new updates have just been released. There are 107 new Pokémon in total to explore across the two games, and players can look forward to meeting Pokémon not found in the Paldea region. The games are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.
Jennifer Lynch and Maddie Michalik, specialists at the Toy Association, told us to look out for the collaboration between Squishmallows and Pokemon. Both Lynch and Michelik told us that Squishmallows are popular with kids of all ages, but that certain characters like these resonate more with older teens and young adults. (We also heard from some camp counselors that Squishmallows are a popular feature in older kids’ dorms.) My friend and his girlfriend just celebrated their anniversary, and he told me that this Snorlax Squishmallow was her favorite gift of their exchange (one of their first dates was meeting up many years ago to play PokemonGo.)
In 2023, Crocs had the Pokémon collab. This year, it’s the turn of the Clarks Torhill. Inspired by four of the most popular Pokémon, the leather shoes have several nods, including embroidered Pokéballs and a pixelated label. They also retain all the classic Torhill features, including a cushioned footbed.
Another buzzy (and unexpected) Pokémon collaboration this year was with Le Creuset. A standout is this Pikachu and Eevee mini casserole pot set. A perfect gift for the more discerning (but still diehard) Pokémon fans.
“I had to sell these myself about ten years ago due to financial difficulties, and it has haunted me ever since,” Dutt says of his original 1999 throwback version of this collector’s set. This 2020 remake includes collector Mewtwo and Slowbro cards as well as booster packs.
“I love the new partner Pokémon for Scarlet and Violet, but my most favorite is Fuecoco, and its plush is amazing,” says Pokémon collector and self-professed connoisseur Emmanuel Arizmendi.
Eleven-year-old Margot’s favorite Pokémon character is one of the most recognizable: Pikachu, whom she likes “because he is yellow and cute.” (Just because he’s everywhere doesn’t mean he isn’t beloved, especially by younger Pokémon fans.) Margot is hoping to receive a Pikachu plushie because plushies are so “cuddly and soft.”
If they’re off to catch ’em all and want to look the part, Ash’s embroidered (and recognizable) hat is the only uniform they’ll need. Well, perhaps a few Pokéballs, too.
Speaking of: “After five years with my fiancé, he insists the best present I’ve ever gotten him is this $10 Pokeball Airpod case,” McLoughlin tells us. “It makes him feel like a trainer every time he puts on a podcast.”
Most of the Pokémon fans we talked to said Pokémon video games are a must-have — and they don’t have to be a new release to be appreciated. Finn enjoys playing Shield, which came out in 2019 and has 100 levels to complete and “tons of Pokémon that you can catch.” A companion game, Sword, allows players to capture a different set of Pokémon. Both games are available exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
If you are going to opt for a gift outside of video games and cards, Klemmer says “everyone should have an appreciation for” Funko Pop figures. And if you’re not sure which character your fan will actually want, Klemmer advises that the rarer they are, the better. The easiest way to identify a rare Pokémon is to check the bottom of the trading card; if it has a star symbol, the character is considered rare.
If the fan in your life plays Pokémon GO — the mobile AR game that went massively viral when it debuted in 2016, and now has 70 million players — they may be familiar with the biggest annual Pokémon GO event, Pokémon GO Fest. Steranka says there’s a limited-edition Pokémon GO Fest T-shirt released each year that would make a great gift. “These are some of the nicest Pokémon T-shirts out there,” he tells us, and this one will stand out from more readily available, Pikachu-centric designs.
12-year-old Pokemon superfan Miles says this trainer box of cards was at the top of his list for a recent birthday. It includes eight packs of cards including characters from the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield video games, card sleeves, dice, and a code to play online. The box itself is also an impressive addition to any collection and a great place to store cards in one place.
Miles also counts this Eevee plush as one of his most prized possessions. It may not be from Squishmallows — but that means it’s far less likely to sell out if you’re on the hunt for a last-minute gift.
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