Several years deep into the latest console releases, you’d think it would be easier to discuss the many options available at the hands of video game shoppers over the holidays. Heck, maybe there’s even a new inexpensive bundle box or two that’ll have items includes alongside the console, making for an attractive box and perhaps a free game or two to spark excitement. Alas, it’s the year 2022, where we’re stuck in the tidal shifts between supply-chain production issues and rising costs due to inflation (disproportionate as they might be). Instead, we’re left with a different sort of exciting aspect of shopping for video game systems over the holidays, one folks haven’t been able to enjoy for several years: if they shop early, they should be able to get a system this year without all the hoops.

Will this actually be the case this year? Who knows, but more and more retailers have been able to put stock of the ever-elusive PS5 on shelves over the past few months, and more online retailers have made pockets of stock available in one way or another. If you’d like a few hints on how to keep tabs on stock of the various systems through trackers, please check out Ben’s Bargains 2021 Video Game Hardware Guide about halfway down. Beyond, give this year’s guide a look and see what’s new in the landscape of consoles and accessories for the players in your life.

For Fans of Kratos, Comfy Controllers and 4K Horizons, Gift This.

PlayStation 5 Console – God of War: Rganarok Bundle

Pros: 4K Gaming, PS4 Compatibility, HDR Disc Playback, GAMES | MSRP: $559

But wait! Look! Is that a bundle I see before me? As someone who’s been covering the most unique, all-inclusive ways to give video game hardware as awesome gifts over the years, it’s admittedly been quite a bummer to see the snazzy All-In-One Bundle dry up and become such a scarce item.  This year, however, despite the rampant demand and chip supply/production complications, Sony will be offering a brand-new bundle that coincides with the release of the hotly-anticipated God of War: Ragnarok. How easy this will be to find remains a mystery; however, the optimist in me seems to think that if they’re designing specific PS5 retail boxes to draw attention to the bundle and, of course, will be including the digital info in the paperwork included with the system … then they’re going to be reasonable available.

Opinions about the power of the PS5 over the Xbox Series X have largely become moot, as they’re quite similar under the hood and will play most of the games anyone’s wanting to play, so the topic once again gravitates towards other factors: exclusive titles and the strength of supplemental features. PlayStation added several noteworthy games to the PS5-only roster this year, notably the sequels to sprawling action franchises like God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon: Forbidden West, to which their execution of both gameplay and aesthetics result in not-to-be-missed adventures. There’s also the remake of PlayStation darling The Last of Us, and that’ll become relevant at the beginning of next year when people are wanting to replay the game before the HBO series gets started.  Couple those things with an outstanding, comfy controller and continuously reliable 4K disc playback, and you’ve got the makings of a console that’s moved ahead of the pack in desirability.

Check Price/Availability on Amazon Or Search Ben’s for PS5 Console Deals

For Fans of High-End HD Tech, Legacy Gaming, and Bethesda, Gift This.

Xbox Series X Console

Pros: 4K Gaming/Media, Multi-Gen Back Compatibility, Not THAT Big | MSRP: $499

Both primary systems have been a pain to buy over the past few years, and that conversation usually lumps the Xbox Series X and the PS5 together as simply “hard-to-find” without much need to emphasize which is more difficult. When it comes to power under the hood, the specs may give the Xbox Series X a slight processing advantage, but if they’re viewed side-by-side it’s about as close as you can get … and outside of exclusive titles and compatibility choices, there aren’t many factors giving the edge to either one. Truth be told, it’s been a quieter year on the Xbox side of things, without much in the way of attention-grabbing exclusives that might push this decision any further in their direction; heavy hitter games like Bethesda’s Starfield and Arkane’s Redfall were pushed to 2023.

Instead, the Xbox Series X continues to rely on the pillars from which it was built: rock-solid operation, stunningly up-to-date graphics, and a dedication to backwards compatibility.  While it’s true that the Xbox team halted its efforts this year to add any further backwards compatible titles, this BC dedication resulted in the current generation of Xbox consoles being able to play close to 5,000 games across the platform’s history: 600+ of them being Xbox 360 titles and several dozen being original Xbox classics. It also shouldn’t go without saying that the process of unplugging the previous generation of Xbox peripherals from the One system and reconnecting/resynching them with the new Series console is a generally seamless process, all of which makes the choice of upgrading someone’s console as a gift pretty much a no-brainer. And it’s still a perfectly fine 4K disc player, too!

Check Price/Availability on Amazon Or Search Ben’s for Xbox Series X Deals

For Those Who Want Available, Reliable, Family-Friendly Fun, Gift This.

Nintendo Switch OLED Edition

Pros: Improved, Larger OLED Screen, Metal Body, Available | Cons: $50 More | MSRP: $349

Rumors have circulated over the past 2-3 years that Nintendo might be working on a beefed-up version of their Switch console – a higher-end “Switch Plus”, if you will. Given the age of the console’s life cycle, one would expect for this to be coming in the not-so-distant future; the Switch launched in 2017, after all. Instead, what materialized is an OLED screen model of the console everyone’s come to know and love, providing a dose of disappointment to those who expected improved graphics or performance … but also a satisfying new version with improved hardware all-around.   

Released last October, the Switch OLED model obviously boasts an improved screen, jumping from a 6-inch LCD to a 7-inch OLED for improved on-the-go play. A further adjustment to this comes in the widened stand for the screen that assists with Tabletop mode, further making this an appealing portable system even in comparison to their Switch Lite models. On top of that, the OLED model doubles up on the internal storage available, giving it 64GB of available space, and encases the system in a metal alloy body. Yes, these are upgrades to a system that’s 5 years into its product cycle – the Gamecube stuck around for 6 years and the Wii U lingered for 5 – and there’s a $50 upcharge, but there are a lot of great things still going for it. For instance, the Switch library has grown into an impressive range of both Nintendo franchises and third-party heavy hitters — Skyrim, The Witcher, Dark Souls and Minecraft are all options – and the upticks in material build quality suggest forward thinking for the Switch’s future.

