Hori has been the brand to watch as far as it comes to pumping out the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for Pokemon fans, but these upcoming Pixel Art designs are more fabulous than I could have imagined.
The upcoming line-up has yet to be officially announced by Hori, yet two brand new Switch 2 cases, Game Card cases, and two matching wireless controllers have appeared in the wild, just like the Pokemon they're covered in. What makes these special is that they aren't just coated in boring repurposed Pokemon art, but this line is going for a retro appeal, sporting pixel sprite designs that have won me over with their nostalgia alone.
For you fire-type fans, there's a trio of Pokemon Pixel Red goodies listed on Amazon right now, including a Hori Pokemon Pixel Red Adventure Pack. The case itself isn't new, as I took a look at the Gengar and Mimikyu Adventure Pack previously, which is the same model but for Ghost-type fanatics.
Just like other incarnations of the case, you've got space for the handheld, up to 6 games, and smaller accessories. There's also a set of two straps and clasps that allow you to wear the case around your waist, or across your chest if you're so inclined.
What separates this from other versions is that it carries a red and brown color palette and adorable sprite art depictions of Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard on the front.
This isn't all Hori wrote for fire fans either, as you can find the same bunch of nostalgia-inducing pixels on the matching Pokemon Fire Red Game Card case, which even carries a glittery chassis for that extra bit of pizazz.
I have a burning inclination that fire-type fans may appreciate the Pokemon Pixel Red Wireless HORIPAD Turbo controller even more than the case that can store up to 24 games. The wireless pad has a transparent black and red chassis, which features sprites of not just Charizard, but Aerodactyl, Arcanine, and Marowak too - despite not being fire types at all.
As a Horipad Turbo, the specs of the pad are a little lacklustre (it only has a 10-hour battery life), but the red-coloured mechanics that shine through the faceplate remind me of the cracked earth of Cinnabar Island, which feels perfectly on brand for a Gen I inspired Switch 2 accessory. For those that need a reminder, that's the town where you fight gym leader Blaine and his fiery team of Pokemon in the original games.
Grass-type fans will be happy to know that there also appears to be a Pokemon Pixel Green Wireless HORIPAD Turbo controller on its way too, where Bulbasaur is the star of the show. It matches perfectly with the Hori Pokemon Pixel Green Puff Pouch, which I also discovered listed at Amazon US, alongside a matching Game Card Case that is just as glittery as its fire-type counterpart.
While these accessories appear to inspired by Kanto and Generation I, some of the pixel art actually alludes to a different set of Pokemon games entirely. Eagle-eyed (or should I say, Braviary-eyed) fans might spot that the Pokemon Center as found printed on the Pixel Green controller has a rounded roof. This design more closely resembles the one you use in the Hoenn generation (Generation III), rather than the flat-roof version found in the original games and the Fire Red and Leaf Green remakes.
Before you get too excited, I don't think this alludes to an unannounced port of Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald popping onto Nintendo Switch Online any time soon. Rather, it's likely an indication that these accessories are based on the older era of Pokemon as a whole, rather than any specific releases.
Whatever their inspirations, I can't wait until the pre-orders officially drop for these nostalgia-inducing Switch 2 accessories. So far they're listed as "currently unavailable" but I'll be sure to update this page with all the pricing and availability details as soon as they officially launch.
- View all Hori Switch 2 accessories at Amazon
Our team has also rounded up the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cameras if you're on the hunt for more Ninty accessories.
