Pokemon has inspired some of Nintendo’s best-looking consoles ever. Over the years, the company released handhelds and special editions covered with legendary Pokémon, colorful artwork, and custom designs that instantly became collector favorites. Some were exclusive to Japan, some sold out almost immediately, and a few are now ridiculously expensive online.
Even people who never planned on collecting gaming hardware still wanted these consoles sitting on a shelf somewhere. Honestly, Pokémon and limited-edition Nintendo consoles have always been an unfairly good combination.
1. Pikachu’s Nintendo 64 Was Pure Late-90s Chaos
Bright colors, a giant Pikachu attached to the console, and a design that somehow looked ridiculous and amazing at the same time. This thing felt less like hardware and more like a toy straight out of a Toys “R” Us catalog.
2. The Game Boy Color Era Somehow Still Feels Untouchable
During peak Pokémania, Nintendo released colorful Game Boy Color systems covered with character artwork and playful designs that instantly became childhood status symbols.
3. Pokemon Consoles Rarely Look Better Than the Dialga & Palkia DS Lite
Nintendo gave the DS Lite metallic finishes and subtle legendary artwork that made the handheld feel way more premium than its normal version.
4. Kyogre and Groudon Made the Game Boy Advance SP Look Incredible
Transparent red and blue shells instantly gave these handhelds more personality than almost any other GBA SP release from the era.
5. Nintendo’s Scarlet & Violet OLED Switch Feels Surprisingly Luxurious
Gold accents, bold artwork, and custom Joy-Cons somehow pushed the OLED Switch into collector territory almost immediately after release.
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6. Pikachu Somehow Made the 2DS XL Adorable
Instead of subtle details, Nintendo fully committed and turned the handheld into Pikachu’s face. It should not have worked this well. Somehow it absolutely did.
7. Pokemon Consoles Quietly Produced Some of Nintendo’s Cleanest Designs
Certain DS editions avoided loud colors completely and focused on sleek black shells with silver artwork instead. The result looked subtle enough for everyday use while still instantly recognizable to fans.
8. Tiny but Memorable, the Pokémon Mini Still Feels Weirdly Charming
This miniature handheld looked more like a toy than a real console, which honestly made it even more collectible years later.
9. Gold Handhelds Always Look More Expensive Than They Should
Nintendo released several gold-themed systems over the years, but the gold Game Boy Advance SP versions especially felt like trophies disguised as gaming hardware.
10. The Dialga & Palkia Switch Lite Proved Handhelds Could Still Feel Premium
Silver-and-black designs instantly gave this Switch Lite a cleaner, more mature look than most colorful Nintendo handhelds from previous generations.