Check Price/Availability on Amazon Or Search Ben’s for Switch Console Deals

For Those Who Light Up at Steam Sales And Want Their PC Library Mobile, Gift This.

Steam Deck

Pros: Play Steam Game Library on Strong Mobile Device | Cons: Battery Life | MSRP: $399-649

A specific piece of equipment designed to play PC games from a user’s Steam account on-the-go isn’t the easiest sell, because you’ve got to explain why this isn’t essentially a laptop and what it does that, say, a Switch wouldn’t. Once you’ve worked yourself into the conversation and learned that the Steam Deck does exactly what’s being described, focusing on the nuts-‘n-bolts of gaming instead of other PC noise and making it straightforward to play computer games on a ready-to-go device, the question kind of answers itself. The mastermind at Steam/Valve, Gabe Newell, has stated that he’s always wanted this product as a gamer and further wanted it for PC developers, and it’s easy to see why. Broad questions like “When will this game come to consoles?” and “Why is it worth it to build a gaming PC?” could reach an end with a device like the Steam Deck that makes it all … easy.

With a processor named after one of the main characters from Final Fantasy VII, a Linux-based version of the Steam desktop client, and a team of people curating and ensuring that games are “verified” to run on the device, the Steam Deck has a lot of thought poured into its power and accessibility.  Consoles have been priced relatively affordably — $399 for 64GB of storage; $520 for 128GB; $649 for 256GB – and the anticipated delivery dates have been trimmed down to just 1-2 weeks.  There’s also a peripheral charging and connection dock now available, which makes it easier to plug-and-play the system into conventional TVs and hook up other devices via USB-C ports. If someone has ever seen a PC gamer get all googly-eyed over the prospect of the “Steam Sale” and its heaps of cheap games, and wanted to revel in the good times, the Steam Deck might just be the way they finally take the plunge.  

Click to Buy Steam Deck Or Search Ben’s for Steam Deck Deals

For Those Into Getting Lots of Gaming For Their Buck, Gift This.

Xbox or PlayStation Branded Gift Cards – Pre-Paid Subscriptions

$100 Xbox Card on Amazon $110 PS+ Wallet Funds on Amazon

There has been lots of talk over the past few years about when and how the subscription services would ultimately change, moving into their next evolutionary step as the old, simple paradigm of “free downloads + online gaming” reaches its end. Sure enough, that finally happened this year as PlayStation Plus transformed into a 3-tier subscription service: the $9.99/month tier is the “free games + online” as it’s known; the $14.99 tier unlocks a gaming library similar to Xbox’s Game Pass; and the $17.99 tier unlocks an extensive retro gaming backlog. The change isn’t as drastic, but the team at Xbox also did a bit of restructuring by scrapping any further 360 and original Xbox freebies – and backwards compatibility – while keeping the number of free titles each month to 2, doing a heavy number of the perceived value of the Gold-only tier. The two lowest $10 sub tiers are looking … old, and obsolete.

 The $15 tiers, on the other hand, have risen more and more in value, and that’s where our gift recommendation comes from this year. Instead of the year-long Gold or bottom-tier PlayStation Plus subscription cards that we’ve generally recommended here, it’s probably best to go ahead and splurge on the more expensive $15 subscription programs for either the Xbox or the PlayStation to better maximize the dollar value. The Xbox has previously made Game Pass Ultimate prepaid subs available in up to 3-month increments; PlayStation hasn’t done the same yet, but they have a clearly labeled “PlayStation Plus” digital gift card / “wallet funds”. Best bet? Find a way of wrapping up a printed Sony or Microsoft gift card for them to apply to their accounts, or just hook them up with an Amazon gift card with a specific purpose in mind (hint: they may not use it for that).

For the Gamer That’ll Appreciate a Touch of Personality and Usefulness, Gift This.

Exquisite Games “Cable Guy” Character Device Holders

Pros: Holds Controllers, Holds Cellphones, Adds Personality to Game Space | MSRP: $20-40

There are 2 aspects to these statues that’ll appeal to gamers. The first should be obvious: these are awesome ways to represent one’s fandom in a functional way. Unlike, say, Funko Pop figures that merely sit there for the sole purpose of proclaiming one’s appreciation for a franchise, these will actually hold your favorite controller and wait patiently until it’s picked up again. The designers of these products – represented here by Exquisite Gaming’s Cable Guy brand – have figured out the right height and character arm distance to comfortably hold most modern controllers, at the perfect level for maximum stability and character recognition.  Keeping controllers safe from fluids or Cheeto dust? Let Sonic or Vault Boy hold ‘em above such hazards.

The other fun aspect of these “device holders” for gamers is, perhaps oddly enough, how they also function as mobile phone stands. If the player’s trying to pull off a certain combo of skills in a fighting game (or looking at a map or tutorial), they can have Claptrap hold up their phone with the button connection loaded up on the phone screen while brawling it out on the primary one.  Or, maybe there’s a sports event on and they’d like to flip it on while in the middle of a gaming session.  Just fork it over to Spyro or Ryu to hold for a while. Yes, it’s a simple concept with other, simpler solutions, but if there’s someone in your life who even mildly appreciates one of the available popular characters – which extend beyond gaming; Wolverine, Spider-man, and  they’ll get a charge out of these device holders.  Not a literal charge, mind you: a charge cable may be included, but actual cables aren’t looped through the statue itself.

Check Price of Vault Boy on Amazon Check Price of Sonic on Amazon

For Those Nostalgic For the Retro Arcade Glow But With Limited Space, Gift This.

