If you love Pokémon, there’s a whole shelf of accessories out there competing for your wallet. Some are genuinely useful. Most are fan-service. This guide covers both, so you know which Pikachu-themed thing is actually going to improve your gaming setup and which is just cute packaging. All tested or owned, no affiliate hype.
Quick Picks for Pokémon Fans
- Best themed carrying case: PowerA Slim Case (Poké Ball or Eevee design) for Switch and Switch 2
- Best themed controller: PowerA Enhanced Wireless (Pikachu, Charizard, or Mimikyu designs)
- Best Joy-Con grips: Hori Pikachu Cool / Cute Joy-Con covers
- Best TCG accessory: Ultra Pro Eclipse binder with matte inner pages
- Skip: Pokémon-branded microSD cards. Same Samsung/SanDisk chip underneath, 40% markup for the sticker.
Switch and Switch 2 Accessories for Pokémon Fans
PowerA Slim Case (Poké Ball, Eevee, Pikachu)
PowerA makes a few Pokémon-themed slim cases that fit the original Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch 2 (check the listing, dimensions are different for the Switch 2). The Poké Ball design is the most popular for a reason: it actually looks clean, not kid-branded. About $20 to $25.
Inside you get a soft microfiber lining, slots for 8 game cards, and a viewable window for the console. Drop test from desk height held up fine on ours. The zipper is the weak point on every slim case at this price tier, but it has not failed in a year of daily commute use.
Honest caveat: the interior foam is a bit thin. If you regularly toss your Switch into a full backpack with textbooks and hardware, spring for an EVA hard case instead. The PowerA works for commuting or travel with only a laptop beside it.
PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller (Pokémon designs)
The officially licensed PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller comes in dozens of Pokémon designs: classic red-and-white Poké Ball, Pikachu silhouette, Charizard, Mimikyu, and a handful of legendaries. Runs about $40 to $50.
This is a solid budget alternative to the $70 Switch Pro Controller if you don’t need motion controls, amiibo NFC, or HD Rumble. You do lose all three. For Pokémon Scarlet, Violet, Legends: Arceus, and Legends: Z-A, you won’t miss any of them because those games barely use those features.
What you get: reliable Bluetooth pairing, mappable rear buttons on the Enhanced model, swappable AA batteries (so no dying battery two years in), and a dedicated volume control. The stick drift rate from long-term reviews is noticeably lower than the Switch Pro, which has Joy-Con-style drift issues.
Hori Pikachu Joy-Con Grips
Hori’s officially licensed Joy-Con covers and grips add a thicker, more controller-like shape to stock Joy-Cons. Two designs matter for Pokémon fans: the yellow Pikachu “Cool” grip set and the Eevee “Cute” set. Around $20 to $30.
The shape change is the real win. Stock Joy-Cons are fine for an hour. Past that, the shallow grip starts pinching your palm. The Hori covers add maybe 8 millimeters of depth and a gentle curve that makes a huge difference on long Pokémon sessions where you’re trying to complete the Pokédex in one weekend.
They do not add any electronics or buttons. They are purely ergonomic and cosmetic. Works with Switch and Switch 2 Joy-Cons.
PDP Animated LED Charging Dock
Themed charging docks feel like a waste of money until you actually use one. The PDP versions (Poké Ball, Pikachu) hold two Joy-Cons and a Pro Controller simultaneously, use a single USB-C cable from the wall, and have gentle LED lighting that reads the current charge level. About $35 to $45.
If you already have a Pro Controller plus two Joy-Cons, you’re managing three separate charge cables. One dock handles all three. The LED is dim enough to not bother anyone watching TV next to you, which is more than we can say for most “gamer” peripherals. The Poké Ball lid rotates open like an actual ball, which is gratuitous but genuinely fun the first dozen times.
Hori Pokémon Split Pad Pro
The Hori Split Pad Pro is the best accessory for handheld-only Switch play, full stop. For Pokémon fans, Hori makes Pikachu and Charizard-themed versions at around $55 to $70.
It replaces both Joy-Cons with full-size, controller-shaped halves that clip to the Switch the same way. You lose HD Rumble, motion controls, and the ability to detach them for tabletop multiplayer. You gain proper-sized sticks, real triggers instead of the stock mushy Joy-Con shoulders, and back paddles.
For handheld-only Pokémon players, this is a no-brainer upgrade if your stock Joy-Cons are getting uncomfortable. For anyone who regularly docks the Switch or plays tabletop co-op, skip it.
Pokémon-Themed Screen Protectors
Honestly, most themed screen protectors are a waste. The Pokémon logo etched into the corner of your screen looks cute in marketing photos and cheap in person, and the protection is identical to a $6 generic tempered glass from Amazon.
If you want protection with Pokémon vibes, get a generic tempered glass protector and a Pokémon decal sticker for the back of the console. $8 total instead of $20 for the “themed” version.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Accessories
Ultra Pro Eclipse Binder
If you collect TCG cards, the Ultra Pro Eclipse or Vivid binders in the 9-pocket Zippered format are the standard for a reason. $25 to $35 depending on size.
Key features that matter: side-loading pockets (so cards don’t slide out the top when you flip pages), matte interior pages (no glare or print transfer), and a zipper that actually seals. Cheap binders have top-loading pockets that dump your cards if you tilt the binder sideways. Don’t trust cheap binders with Illustration Rares.
Pokémon Card Sleeves and Top Loaders
For competitive play, Dragon Shield Matte sleeves are the community standard. About $12 per 100 pack. Ultra Pro Pro Matte are the slightly cheaper alternative. Both protect from scratches and bending during shuffling.
