Pokémon x Polaroid Cameras Have Landed in the UK — Are They Worth It?

Pokémon and Polaroid have combined two kinds of nostalgia in one limited-edition camera collection — and, unusually for a licensed gadget collaboration, there is more here than a new colour scheme.

The Polaroid x Pokémon range launched globally in limited quantities on 5 October 2026 to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th anniversary. For UK buyers, the headline products are the £89.99 Pikachu and Sylveon editions of the compact Polaroid Go Generation 3, plus a £129.99 Poké Ball-inspired Polaroid Now Generation 3.

So which one actually makes sense to buy, and are you paying mainly for Pokémon branding? Here is what matters before ordering.

What is in the Pokémon x Polaroid collection?

The collaboration contains nine products: three cameras, three themed film options and three accessories. The cameras are the main attraction. Pikachu and Sylveon each get a version of the Polaroid Go Generation 3, while the larger Polaroid Now Generation 3 receives the red, white and black Poké Ball treatment.

Importantly, these are functioning current-generation Polaroid cameras rather than display-only collectibles. The special editions retain the normal photographic features of their respective models.

Pikachu vs Sylveon: the £89.99 Polaroid Go models

The Pikachu and Sylveon cameras are mechanically the same Polaroid Go Generation 3. The difference is the styling, so there is no technical reason to choose one character over the other.

The Go is Polaroid’s small-format instant camera. It is designed to be genuinely portable and produces smaller photographs than a traditional full-size Polaroid. Generation 3 includes a selfie mirror, self-timer and double-exposure mode, making it particularly suited to holidays, parties and casual everyday shooting.

At £89.99 in the UK, the Pokémon editions are not impulse-buy cheap, but they are the least expensive cameras in the collaboration. They make the most sense for someone who wants a fun camera they will actually carry rather than a larger collector piece that spends most of its life on a shelf.

Pros

• Compact enough for bags and travel.
• Distinctive Pikachu or Sylveon design.
• Selfie mirror, timer and double-exposure mode.
• Uses readily available standard Polaroid Go film as well as the themed editions.

Things to consider

• The Go format produces smaller prints than classic Polaroid photos.
• Film is a continuing cost, not a one-off accessory.
• Pikachu and Sylveon versions perform the same, so choose on design rather than specifications.

Poké Ball Polaroid Now Gen 3: the better camera?

If photography matters more than portability, the £129.99 Polaroid Now Generation 3 Pokémon Edition is the stronger option. It uses full-size i-Type film and has a two-lens autofocus system that selects the appropriate lens automatically.

The current Now Generation 3 also benefits from Polaroid’s revised light meter and ranging system. It is bigger than the Go, but the payoff is the classic larger Polaroid print and a more substantial point-and-shoot experience.

The Poké Ball styling is also arguably the most natural piece of product design in the collection: the camera’s red, white and black body fits the shape of the familiar object without needing to turn the camera into a novelty toy.

Do you need the Pokémon film?

No. This is an important buying point if stock becomes difficult to find. The Pokémon cameras do not require Pokémon-branded film.

The Now Gen 3 uses normal Polaroid i-Type film, while the two Go cameras use normal Polaroid Go film. The limited-edition packs simply add Pokémon-themed frames and custom dark slides.

In the UK, Polaroid lists the Pokémon i-Type film at £21.99 and the themed Go double packs at £21.99. They are fun additions for collectors, but standard compatible film keeps the cameras useful after the limited-edition stock disappears.

Are they actually worth buying?

For a Pokémon collector who already likes instant photography, this is one of the more convincing licensed gadget collaborations of 2026. You are getting a real current-generation camera underneath the special-edition design rather than an obsolete gadget carrying a famous logo.

For everyone else, the calculation is different. If you simply want the best instant camera for your budget, compare these models with standard Polaroid versions and competing instant-camera systems before paying for the design. The ongoing price of film matters more over time than a relatively small difference in the camera’s purchase price.

The Pikachu or Sylveon Go is our pick for portability and gifting. The Poké Ball Now Gen 3 makes more sense if you value larger photographs and want the camera primarily for photography.

One reason not to wait

This is explicitly a limited-quantity release. Early reports around launch have already shown availability changing quickly, so anyone buying primarily for the Pokémon design should check current UK stock rather than assuming the cameras will remain widely available through Christmas.

That does not mean paying inflated resale prices makes sense. At the official UK launch prices of £89.99 for the Go editions and £129.99 for the Now edition, the cameras have a clear benchmark. If third-party prices move dramatically above those figures, the value proposition changes.

ViralGadgets verdict

Best for most Pokémon fans: Polaroid Go Generation 3 Pikachu or Sylveon Edition.

Best for the classic Polaroid experience: Polaroid Now Generation 3 Pokémon Edition.

Best reason to buy: these are useful current-generation instant cameras as well as collectibles.

Biggest drawback: instant film remains an ongoing expense, and limited-edition availability could encourage inflated resale pricing.

The collaboration works because the Pokémon branding does not replace the gadget’s purpose. Once the novelty wears off, you still have a proper instant camera — and that is what separates it from a lot of viral licensed tech.