Arcade1UP’s CounterCade and PartyCade Models

Pros: Retro Gaming That Occupies Small Spaces | Cons: Tight Control Spaces | MSRP: Varies ($150-300)

By now, even the significant others and family members of starry-eyed gamers have probably seen a photo or video of someone who’s transformed their basement or spare room into an arcade, thanks in large part to the affordable, fit-to-scale cabinets from Arcade 1Up. They’ve made it pretty easy to replicate the lovely neon radiance in any dedicated space, but they’ve also made it possible to just slide one near full-sized arcade machine into a corner for a splash of functional enjoyment, as the Arcade 1UP machines are also significantly above-average quality than one might expect for a pint-sized replication. Thing is, even that might occupy too much for space for some, but why should they be left out of the nostalgia?

Recently, Arcade 1UP introduced something new for that crowd: their PartyCade and CounterCade line. The Countercade is somewhat self-explanatory, compacting the scale of an arcade cabinet into a structure that both fits on a countertop and captures the retro feel of old-school machines. PartyCades are slightly different but essentially go in the other direction, condensing the cabinet into a long, slim profile that can be mounted to the wall (or, with the stabilizer feet attached, also placed on a tabletop surface). Sure, these smaller retro cabinets may be getting a little brave with what they’re doing – after all, the actual games can be bought and saved on most game consoles and any PC for a fraction of the price – but these scaled-down cabinets still capture enough of that vintage magic to be worth it.

Super Pac-Man PartyCade at BestBuy NBA Jam CounterCade at BestBuy

2022 Gift Guide: Video Game Hardware and Accessories

Another year, another complicated shopping season when it comes to buying that videogame system they want wrapped up in a bow. Much like 2021, this has also been something of a brutal year for gamers because some real banger titles have hit shelves this turn around the sun. One thing separates this year from last, though: one game has absolutely dominated the gaming conversation this year, and it’s one that can be played on either of the tough-to-find systems. Elden Ring has essentially existed in the same space that Skyrim occupied in its release year almost a decade ago, becoming something close to a mainstream pop culture beacon, a real achievement for its developers and their penchant for … uh, let’s just call them tough games. But Elden Ring is far from the only exceptional game released this year.

In fact, it’s been a long time since so many tremendous titles have come out in a short time, ranging from a new God of War to long-awaited sequels and a free-roaming game where you get to play as a … cat. It honestly doesn’t get much better than that, and we’re here to take you through some of the big ones to grab for those loved ones who’ve been fortunate enough to either get one of the new systems or will be getting one this holiday season. Below, you’ll find a dozen games in our Video Game Software Gift Guide, with links leading out for easy purchases. Let’s get started.

For the Open-World and Fantasy Fanatic

You’ll notice that a few of the games in other categories throughout this gift guide could’ve also fit into this section, and that’s because the fantasy and open exploration subgenres saw a tremendous amount of action this year. The three below are bound to thoroughly tickle their fancy, though, for the breadth of their realms and the extravagance of their fantastical ambitions.

Elden Ring

• The textual world-building of George R.R. Martin comes together with the literal open world-building of now legendary developer FROM Software in the creation of Elden Ring. Much ado may have been made about this partnership before its release, potentially setting it up to be another overhyped disappointment, but what’s become obvious since release is that it wasn’t just a bunch of talk
• Players take control of a fully customizable character who chooses a class at the game’s beginning to focus their skillset, and then they embark on an action-RPG exploratory journey through the Lands Between and its focal realms. From there, those with experience with FROM’s Souls series and Bloodborne will have an idea of what to expect: the deeper the player delves into the lavish world’s many caverns, woods, dungeons, and other hazardous areas, the tougher the challenges become and the more they’ll produce helpful rewards. And boy, there’s a lot of gear available to make ‘em your own.
• FROM Software knows their reputation, though, and they found a way with Elden Ring to both make it accessible for a wider audience and preserves their signature challenge. They’ve done so by smartly crafting the fantastical atmosphere in a way that’s both gritty and mythical, making the player want to explore its nooks and crannies instead of it being a masochistic endeavor. Skyrim may provide more of a free-roaming RPG playground, but Elden Ring has taken the throne for the most multifaceted, absorbing, and rewarding playground for combat and puzzle-solving RPing.  

Click to Order on Amazon

Horizon: Forbidden West

• Horizon: Zero Dawn proved to be one of the breakout hits from the PS4 era, delivering a new franchise and heroine in Aloy that explores a unique post-event world, one where ancient machines post threats to humans of varied levels of technological advancement who have reverted to tribal dynamics.  Forbidden West takes Aloy to another region of the US on a journey that’ll save the world.
• Further west in a region in the space of California, Utah, and Nevada, the protagonist explores a beautiful, verdant, yet hostile open world populated with aggressive weather and volatile machines. In search of the source of an infectious plague and means of survival along the way, Aloy ventures beyond just land discovery this time, utilizing underwater diving and free-form rock climbing to reach the bottoms and tops of the land. Coupled with the Assassin’s Creed-meets-Batman-meets-Tomb Raider style of gameplay and light armor customization, this atmospheric expansion is most welcome.
• Where Elden Ring poses deliberately frazzling challenges, Horizon: Forbidden West lays out its more traditional open landscape as an enjoyably manageable alternative with grand storytelling, thrillingly crafted heroics and a fine heroine, despite the weird controversy before release about Aloy’s appearance. It’s a meticulously crafted sequel to the first Horizon.

