Drawing a cartoon video game console is a fun way to celebrate your favourite hobby. Whether you're drawing a Switch-style handheld, an Xbox/PlayStation, or a retro Game Boy, the basics are the same: rectangle plus screen plus buttons.

🎨 What You Need

  • White paper or sketchbook
  • HB pencil and rubber
  • Black fineliner
  • Colouring pencils — grey, black, red, blue
  • Ruler for clean edges

How to Draw a Video Game Console

  1. Outer body — draw a horizontal rounded rectangle in the middle of your page, like a thick chocolate bar.
  2. Add the screen — a smaller rectangle inside, taking up the middle half.
  3. Left controls — a directional pad (a plus-shape) on the left side of the screen.
  4. Right controls — four small circles arranged in a diamond (A, B, X, Y buttons) on the right.
  5. Start & Select — two tiny oval buttons in the middle, below the screen.
  6. Screen content — draw a simple character or game level inside the screen.
  7. Speaker holes — a row of tiny circles in the bottom corner.
  8. Ink and colour — grey body, black screen border, bright red/blue/green buttons.
💡 Parikshet's Tip: Make the buttons look 3D by adding a small curved line under each one for shadow.

🌟 Did You Know?

The first home video game console was the Magnavox Odyssey, released in 1972. It came with plastic overlays you stuck onto your TV screen because it could only display moving white dots.

Famous Consoles to Try Drawing

  • Nintendo Switch — detachable Joy-Con sides
  • Game Boy — vertical with rounded corners
  • PlayStation controller — twin sticks and triggers
  • Xbox controller — chunky grips, ABXY buttons

🎯 Try This: Console Evolution Poster

  1. Draw five game consoles in chronological order
  2. Label each one with its release year
  3. Add the most famous game from each
  4. Title it 'The History of Gaming'

Try This With ChatGPT

With a grown-up, open a new ChatGPT chat and paste this prompt, changing [my age] to your age:

I am [my age] years old and I want to make this craft: “How to Make Video Game Console — Easy Art & Craft for Kids”. List the materials using only things I can find at home. Then give me 7 numbered steps. Mark any step where a grown-up must help, like using scissors or hot glue.

Exact steps, follow-up prompts and safety rules are in our parent-guided ChatGPT guide. More ideas: creative AI activities for kids.