As a company, Build-A-Bear has been known for creating furry companions since the 1990s. Usually, its repertoire consists of teddy bears, bunnies, and other adorable creatures that tend to make good stuffed animals. Build-A-Bear has also expanded, branching into territory like creating more unusual animals or getting pop culture partnerships. The company has tackled things like My Little Pony, as well as various Marvel items. Build-A-Bear has also ventured into the world of video games, though not as often as people may think.
Right now, the next hotly anticipated collaboration with Build-A-Bear is the upcoming Animal Crossing collection. However, this isn’t the first time Build-A-Bear has created video game inspired furry friends. The company still has Pokemon readily available for creation, and even made a Super Mario line at one point. Fans need to make sure to snatch up these collections when they can, otherwise these animals eventually retire. While they become great collectibles, it’ll be hard to ever track one down once they’ve retired.
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The Build-A-Bear and Pokemon collaboration first released in December of 2015. Since its debut, there have been tons of Pokemon plush that have come and gone during that time. The Pokemon characters that are still available for creation in the U.S. are:
- Pikachu
- Eevee
- Snubbull
- Dragonite
- Mew
The website also features cute Pokemon-themed clothing like Repeat Ball Hoodies or Sitrus Berry accessories. There are also exclusive online bundles that let fans get the stuffed animal as well as some accessories and a sound placed inside. These Pokemon are fantastic additions to any collector’s home, but they aren’t the only ones that have been available.
Some Pokemon have only been recently removed from the store, while others have been gone for much longer. Recently removed cuddly friends include:
- Charmander
- Squirtle
- Bulbasaur
- Pichu
- Meowth
- Snorlax
- Alolan Vulpix
- Flareon
- Jolteon
- Vaporeon
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Other Pokemon plushies have been off the shelf for longer, including:
- Vulpix
- Jigglypuff
- Psyduck
- Piplup
Once, there was a Giant Snorlax that was a little less than double the size of a regular Build-A-Bear. Unfortunately he, along with many other adorable friends, is no longer available for purchase at Build-A-Bear. The company seems to have had a great selection of Pokemon critters over the years, but no merchandise stock stays the same forever.
The Super Mario and Build-A-Bear collaboration hit shelves in June 2017. While there were no plushies of characters like Luigi, or Princess Peach, the company did make a teddy bear donning Mario's iconic overalls and hat. Fans could also create a bear or bunny and then dress them up in Luigi's outfit or Peach’s dress and crown. There were also Toad and Piranha Plant accessories sold separately as part of the collection.
Beyond outfits and accessories, there were also three different plushies available for creation. There was a green Yoshi or a blue Yoshi, with both having the signature “BAB” paw on their own “hand” as well as the Super Mario logo on one of their feet. The final plushie that fans had access to was Bowser, who also had a “Bowser’s Voice” sound available. Currently, none of the Super Mario collection is available online, though fans can still insert Bowser’s Voice into any stuffed animal of choice.
Build-A-Bear hasn’t always had video game character options, but it’s nice to see the company branch out and do other collaborations. Right now the buzz seems to be about the Animal Crossing collaboration, though there’s no official release date yet. Until then, players seem to be guessing who will be featured in the upcoming line.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now for the Nintendo Switch.