Click to Order on Amazon

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

• The Borderlands franchise features a separate one-shot DLC featuring Tiny Tina and her attempt at being a Dungeon Master (DM) for the characters in the game, transporting the player into a raucous fantasy take on the loot-‘n-shoot atmosphere of the base game. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands takes that same cheeky fantasy energy and expands it into a full shooter-RPG experience.
• With Tiny Tina again showing up to DM a round of Bunkers and Badasses, the player gains control of The Newbie as they enter a mythical realm that could morph at the whims of the storyteller. Luckily, the player can customize their character and choose a class that works best for them, and from there the summary of “Borderlands mixed with Dungeons and Dragons” begins to take shape. Either solo or in a 4-player co-op scenario, the gameplay reworks the gear system of the popular franchise into one that utilizes fantasy concepts with spell slots and melee weapons … and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
• There’s a story involved with dragon lords and swords and armies of skeletons, but the player needs to remember that there isn’t a reliable narrator here, and that’s part of the massive appeal of Wonderlands. This is Borderlands gameplay embracing a lot of the meta potential and silliness factor at its fingertips with a tabletop role-playing game, not unlike Saints Row 4 or Far Cry: Blood Dragon with how players get wrapped up in the twisted novelty and sink hours into it.

Click to Order on Amazon

For Those Who Love A Great Story Above All

Certain games don’t require a great story to be successful; conversely, there are certain gamers who don’t require a great story to enjoy their gaming entertainment. While that’s perfectly understandable, the titles below are specifically built up for their story and how it makes its audience members think and feel, sometimes sacrificing pure gaming adrenaline for the subtleties of a narrative and the invitation for the player’s input.

God of War: Ragnarok

• Old Man Kratos returns for another outing as the revamped protagonist for this retooled take on God of War, this time expanding the storytelling’s reach to all 9 realms of Norse mythology in telling a story of destiny, predetermination, and preventing the end of the world. All that alongside the continuing story of father and son against the backdrop of Norse mythology.
• God of War has had the luxury of being able to see its gameplay evolve across many titles and generations, so while Ragnarok may feel different in terms of camera angles and landscapes, it continues a similar gameplay energy of mild action-RPG systems and brisk combat as its predecessors. With Kratos’ son Atreus providing support, the duo traverse the more open-world layout of this sequel, which incorporates an increase in mini-boss challenges and allows for light gear customization.
• Most importantly, God of War: Ragnarok yearns to tell another grand, momentous story in the same vein as the other grandiose installments in the franchise, and once again the folks at Santa Monica Studio seem to have succeeded in that pursuit. Critics have so far been very kind to it, heaping almost exactly the same amount of praise on it as the 2018 reboot.

Click to Order on Amazon

The Quarry

• Supermassive Games have established themselves as one of the best in the tight gaming niche of “interactive drama and horror” titles, reaching a peak with Until Dawn several years ago and shaping their legacy with the Dark Picture Anthology. They’ve gone back to a more straightforward storytelling place with The Quarry, a tale of hunted teenagers and mysterious monsters lurking in the shadows.
• Like the studio’s other games, the experience isn’t hinged on engaging combat or other fun gameplay aspects, instead finding its satisfaction in the immersion of the storytelling and the complexity of the branching storylines and possible endings. From that standpoint, The Quarry aims to capture the tension and eeriness of classic ‘80s horror movies, incorporating a surprisingly star-studded cast of voices for the various characters in the narrative.
• What takes The Quarry to a place beyond other “interactive dramas” can be found in the technical execution from Supermassive Games, who understand how to utilize the format to maximize atmosphere, character authenticity, and ultimately dread. It’s a gaming experience that builds upon what the studio has done correctly up until now, with added bits of quality like couch co-op mode to deepen the fun with friends as each person takes control of different characters and makes choices.

Click to Order on Amazon

A Plague Tale: Requiem

• Few games have surprised with the capabilities of their setting quite like the original A Plague Tale did a few years back, discovering a way to make the medieval plague and hordes of rats into a fascinating setup for compelling stealth gameplay and harrowing dramatic horror storytelling. The gamemakers at Asobo Studio hope to sink their teeth into the concept again with a sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem.
• Many aspects are similar from the first installment, in which the lead older sister Amicia employs stealth tactics to maneuver between locations with her brother Hugo while he, with a dose of mysticism, can intermittently gain control of waves of rats for his benefit.  In the trappings new location Provence that the developers selected to give the visual tone a livelier demeanor against the bleakness of the plague, the siblings from the first game exercise more refined versions of their skills, which opens the door for Amicia’s stealth and ranged attack abilities to be a more versatile gameplay facet.
• As with the first Plague Tale, there’s a lot of potential for heaviness in the storytelling for Requiem, hinged on the progression of disease and the unyielding protectiveness of brothers and systers. Most who’ve played it so far are more impressed with how Asobo Studio have one again brought videogame life to such a dour concept and improved upon the execution from the ground up.

Click to Order on Amazon

For Those Who Enjoy Smaller-Scale, Smaller-Price Gems

Whether you need something a little less expensive or are looking for a budget-minded stocking stuffer, these budget titles pack a lot of punch for a smaller dollar value.

Stray

• Speaking of unlikely concepts for a video game: what if all humans were stripped away from an open-world exploration environment, and instead, the player starts to control the everyday activities, puzzle-solving, and dangers of a cat? That’s exactly what happens in Stray, the latest title from BlueTwelve Studio and AnnaPurna Interactive.
• Trapped in a city where all human life has ceased to exist, only sentient robots remain, and a lethal mutated bacteria looms that can destroy both organics and synthetics, our stalwart kitty must find ways of solving puzzles to locate data banks and progress through the environment so they can get to safety. For the most part, the cat does this by leveraging its body mass and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, almost as if someone were thinking that “Assassin’s Creed, But With a Cat” was a good idea.  Turns out, they were right.
• An impeccable cyber dystopian atmosphere provides a unique backdrop for the impeccably captures motions of the cat’s movement throughout the city, and there’s certainly an interesting impetus to follow along with the story in Stray.  That said, there are certain free-roam areas in the game where you can just … waltz around and be a cat in a neon robot city, and who can argue with the splendor of that?

