Okay, I was chatting with my pal Phil about silly video game junk—the kind of stuff you find when you fall down an eBay rabbit hole—and someone in my Discord dropped a sick anime-style Zippo they just picked up. That immediately sent me spiralling into the world of video game Zippo lighters—a niche I never thought I’d care about, but here we are.
I wanna believe these were the gifts for game devs back in the day. Let’s be real: if you programmed video games pre-2010, you probably smoked at least two to five packs a day. Game development was stressful, and nicotine was a necessary fuel source. It’s funny how things change—maybe I’ll follow this up with an article on vaping in video games (spoiler: it’s always cyberpunk).
Anyway, even if you don’t smoke, having a lighter is weirdly essential. Camping? Need a lighter. Birthday cake? Need a lighter. Random power outage? Lighter. And if you do have to carry one, why not make it something that screams, “Yes, I am a nerd,” while you flick it open like Solid Snake about to monologue about war?
Why Collect Video Game Zippos?
Zippo collecting is one of those oddly specific hobbies that makes more sense the longer you think about it. These aren’t just fire-starters—they’re tiny, weird artifacts of pop culture pressed into metal. They’re built to last and click open with that deeply satisfying sound. Zippos feel like they belong to another era in a world of disposable everything. One where carrying a lighter meant something.
Throw in video game branding, and suddenly, these things ride the line between badass and completely unnecessary—which, let’s be real, is the sweet spot for any collectible.
PaRappa the Rapper Zippo
🟢 Grade: A-
Oh, you gotta believe this one is cool. PaRappa’s wholesome rap energy captured in a lighter? Feels ironic. The two-tone design is solid, but let’s be real—PaRappa’s all about confidence, and nothing says confidence like pulling out a Zippo covered in a PlayStation-era cartoon dog. The FUN social aspect of this lighter was pulling it out when someone asks for a light, and you go into a full-out rap. You don’t give them the light until they copy your rap. It’s how you’d be quirky and awkward and omg back in those days. Today, we call it back-handed self-loathing.
Namco Classic Arcade Zippo Set
🟢 Grade: B+
All the classics, Pac-Man, Galaxian, Xevious, and Dig Dug are now in Zippo form. It looks sleek, but let’s be honest—half the appeal of these games was the glowing arcade cabinets, not engraving them on metal. Still, great for showing off how much of a retro gamer you are. Bonus points for Namco’s shameless cash grab. Imagine you and your buds got one each for the company holiday bonus and you’re awkwardly trying to swap for the Dig Dig one but then they’ll know you like Dig Dug. Heck, no shame in that, but why is it so hard to admit it?
Space Invaders Zippo (Gold Edition)
🟡 Grade: B-
Gold-plated nostalgia? Sure, why not. The menacing alien is cool, but this feels like it belongs in the collection of someone who says they love Space Invaders but has never actually beaten a wave. Too fancy for the game’s simple pixel aesthetic, but I respect the effort. I figure it’s a great way to set off the sprinkler system at the arcade when Joey and his gang of upper-class twits start hogging the good machines and dripping pizza toppings and gunk everywhere when burning him with your eyes with pure hatred doesn’t pay off.
Windows 95 Zippo
🔴 Grade: C
Because nothing says light up a cigarette like a reminder of the days when dial-up Internet took five years to load a webpage. Is it funny? Yes. Would I buy it? No. This is for tech bros who miss Clippy and the days before software updates ruined everything. Also C for not being an official Zippo. Holding out hard for a DOS Zippo…
Metal Gear Solid Zippo
🟢 Grade: A
Now this is stealthy. Snake’s legendary grimace engraved on a lighter—because you never know when you’ll need to dramatically light a cigar after sneaking through a nuclear facility. Bonus points for the slick packaging, but let’s be real: if you had this, you’d never actually use it. You’d probably display this one next to your OG copy of MGS 1 for PS1 or next to your Death Stranding collectors set. I myself keep mine next to my copy of Snatcher because that’s how I roll.
Tower of Druaga Zippo
🟡 Grade: B
You love Druaga? Really? Name five floors. This one gets points for the 8-bit aesthetic, but considering The Tower of Druaga is famously cryptic and unfair, this lighter should only be given to those who enjoy suffering. At least the pixel-art icons look neat. It’s possibly best used when you need to see better when you’ve offed yourself inside some spectacular cave or got lost in the office basement.
Final Fantasy Zippo
🟢 Grade: A+
Okay, I’ll admit it—this one is beautiful. The engraving? Chef’s kiss. The design? Dramatic as hell. This is for the person who buys limited-edition art books and claims Final Fantasy VI is the best one (which, let’s be honest, it is). It’s a collectible worthy of someone willing to grind for 99 hours straight. This one features the stunning artwork from Final Fantasy 1 by Yoshitaka Amano, and you can probably use it to light candles and such things when you’re getting ready for tonight’s D&D get-together.
Sega Genesis Zippo
🔴 Grade: D+
Do I love Sega? Yes. Do I love this Zippo? No. It’s a lighter shaped like a console. Why? Last thing you need is your drunken date losing his mind when he starts playing your lighter… AND CAN’T. Also, imagine explaining to your date why your lighter looks like a miniature Sega Genesis while his drunk-ass is burning his fingers trying to load up Sonic. Sounds like a really terrible time if you ask me. Pass.
Zangief 3D Sculpted Zippo
🟢 Grade: A
Finally, a lighter with pure, unfiltered power. This isn’t just a Zippo—it’s a miniature metal god of wrestling. The sheer absurdity of having a 3D-sculpted Zangief torso bulging out of your pocket is both ridiculous and kind of perfect. Want to light up? Get ready to snap this man’s head in half to do it.
Honestly, this is peak novelty design. Sure, it’s impractical. Good luck stuffing this in a jeans pocket without looking like you have a weird hard-on, but who cares? If you own this, you’re already committed to the bit. Also, props for Capcom and SNK branding together. A relic of an era when fighting game crossovers were a wild, lawless frontier.
This Zippo isn’t just for smokers. It’s for warriors.
Phil’s Pick: The Klax Milds
Phil came in strong with this cursed gem—a faux pack of KLAX-branded cigarettes, complete with a Tengen logo and that haunting slogan: “There is time for… KLAX.” Which, depending on your stress level, sounds less like an ad and more like a warning from a chain-smoking oracle.
— Shadsy, 2025-03-19
Apparently, they’re just rebranded Mild Sevens, which makes this whole thing even weirder. Someone at Tengen said, “You know what our falling-tile puzzle game needs? A tobacco tie-in.” And someone else, probably smoking three at once in a sun-faded office, said, “Yeah. Let’s do it.”
As for the Zippo? Phil insists on using the Final Fantasy VIII Zippo for this… because… whatever. Something about the drama, the angst, the over-designed belts—it just matches the energy of smoking fake video game cigarettes while pretending to be cool on the G Garden balcony. Is it the right choice? No. Is it the Phil choice? Absolutely.
Final Puff
Some of these lighters are hotter than a gas station bathroom break mid-road trip, while others are as appealing as bumming a stale menthol off a guy named Rudy behind the arcade. And let’s be real—whether you smoke or not, everyone loves the drama of a Zippo flick.
Light responsibly, nerds.
That Final Fantasy VIII Zippo is really cool (and I also collect some ZIppo Lighters) but they are rare and expensive ouch…