“Always winter and never Christmas.”
-C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
The end of the year is fast approach and with it may come feelings of gladness or exhaustion, relief or regret, but where ever you come from and whichever state your heart finds itself in, I hope you finish 2023 well. Winter is coming. With it comes Christmas and a host of other holidays. We may not be able to wave our staves to cast peaceaga on Earth or banish the most vexing family members from those inevitable gatherings, but we can wish you the best and offer up our annual Gamer Gift Guide (here’s last year’s)!
Enclosed you will find a set of diverse ideas for giving to the gamer in your life who might just have everything. Each one of these gift ideas has been selected by a member of our writing team at The Pixels, to whom I owe a great deal of gratitude. Now, I’ve been told I am particularly difficult to shop for! I get it. Gaming can be a tough scene to navigate, particularly if you’re not a gamer yourself. Good luck and may the merry be with you.
-Red
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The World of Cyberpunk 2077
It’s been many years since I was so obsessed with a game that I had to buy additional merchandise for it, but I have to admit that Cyberpunk 2077 has returned me to this level of fanboying after a long absence.
My gift recommendation is for all of the mercs, edge runners, and chooms who love their gaming to be cyberpunk-themed and feature Keanu Reeves as an angry digital ghost with a metal arm. After picking up my second playthrough and completing the Phantom Liberty expansion, I decided that I simply had to havbe something physical from the 2077 universe, and what better than a honking great tome?
This book is a stunner, featuring plenty of detail and excellent artwork from the universe displayed in the game. It’s also written in a really fun style that engaged me from the off. Add to this mix the fact that it’s really nicely formatted and you cannot go wrong. The materials are top drawer, the print is nice and crisp, and those pages are oh so glossy. The number of tie-in books I’ve picked up over the years which seemed second-rated is just sad, so it’s refreshing to see a quality product like this.
My Pokémon Baking Book:
Sonic the Hedgehog: The Official Cookbook
I’ll be the first to admit, I am one of those people who likes looking at cookbooks more than using them. I have a whole row on a bookshelf of cookbooks I have never used. I will also never part with them, because sometimes just thinking about food is half the fun. What I really love is themed cookbooks. Not, like, “Here’s a cookbook entirely dedicated to soups.” I mean, “Here’s a cookbook entirely about recipes related to Roald Dahl’s books” (a childhood favorite) or “Here’s a cookbook entirely about recipes from Studio Ghibli movies.” There’s a magic in taking recipes that may not even be real and making them real. And, of course, there’s dozens of cookbooks related to your favorite video games. Along with your favorite game recipes, you can even duplicate your favorite classic console wars. For the Nintendo fans out there, grab a copy of the My Pokémon Baking Book, filled with adorable recipes of your favorite pokemon and their favorite treats. Meanwhile, Sega fans can now enjoy everyone’s favorite hedgehog’s famous chili dogs with the Sonic the Hedgehog: The Official Cookbook. Like the consoles, both cookbooks are well-loved and will make your favorite gamer/cook happy when they find it under their tree.
SquarePainter Wall Art
For retro gamers, memories are often rendered in pixelated form. What better way to celebrate old favorites than with artwork adorning the walls of an office or game room? I recommend SquarePainter, who hand-paints the classics into full works of art. There’s a wide array of choices on his website, but commissions are available as well. Last Christmas, I ordered this sweet Metal Man painting for my little brother, a classic Mega Man fanatic. He loved it. The ordering process was easy and everything arrived in great shape. If a special someone in your life is looking to spruce up their decorating (Christmas pun!), check out SquarePainter. Happy Holidays!
Banjo-Kazooie Miniatures
As an average Banjo Kazooie fanatic, I went absolutely insane when I saw these amazing figures made by Emily Victorious on her Twitter page. It took a little while, but she eventually opened up these figures as available by request. Her prices vary depending on the figure, but if you can think of a character from Banjo Kazooie, she’ll have it available. Everything from the Grunty doll to Dragon Kazooie to Clanker, it’s all there.
Collective Minds PSVR2 Showcase Charger
Since the day I bought the PSVR2 it’s been sitting on the Collective Minds PSVR2 charger and display stand. This slick-looking unit can hold the PSVR2 headset and both Sense Controllers. It’s compact with a tight design for minimal space. The headset sits slightly in front and above the controllers. This stand also charges your controllers in a unique way. The first time you plug your Sense Controllers in they will be attatched to the C Magnetic Charge Adaptors. Once those are fitted on, you can simply lift and set your controllers to charge with out plugging them in. The unit also has over-charge protection which means you don’t have to take them off the stand once they are fully charged. Lights on the front of the unit tell you when the controllers are both charged fully as well. This is a must have stand for PSVR2 users!
Starfield Credstick Bottle Openers
The Credstick is possibly the most recognized (and stolen) form of currency in the Settled Systems. Show the Starborn in your life your cosmic love and affection by gifting them the Credstick Bottle Opener! It’s a faithful reproduction of the currency featured in Starfield, and it also provides some practical utility for any thirsty traveler needing a cold one!
LEGO Sonic The Hedgehog Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman’s Death Egg Robot
The battle against the Death Egg Robot in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was the pinnacle of tension when it came out almost 31 years ago. Thanks to LEGO, you can now recreate every epic moment of that fight with the Sonic vs. the Death Egg Robot Lego set!
Boss Fight Books
For a little yuletide literature to go with your video game gift-giving, consider Super Mario Bros. 3, by Alyse Knorr, or another of the many great titles from Boss Fight Books. They’re short, fun, and might even raise the party’s IQ by a few points.
Hori Splid Pad Compact
A direct sequel to Hori’s “Splid Pad Pro” controllers designed to be more ergonomic than the original version, while retaining all of the same features. These Joycon-replacements don’t have rumble or the ability to play wirelessly, but they remain the most comfortable and enjoyable options when playing the Switch handheld. Besides a few color options, you can also pick from other uniquely themed choices such as Pokémon and Pac-Man, all for less than the price of the standard Joycons.
LEGO Storage Sets
Gaming takes up a lot of space, between controllers, cords, games, consoles, and the plethora of peripherals to aid in your many quests. Why not store everything in fun containers made by every gamer’s favorite toy company? Lego storage units come in all shapes and sizes, including drawers, boxes, shelves, and heads, and have the added bonus of being able to fit into each other. So help your loved ones or children start a solution to that pesky gaming storage problem that’s as unique as your collection!
Final Fantasy Mage Throwaga Pillows
“Red, you can’t recycle the same –aga suffix joke you used earlier in the article!” Yes, I can. I do what I want. Which is why I’m giving you the opportunity to support an indie artist near and dear to my heart, namely myself. Good for decorating the living spaces, pillow fights, and sobbing into in the wee hours of the morning while the hot darkness crushes in around your fetal-positioned body, Teepublic’s pillows are softer than the underbelly of a fanboy with the endurance and durability of his misplaced obsessions. I’ve had mine for years now and they hold up, they’ve aged well, it just works.
You can also get both White Mage and Black Mage (and there’s a Red Mage, too) printed-on-demand upon mugs, stickers, magnets, shirts, tanks (no, not with cannons, you putz), sweaters, hoodies, etc etc etc. Teepublic is having the biggest sale of the year RIGHT NOW so what the heckaga are you still reading this for? Get going! That’s it. Show’s over. I was the last entry.
Happy Christmas and merry holidays~!