Click to Order on Amazon

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

• There are many older gamers out there who’ll shiver with pleasure at the mention of retro Ninja Turtles video games, whether it’s the ones at the arcade or the ones they played on home consoles. These are the people who will be elated to see that there’s a brand new game released in the exact same vein, entitled Shredder’s Revenge, but the beat-‘em-up gameplay should grab more than that.
• All it takes is a brief glance at a screenshot, let alone any gameplay footage, to see what this TMNT title’s all about, sporting the familiar looking ability for 4 players to get together, pick their favorite character, and put their talents to work against the Foot before they overtake the Statue of Liberty. The pixel art style gets the vintage feel down while also strengthening the characterizations and landscapes, and it’s bound to make any gamer who’s experienced the older titles get giddy with excitement.
• Turns out, the game doesn’t stop there.  Shredder’s Revenge allows for up to 6 players through online multiplayer, and also makes the other TMNT good guys available as playable characters. Two different modes allow for an arcade one-sitting playthrough or a story-based continuation mode, to which the second mode also incorporates side content. From the graphics to the content, there’s a lot for the inner TMNT fan to love here, and at a respectable price tag.

Click to Order on Amazon

For Those Who Relish Quality Exclusive Gaming

Keep in mind that a few other exclusives appear earlier in this list, such as Horizon: Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarok, but here are a pair of others that’ll be sure to make the receiver feel special about having their particular system.

The Last of Us – Part 1

• Joel and Ellie’s journey through the zombie-ish infested urban landscape, in which they struggle to survive in the face of horrors both supernatural and human alike, remains one of gaming’s most consequential and emotive narratives. Now, HBO’s about to take a crack at adapting the story in a television (mini-)series format, and what better way to relive it than through a brand new remaster?
• Obviously, the fine folks at Naughty Dog have no interest in making big changes to the experience of The Last of Us, either on the gaming design front or in terms of story, so it’s easy to appreciate that yet another version of this game has been created with the though that it’ll be the definitive one, the one that’ll preserve it for another handful of graphical upgrades across generations. What they have done, however, is given the whole experience a once-over to get it in line with modern expectations, resulting in more tactile character models, tightened shooting controls, and other adjustments that abide by a clear objective: don’t alter the way it feels, because it feels right.
• Does yet another version of The Last of Us need to exist, and should it be at full price? Those questions are hard to quantify, but the time and effort spent to keep this game fresh on people’s minds in the midst of conversations about the validity of video games as art will ultimately be justified.  If you know someone who hasn’t played it, regardless of their preferred genres, it’s undoubtedly worth it.

Click to Order on Amazon

Bayonetta 3

• If there’s no such thing as bad press, then the people caught in the sphere of the release of Bayonetta 3 must’ve been quite happy. Following a long, strange saga involving the replacement of the main character’s voice actress, now we have the latest from PlatinumGames.
• With the iconic Jennifer Hale in the driver’s seat as the titular black-clad, shade-wearing witch, the third installment in the over-the-top action franchise finds Bayonetta engaged in yet another particularly crazy mission: she’s jumping between universes and looking for alternate reality versions of herself. From there, however, the game should be as comfortable as an old sweater to those with experience with the franchise, hinged on the evasive Witch Time mechanic, the summoning and cooperation of demons, and lots of Wicked Weave action.
• What ensues is yet another of the craziest franchise in gaming to date, a vibrantly colorful and unabashedly vulgar streak of decadence that’s matched only by the challenges posed by PlatinumGames’ now legendary penchant for incredibly difficult games.  

Click to Order on Amazon

For Those Who Need a Gift The Whole Fam Can Dig

Good family-friendly games are those where players both young and old can grasp the controls and

Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga

• Hard to believe that it’s been over a decade and a half now since Traveller’s Tales made yet another of their franchise tie-in games: LEGO Star Wars. This time would be different, of course, in that the execution of enjoyable all-aged gameplay and delightfully characterizations of the Prequel Trilogy crew would spawn a franchise and, essentially, an entirely new niche of family friendly gaming.
• As one can expect, Traveller’s Tales went down the line and covered all of what’s known as the “Skywalker Saga” – all 3 of the Star Wars trilogies – and they just kept getting more entertaining and humorous each time they went back to the well. This Skywalker Saga release brings together all those efforts into a single game package, but it’s not as simple as calling it a collection.  Traveller’s Tales have revamped the gameplay to a moderate degree, adding new point-of-view tweaks to both lightsaber wielders and those who use blasters, while also allowing players to select whichever Star Wars trilogy they’d like to begin with. The graphics are entirely new, too.
• From explorable hub worlds and mini dogfights with LEGO-ified versions of the spacecraft to a roster of 380-ish different characters to (eventually) choose from, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is absolutely loaded down with content in a very attractively spruced-up package.

Click to Order on Amazon

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

• Quite a while before the little yellow minions were stumbling around and spouting gibberish, the Raving Rabbids from the Rayman universe were doing something quite similar, only with more effective slapstick humor. They’ve once again moved up to the big leagues by sharing a title with Nintendo’s Mario, teaming up with him for the turn-based strategy and management game Sparks of Hope.
• A sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Sparks of Hope models its combat largely off its predecessor, but it also makes a few adjustments to give the player some added freedom. Rabbid-ified versions of some of Nintendo’s signature characters get embroiled in a zany story involving flying manta rays, an ominous presence called Darkmess, and adorable little star-shaped Rabbids called Sparks that need saving. Out of a tight roster of familiar Mario and Rabbid characters, the player develops a team and progresses through obstacles and battles in charmingly over-the-top fashion.
• Critics can be tough on tactics games, especially sequels, but for the most part both players and pros seem to really appreciate the raucous attitude and addictive, accessible energy of the gameplay.   

Click to Order on Amazon

2022 Gift Guide: Video Games for the Holiday Season

I read a comment recently that “books are making a comeback.” The English major book lover in me was a little defensive at first, like “uh, when did they ever go away?” But I have to admit there might be some truth to that statement. There was such a race to make everything digital, and now that we’re basically there, maybe the pendulum has started to swing the other way just a little.

