Every year the list of nerdy costumes seen prowling the streets grows–sort of like the fandoms themselves. Thanks to reboots and remakes from various studios and streaming services, the variety of Halloween cosplay costumes has exploded. We now have more options than we could ever dream of. But finding them? Sheesh. That’s a bit of a Nightmare on Elm Street if you know what I mean.
But lucky for you, lazy bones, we’ve scoured the internet looking for something to please you, your budget, and your favorite fandom. Because even if COVID-19 has discouraged us from gathering with our usual gaming party, there’s no reason we still can’t get in the spirit for ourselves.
Nerdy costumes, cosplay costumes, and other geeky Halloween garb
Listed below are a few of our favorite nerdy Halloween costumes for adults that you can find online. If you came here looking for a kids Ghostbuster costume, you’ll find it! Just keep scrollin’.
1) RPG Dice
Why dress as one of the many dungeon crawling characters when you can become the one thing that controls their destinies? Will you be able to roll? Unlikely. But it’s bound to be a critical hit.
Price: $24.99
2) The Riddler
Edward Nygma was played to the hilt by Jim Carrey, but his iconography goes back all the way to the swinging ’60s. This model mimics his look from the animated series. There are plenty more Riddler styles available, if you have a favorite era for the puzzle-happy villain.
Price: $46.99
3) Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers is one of the most fan favorite Marvel characters. Since landing with a bang in 2019, her popularity has skyrocketed. The costume above is fantastic, but there’s a fancier model that’s Comic Con worthy.
Price: $39.99+
4) Spyro the Dragon
Nineties era video game characters are having a bit of a moment right now. Spyro is one of the more beloved anthropomorphic creatures with attitude. But if you prefer Sonic the Hedgehog, he’s available too.
Price: $69.99+
5) It
All clowns are scary. But one clown may be the most nightmare-inducing of all. Stephen King’s It is a great option for guys, gals, and non-binary pals who want to get truly spooky.
Price: $34.99+
6) Aquaman
Every superhero team needs a “head empty, no thoughts” guy. For the Justice League, that title goes to Aquaman. This costume is from the movie bearing his name, but his stripped down Justice League costume is also available.
Price: $48.56+
7) Lego Block
Among kids toys, there’s Legos and there’s everything else. Now you can dress as the most popular building blocks ever. Don’t expect any satisfying clicking sounds though.
Price: $27.99
8) BB-88
Can a droid be sexy? With the right attitude, absolutely. BB-88 is the film reboot’s most popular droid. If you want a BB-88 costume more true to form, this inflatable model is perfect.
Price: $23.99
9) Doctor Who
When it comes to the best in British sci-fi, the answer is also a question. Doctor Who? Also known as simply “The Doctor,” this costume is just a Tardis and Sonic Screwdriver away from being perfect.
Price: $24.99
10) Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary is one of the spookiest urban legends of all time. This take on her is one of the most grim. I would still avoid doing the whole mirror thing, though.
Price: $54.98
11) Sam I Am
All the best characters have names with a musicality to them. Sam I Am is not only a devoted green eggs and ham fan, but one of Dr. Suess’ best characters. There are plenty of other Dr. Suess costumes available as well.
Price: $16.99
12) Alice from Alice in Wonderland
Are you the kind of gal who likes to fall down rabbit holes? One pill makes you large, one pill makes you small, etc. This version of the costume even comes with a busy rabbit.
Price: $74.95
13) Star Fleet Gold Uniform
Technically, this is a Commander Data costume. But who’s to say it can’t also be a Geordi La Forge costume? It all depends on how you accessorize, really.
Price: $43.57
14) Lydia Deetz
Lydia Deetz from Bettlejuice may be the original Goth GF. Now, you can dress as her for Halloween. There’s plenty of other Tim Burton costumes available too.
Price: $55.79+
15) Freddy from Five Nights at Freddy’s
Animatronics are scary, but none are half as frightening as the one’s at Freddy’s. The leader of the restaurant troupe is also the freakiest. If you want to get the whole band together, many of them are available on Amazon.
Price: $43.01+
16) Mercy
Price: $33.89+
17) Frankenstein
Yes, nerds, we all know it’s technically “Frankenstein’s monster.” Who cares. This Mary Shelly creature is so popular, and there are many variations available.
Price: $42.62
18) Snorlax
The sleepiest Pokemon is also one of the most popular. This costume doubles as a set of pajamas so it’s true to the Snorlax brand.
Price: $32+
20) Super Mario
Mario is many things. Nintendo’s flagship mascot. A legendary video game protagonist. Italian. Buy low before the Mario movie makes him even bigger than he already is.
Price: $58.84+
Nerdy kids costumes that even you’ll appreciate
21) Slappy the Doll
If you’re a ’90s kid, there’s a good chance Goosebumps was the nightmare fuel of your youth. Slappy is R.L. Stine’s most frightening monster, and this one is as frightening as the real thing.
Price: $39.99+
22) Steve from Minecraft
Minecraft is one of the best-selling games of all time, and it’s only about a decade old. It’s only natural the protagonist and recent Super Smash Bros. addition Steve get his own costume.
Price: $ $34.99
23) Rey from Star Wars
Rey went from an Outer Rim throwback to galactic hero in only three movies. This costume is high-quality, all that’s missing from it is a cool lightsaber.
Price: $48.99
24) Iron Man
Tony Stark isn’t dead if we keep him alive in our hearts. And more importantly, in our Halloween costumes.
Price: $24.99+
25) Glinda the Good Witch
There’s no piece of American popular culture more timeless than The Wizard of Oz. I mean, is there another movie from the ’30s everyone and their grandma is still watching? Glinda is one of the more fanciful options, but much of the cast is available in costume form.
Price: $36.99+
26) Nasa Astronaut
Space Travel isn’t just for tech billionaires. Anyone with an imagination can float through the cosmos.
Price: $41.99
28) Ghostbusters
Whether you prefer the 2016 reboot or the Ivan Reitman original, one thing’s for sure: nothing looks cooler than a Proton Pack.
Price: $29.99+
29) Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas
Sally is part rag doll, part Frankenstein’s monster, and one of the more memorable characters in The Nightmare Before Christmas. If Sally isn’t your jive, there are plenty more Halloween-happy characters from the movie to dress as.
Price: $25.06
30) Demogorgon from Stranger Things
What sort of creatures live in alternate dimensions? Nothing pretty, if the Demogorgon is any proof. Which is what makes it the perfect nerdy costume.
Price: $26.99
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