For valuable singles (full-arts, illustration rares, anything over $20), use top loaders (rigid clear plastic sleeves) inside a Perfect Fit inner sleeve. Total cost to protect a valuable card: about $0.30. Cost if you don’t: watch a $100 card bend in your binder.
Pokémon TCG Deck Boxes
Deck boxes with a clasp or magnetic closure prevent the top-opening accident that sends 60 sleeved cards across the game shop floor. Ultimate Guard Sidewinder or Deck’n’Tray boxes in Pokémon designs run $20 to $30 and fit a sleeved 60-card deck plus a handful of tokens or damage counters.
Avoid anything with a flimsy lid. If the box flips open when you drop it from desk height, it will flip open in your backpack.
Pokémon GO Accessories
Pokémon GO Plus Plus (Discontinued but Still Useful)
The Pokémon GO Plus+ was a Bluetooth accessory that auto-caught Pokémon and spun PokéStops while the phone stayed in your pocket. Niantic discontinued it in 2024 but it still works and shows up used for $30 to $50.
For anyone who walks to work or takes long walks for fitness, it’s the single best Pokémon GO accessory ever made. It vibrates when a Pokémon appears, you push a button, it auto-throws. No looking at your phone.
Third-party alternatives exist (GO-TCHA, Pocket Egg) at similar prices, but the official one has the best battery life and the sleep tracking function that earns you Poké Candy each morning.
Skip These
A few Pokémon accessories look tempting but are not worth your money:
- Pokémon-branded microSD cards. Same Samsung EVO Select or SanDisk chip underneath, 30% to 50% markup for the Pikachu sticker. Get a generic microSD and a Pokémon decal. The Switch doesn’t care what’s printed on the card.
- USB chargers with Pokémon decals. Same $5 charger you can buy anywhere, marked up to $18 because it has Pikachu on it.
- Themed Poké Ball “Bluetooth speakers.” Novelty sound quality and short battery life. If you want a real gaming speaker, buy an Anker Soundcore. If you want a novelty, get the actual Poké Ball Plus for GO instead.
- Poké Ball water bottles and mugs. These are fan merch, not accessories. Nothing wrong with them as gifts, but they don’t improve your gaming setup.
For Pokémon Streamers
If you stream Pokémon content on Twitch or YouTube, a few non-obvious accessories matter more than any themed controller:
- Elgato HD60 X capture card (about $180). The Switch does not have native streaming software, so you need a capture card to get the feed onto OBS. HD60 X is the current standard and handles Switch 2 output correctly.
- Elgato Stream Deck Mini or MK.2. Lets you swap scenes (battle view, Pokédex view, chat view) with one button. Pokémon-themed overlay packs are all over Etsy for $5 to $15.
- Cheap ring light. Any ten-dollar ring light beats your room’s overhead bulb for face-cam. Pokémon fans streaming Unboxings especially need good lighting on the card.
- A desk mat large enough for a play area. If you stream TCG pack openings or gameplay, the camera sees whatever’s underneath. A Pokémon-themed large desk mat (Steelseries QcK, Corsair MM350) cleans up the shot.
If you’re new to streaming, our budget streaming setup guide covers the minimum viable rig without the themed markup.
Pokémon Accessories for Kids vs Adults
The market splits pretty cleanly between the two. If you’re buying for a kid, prioritize durability over aesthetics: the Eevee plush thumbstick grips, the Hori carrying case with extra padding, and PowerA controllers with swappable AA batteries beat anything rechargeable. Kids lose charging cables at a rate that defies physics.
For adult collectors, the upgrade path is different: the PDP charging dock, a real binder system for TCG, and maybe the Hori Split Pad Pro if you mostly play handheld. Skip the plush keychains and themed water bottles unless they’re gifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common Pokémon accessory questions below. For the schema versions used in search results, see the FAQ section at the bottom of the page.
Does the PowerA Enhanced Wireless work on Switch 2?
Yes. All PowerA Enhanced Wireless controllers are backwards compatible with Switch 2. You may need a firmware update on first connection, which the controller handles automatically.
Are Pokémon-themed microSD cards worth it?
No. They use the same Samsung EVO Select or SanDisk chips as generic cards, marked up 30 to 50% for the sticker. Buy a generic 256GB microSD and a Pokémon decal for the back of the Switch if you want the aesthetic.
What’s the best controller for Pokémon on Switch 2?
For handheld, the Hori Split Pad Pro Pikachu edition. For TV mode, the PowerA Enhanced Wireless in your favorite design is the best value at $40 to $50. The first-party Switch 2 Pro Controller is better quality but lacks Pokémon designs.
Is the Pokémon GO Plus Plus still worth buying?
Yes, if you can find one under $50 used. Niantic discontinued it in 2024 but existing units still work with current Pokémon GO. Third-party alternatives like GO-TCHA exist but have shorter battery life.
Do themed controllers have worse stick drift than regular ones?
No. The Pokémon-themed PowerA controllers are the same internals as the standard PowerA Enhanced Wireless, just with a different shell. Long-term reliability is the same.
What Actually Makes an Accessory Worth Buying
The rule we keep coming back to: an accessory is worth the money if it solves an actual friction point in how you play. The Split Pad Pro solves handheld cramping. The Joy-Con grips solve long-session discomfort. The charging dock solves cable chaos. Themed cases solve the “where did my Switch go” problem in a backpack.
Everything else is merch. Merch is fine if you love Pokémon and have the budget, but it’s not improving your gameplay. Be honest about which category you’re shopping in before you click buy.
If you want broader Switch 2 accessory picks that aren’t Pokémon-themed, our Switch 2 essentials vs. gimmicks guide covers the must-haves and skippables for any Switch 2 owner.
Which Pokémon accessory is actually living on your shelf full-time? Tell us in the comments.