For the person that appreciates the weight of an actual book in their hands, the smell of that first crack open, the sound it makes when you quickly thumb through the pages, here are the best new(ish) giftable books of the 2021 holiday season.

Cooking & Entertaining Books

Best New Cookbook

Mister Jiu’s in Chinatown: Recipes and Stories from the Birthplace of Chinese American Food by Brandon Jew is much more than another Chinese food cookbook. This beautifully designed book interweaves recipes and cooking techniques with stories about Jew’s life growing up and starting a restaurant (now Michelin-starred!) in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

It features 90 recipes that are influenced by the melding of Chinese and American cultures, including Orange Chicken Wings, Sizzling Rice Soup, Spicy Crispy Peanuts, and Dutch Crunch BBQ Pork Buns.

MSRP: $40 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Cookbook That Doubles as a Coffee Table Book

Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora by Bryant Terry is another cookbook that aims (and brilliantly succeeds at!) being much more than just a collection of recipes. Over 100 Black “cultural luminaires” from all over the world have contributed original poetry, essays, and yes, recipes for this visually stunning 320-pager.

As Bon Appétit writes in a review, “it’s almost hard to call it a cookbook, because you’ll be gaining more than a few recipes from it.”

MSRP: $40 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Cookbook for Entertainers

Charcuterie (I still don’t know how to actually pronounce that) is having a moment right now. The kids who grew up begging their parents for Lunchables are real grown up adults now, but there’s still a part of us that desires to eat cheese and crackers for every meal.

Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion is cheese and crackers, but make it fancy. Okay, there’s a bit more than that here–it includes dinner boards, breakfast/brunch boards, dessert boards and even holiday themed boards. A fun one to have around now that in-person hangouts are a thing again!

MSRP: $25 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Quirky Cookbook

Let’s Make Ramen!: A Comic Book Cookbook is described as a “hybrid cookbook/graphic novel” with 40 illustrated recipes/stories. A unique take on the standard cookbook format that reinforces that idea that cooking (and eating) should be fun. Also a great way to subtly “encourage” your teenager to start making their own gosh darn food!

The follow-up, Let’s Make Dumplings! was also released this year.

MSRP: $20 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Cocktail Book

I mean, you’re gonna need drinks to go along with your The Batman viewing (out March 2022), and Gotham City Cocktails: Official Handcrafted Food & Drinks From the World of Batman is here to “save the day”.

It includes 70 drink and appetizer recipes based on characters and places from the Batman universe, including the Dark Nightcap (inspired by Batman) and The Full Deck (inspired by The Joker).

The runner-up in this category is clearly Can I Mix You a Drink? by T-Pain.

MSRP: $25 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Travel, Pop Culture & Other Giftable Books for Adults

Best Travel Book

The Art of the National Parks is described by one Amazon reviewer as “The most beautiful thing I own.” It includes write-ups and really awesome art posters for 59 parks like Death Valley, Big Bend, and Grand Teton.

The Rainbow Atlas: A Guide to the World’s 500 Most Colorful Places also looks really cool.

MSRP: $45 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Actual Coffee Table Book

Father/son duo Dan Levy and Eugene Levy are so wonderfully wholesome and adorable that I’d blindly buy whatever they decided to sell me. Thank goodness Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt’s Creek actually looks like it’s “simply the best”! This massive (368 page) book includes multiple pages of behind the scenes stories and commentary for every single episode.

If you somehow haven’t watched Schitt’s Creek yet, go do it now and don’t come back until you’ve finished. Then immediately watch it again with this book in hand. I love this journey for you.

MSRP: $40 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best New Memoir

Dave Grohl has done everything else, so he might as well write a book. In The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, the self-proclaimed “guy from Nirvana” turned leader of the Foo Fighters turned Emmy-winning director, shares the lessons he’s learned from 30 years in the entertainment business.

I’m really hoping he also shares what was going through his mind when he went against Animal from the Muppets in this epic drum-off!

MSRP: $30 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best New Humor Book

It seems you really love Seth Rogen or you really hate Seth Rogen. I happen to be in the first camp so sorry/not sorry, Yearbook has made the list. In his debut book, the writer of true masterpieces like Superbad and Pineapple Express shares a collection of personal essays sure to make you laugh.

And if don’t, no need to worry, it comes with a guarantee of sorts: “I hope you enjoy the book should you buy it, and if you don’t enjoy it, I’m sorry. If you ever see me on the street and explain the situation, I’ll do my best to make it up to you.”

MSRP: $28 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Gift for the Tolkien Fan

Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien comes out on 12/14, right in time for gifting! Includes original watercolor paintings, sketches and drawings of places and events from The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. J.R.R. Tolkien’s son, Christopher Tolkien, selected the pieces that are included in this collection.

The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set: Illustrated Edition is another gorgeous (and expensive) gift idea for the Tolkien lover in your life.

MSRP: $35 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Graphic Novel

2021 is not the first time Frank Herbert’s Dune has been adapted into movie form, but it is the first time the beloved sci-fi epic has been transformed into graphic novel format. DUNE: The Graphic Novel, Book 1: Dune: Deluxe Collector’s Edition is a nice (very lovely packaged) step between watching the new film and jumping right into the bazillion page original novel.

MSRP: $50 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Comic Book Collection

One of the biggest movies this holiday season will no doubt be Spider-Man: No Way Home. Instead of buying whatever book adaptation they come out with, why not go back to the beginning. Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 contains the original Amazing Spider-Man issues 1 through 10 (from 1963!) in one book–that’s 256 pages to discover what made the world fall in love with Spidey in the first place.

There are 54 other volumes waiting when you’re done!

