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The 10 worst special edition consoles ever made

By Hugh Langley
published 12 March 2017

The state of these

The worst special edition consoles of all time

The worst special edition consoles of all time

When it comes to special edition consoles, it's about a 50/50 split between 'Pretty nice' and 'What the hell were they thinking?'.

A recent Game of Thrones Xbox One effort definitely falls into the latter camp. Just feast your eyes on the thing.

Not only does it look like someone left an Xbox One out to rust, the giant metal rings sticking out the top mean you won't be easily slipping this thing under the TV.

Luckily, the console is exclusive to Xbox France and only available through a competition, but it's not the first bad tie-in console that has graced us with its presence.

Here are a few of the worst.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Mountain Dew Xbox

Mountain Dew Xbox

There's nothing I love more than the refreshing taste of Mountain Dew as I chow down on some Doritos and get stuck into a bit of Halo. If only there was a console that spoke to my lifestyle; a console my friends could look at and say, "Yes, this is a man who knows how to Dew it".

Well, turns out there was. No, that's not the Hulk you're looking at (although it's about the same size and color) but the limited edition Mountain Dew Xbox that was only made available through a sweepstakes for Dew lovers. You can still find a few knocking around on eBay.

[Image credit: Gamesmaster1 on YouTube]

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Star Wars Xbox 360

Star Wars Xbox 360

The Darth Vader PS4 may have divided opinion, but it's as hallow as Yoda compared to the ugly Star Wars Xbox 360 above.

The console was launched in a bundle with a copy of Star Wars Kinect and the Kinect sensor itself.

It's not even the unit that's the worst bit - just look at that C-3PO-inspired controller. Look at it.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Men in Black PlayStation

Men in Black PlayStation

I don't think Men in Black is a good enough movie to warrant a console tie-in. Sue me. Either way, this one's about as inspired as the second film.

[Image credit: Twinfinite]

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Call of Duty PS4

Call of Duty PS4

The 1 TB PlayStation 4 Call of Duty: Black Ops III bundle comes with a console that's meant to evoke elements of the game, but actually wouldn't be out of place in Tron. The original Tron, where - let's be honest - everything looks a bit pants if you watch it now.

Then comes the controller, which looks like it's just been used by someone with Cheeto dust smeared on their thumbs.

In sum, not great.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Hello Kitty Xbox

Hello Kitty Xbox

The Hello Kitty limited edition Xbox is a bit like the sun - in that staring at it for too long will probably cause blindness.

It was launched for the release of Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue in 2005, and the world never looked back.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Shrek Game Boy Advance SP

Shrek Game Boy Advance SP

Like Shrek, it's only ugly on the outside. It also belongs in a swamp.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Tommy Hilfiger Game Boy Color

Tommy Hilfiger Game Boy Color

"This promotion is a natural partnership, since both companies tailor to the trendsetters who dress to impress and enjoy interactive entertainment," said then-Nintendo exec Peter Main at the launch of the Tommy Hilfiger Game Boy Color.

"Finally, a console will tie my outfit together," said absolutely no one in response.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Taco Bell Xbox 360 Slim

Taco Bell Xbox 360 Slim

No joke: Taco Bell gave away a special edition Xbox 360 as part of a competition in Canada. The color is fine - it's the Taco Bell logo slapped on the side that makes us want to wrap the console in a rug like an ugly tortilla and drop it in the nearest river.

That said, only three were ever given away, so you're unlikely to ever see a wild one. If you do, be sure to express your dislike by booing at it.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Team Jordan PlayStation

Team Jordan PlayStation

Only 10 of these were ever made, and we're thankful for that. The Team Jordan Formula 1 PlayStation is so ugly it would be an offence to the trash can to bin it.

The consoles were given away by Team Jordan to tie in with the launch of Formula 1 '97, and might be worth a bit of money if you're one of the 10 people to own one. So at least there's a silver lining to this yellow monstrosity.

[Image credit: Gamekapocs]

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Bruce Lee PS4

Bruce Lee PS4

*Vomits all over the PS4*

*PS4 looks the same, if not marginally better*

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Hugh Langley
Hugh Langley
Social Links Navigation

Hugh Langley is the ex-News Editor of TechRadar. He had written for many magazines and websites including Business Insider, The Telegraph, IGN, Gizmodo, Entrepreneur Magazine, WIRED (UK), TrustedReviews, Business Insider Australia, Business Insider India, Business Insider Singapore, Wareable, The Ambient and more.


Hugh is now a correspondent at Business Insider covering Google and Alphabet, and has the unfortunate distinction of accidentally linking the TechRadar homepage to a rival publication.

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