MSRP: $16 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Special Edition Boxed Set

One of these days we will get Breath of the Wild 2, but in the meantime, Zelda fans can enjoy the The Legend of Zelda Legendary Edition Manga Box Set. It includes five volumes of the The Legend of Zelda manga series, an exclusive poster drawn by author Akira Himekawa and a super cool storage chest.

MSRP: $125 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Reference Book

Feeling overwhelmed and confused by the multiverses and variant timelines going on in all the latest Marvel shows and movies? Periodic Table of Marvel is available to help make sense of it all.

This new release profiles 130 characters from the MCU and promises to “reveal the properties that bind them, the catalysts that created them, the chain reactions that energize them, and the underlying structures and formulas that underpin the Marvel Universe.”

Sadly it doesn’t look like Alligator Loki is included, but hopefully he’s working out his own origin story book deal as we speak.

MSRP: $20 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Poetry Book

Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman has to be the most highly anticipated poetry collection in a very long time. The presidential inaugural poet/rising star’s debut will be released on 12/7, and she already has a deal with Penguin Random House for two more books to follow. Her children’s book, Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem, also just came out in September.

The historic poem that started it all, The Hill We Climb : An Inaugural Poem is also available in gifable book form. Girl’s been busy!

MSRP: $25 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Kids & Babies Books

Best Pop Up Book

Jurassic World: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book  is Matthew Reinhart’s newest pop-up book, but literally everything he’s done is awesome.  Simply calling these books seems wrong–they are true works of art! Out 12/7, this new one includes scenes from all the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World films.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a pop-up of the T-Rex eating guy in porta potty scene.

MSRP: $73 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Book for New Babies (and their Parents)

O is for Old School: A Hip Hop Alphabet for B.I.G. Kids Who Used to be Dope is one that’s really for the moms and dads. Promises to make you “freshest parent in your playgroup while your kid learns their ABCs like a G.”.

ABCs for the little g’s The Remix is another funny alphabet book–for young sneaker heads in training!

MSRP: $16 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Kids’ Picture Book

A Pizza with Everything on It starts with a premise as mundane as choosing pizza toppings and culminates in the destruction of the universe! This silly and heartwarming debut from popular TikToker Kyle Scheele is getting wonderful reviews. Would be a cute one to gift along with a pizza place gift card and/or pizza making supplies.

I also can’t not mention The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin Elementary here. Looks like it would make a great present for a young Office fan, because as we all know, “Presents are the best way to show how much you care. It’s a tangible thing you can point at and say, ‘Hey man, I love you. This many dollars worth.’”

MSRP: $18 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Girl Power Kids’ Book

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 3-Book Gift Set contains the first three volumes of the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series–that’s 300 stories of extraordinary real-life women told in fairytale form. Volume 4: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic was just released this fall and can also be purchased on its own.

And finally, just because I really like Jane Austen, A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice looks absolutely delightful.

MSRP: $72 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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2021 Gift Guide: Best Giftable Books

LEGOs are nothing new. Most of us grew up playing with them. Many of us still have plastic storage bins full of them in our basements, or have passed down those treasured collections to our own children. They’re literally the best selling toy in the world!

But while LEGO used to be primarily thought of as a toy for kids, in more recent years they have really started designing and marketing towards adults (in many cases, adults with a lot of disposable income!). From nostalgic movie and TV tie-ins, to displayable builds that double as home decor, to conversation starters for your office, here are 12+ LEGO sets that truly will bring a smile to anyone “ages 4 to 99”.

Best LEGO Set for the Whole Family

The new LEGO Art Project: Create Together Set (21226) comes with 9 “canvas” plates and over 4,000 little pieces to design them with. The panels can then be connected together to form a collaborative piece of art to hang on your wall. The box comes with ideas, but it’s also great for DIYers who prefer to just make something up! 

Not that the $120 price tag is “cheap”, but when you factor in the family activity time and the fact that you end up with a unique piece of decor to display, it’s definitely easier to swallow. Release date is 12/4.

MSRP: $120 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Holiday LEGO Set

When I first laid eyes on the new LEGO Ideas Home Alone (21330), I practically grabbed my face in my hands and screamed like Kevin McCallister after a dab of aftershave. The attention to detail in this set is unreal. Each room in the house is booby trapped with all the best pranks from the movie–the iron to Marv’s face, the torch that lights Harry’s head on fire, Kevin’s fake Christmas party. It’s all there.

What makes it extra special and extra perfect for the holidays, is that the pieces (all 3,955 of them) come split into 24 bags (like an advent calendar) and the building instructions follow the movie’s plot line. You could build one bag a night and get almost a whole month’s worth of fun out of it.

It’s already temporarily out of stock at LEGO; set an alert on Ben’s so you don’t miss out when/if it comes back!

• MSRP: $250 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $250

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Best LEGO Set for the Batman Fan

There’s always at least one or two new Batman sets each year no matter what, but thanks to the upcoming “The Batman” movie (the one with the Twilight dude, out March 2022), we have even more to choose from.

The coolest is definitely the LEGO Technic The Batman Batmobile (42127). I know I know, there’s already been like 5,000 LEGO Batmobiles released, but I’m pretty sure this is the first one to join the Technic line. It has light-up bricks (one for the engine at the back, one for the front grille), an opening hood, realistic steering, etc. An awesome gift for someone who loves Batman (sorry, “The” Batman) and cars!

In the sub-$100 range, this LEGO The Batman Batcave: The Riddler Face-off (76183) ($80) also looks really fun. And if you’re just not feeling yet another Batman reboot, this LEGO Batman Classic TV Series Batman Cowl (76238) ($60) and this LEGO Batman Classic TV Series Batmobile (76188) ($30) are also both new this year.

• MSRP: $100 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best LEGO Set for the Kid Who Wants a Pet

Kid asking Santa for a hamster? No fear, LEGO is here to spare you (and probably the hamster) with these new LEGO Brickheadz Animals. In addition to the hamsters, they have a variety of cats, cockatiels, goldfish, budgies and German shepherds ready to be “adopted” for the low price of $15.

Your kids might be able to break ‘em, but they won’t be able to kill ‘em!

The LEGO Creator Fish Tank (31122) ($30) is also super cool, but it’s been out of stock for a few months now (will likely come back at some point).

• MSRP: $15 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best LEGO Set for the Music Lover

Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Buddy Holly. These are all musicians who played a Fender Strat, and now you can “play” with one too! The LEGO Ideas Fender Stratocaster (21329) set allows you to build a super detailed 1970s Fender Stratocaster (in either black or red) and a 65 Princeton Reverb amplifier.

The guitar measures about 14” long, making it the perfect size to display on a recording studio desk or just on the shelf next to your sweet vinyl collection.

• MSRP: $100 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best LEGO Set for the Writer (or Antique Collector)

I first saw the LEGO Ideas Typewriter (21327) and was like “oh wow, that looks really neat!” Then I read that it actually functions like an actual typewriter (meaning the keys work, you can feed actual paper into it!!) and I started wondering how I might come up with an extra $200 and write it off as a home office expense (kidding, kidding). 

This 2079-piece set has gone in and out of stock since being released, so if you want it get it now, before it becomes an ancient relic of the past.

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Best TV Show LEGO Set

The new LEGO Ideas Seinfeld (21328) is another one that’s made to be displayed. Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment is packed with easter eggs fans will love and recognize (giant pretzels, muffin tops, and yes, a Festivus pole).

Other TV show sets new this year include the LEGO Creator Expert Friends Apartment (10292) ($150) and the LEGO Creator Expert Queer Eye The Fab 5 Loft (10291) ($100).

MSRP: $80 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Marvel LEGO Set

Well, there are a bunch of new Eternals sets that we’ll see clearanced out by next month (the movie is getting panned), and, uh, not much else. You can make a pretty good argument that Marvel makes better movies, but DC has better LEGOs!

Working with what we’ve got, the LEGO Marvel Spider-Man at the Sanctum Workshop (76185) is gonna be popular thanks to the third Tom Holland-led Spider-Man movie coming out next month. Already backordered at LEGO and sold out at Amazon, but Target currently has it in stock

• MSRP: $40 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: NA

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Best Special Edition LEGO Set for Extreme Potter Heads

If you’re at all into Harry Potter, you’ll find the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Icons Collectors’ Edition (76391) undeniably cool. But in order to justify dropping $250 on it, you need to be really into Harry Potter. Basically, this set should be reserved for the fans that like to share “which Hogwarts house do you belong to based on your astronomical sign” quizzes on social media, and have cursive spells and quidditch snitches tattooed on their wrists. 

That level of Harry Potter fan will no doubt want this giant displayable set that includes Harry’s wand and glasses, Ron’s chocolate frog, Hermione’s potion tray, Tom Riddle’s diary, the Golden Snitch, a customizable school scarf, and Hedwig the owl (holding a an invitation to Hogwarts). 

• MSRP: $250 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Star Wars LEGO Set

When the holiday rush gets to be too much, relax and unwind with this charming LEGO Star Wars Darth Vader Meditation Chamber (75296). Based on this special scene from The Empire Strikes Back, the chamber opens, closes and rotates. To make it an even more dramatic display piece, people sell lighting kits for it.

And because it feels like a crime to not include a Baby Yoda something here, the LEGO Star Wars The Mandalorian The Child (75318) ($80) is pretty darn cute.

• MSRP: $70 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Historically Large Historical LEGO Set That You’ll Never Actually Buy

Imagine for a moment…you decide to shell out $630 on a 9990-piece LEGO set–the biggest set they’ve ever made. It arrives. You spend hours and hours putting it together, page by page, brick by brick, until your fingers are cramping and you can barely see straight anymore. Finally, you finish. You marvel at its beauty and place it ever so carefully on a bookshelf. Then, one day as you’re busy cooking dinner, one of your kids notices it and says, “Cool! The Titanic! Let’s CRASH IT!”

Moral of the story: this one is probably not for kids.

The LEGO Creator Expert Titanic (10294) measures over 53” long (that’s over 4 feet!) and the cross section reveals interior details like the dining room, grand staircase, and lots of passenger cabins.

It’s temporarily out of stock at LEGO despite just coming out this week, so I guess someone’s actually buying it after all!

• MSRP: $630 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best LEGO Stocking Stuffers

In addition to the mostly $100+ sets in this guide, LEGO does make a ton of great options under $25. Some of the best this year:

• LEGO Star Wars Brickheadz The Mandalorian & the Child (75317) for $20
• LEGO DOTS Creative Cupcake Making Party Kit (41926) for $25
• LEGO Harry Potter Brickheadz Harry, Hermione, Ron & Hagrid (40495) for $25
• LEGO Marvel Spider-Man vs. Mysterio’s Drone Attack (76184) for $20
• LEGO Brick Sketches The Joker (40428) for $17
• LEGO DC Batman: Batman & Selina Kyle Motorcycle Pursuit (76179) for $15
• LEGO Star Wars AT-AT vs. Tauntaun Microfighters (75298) for $20
• LEGO Disney Mickey and Friends Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse’s Space Rocket (10774) for $20
• LEGO Technic Monster Jam Grave Digger (42118) for $20
• LEGO Iconic Empire State Magnet Build (854030) for $10

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2021 Gift Guide: Best LEGO Sets for all ages

One of the somewhat cruel and unusual things about 2021 is that while it’s been incredibly difficult to obtain video game systems, notably the backwards-compatible Xbox Series X and the PS5, this has also been a particularly fantastic year for new video game releases.  While there are some exceptions, for the most part this quality stems from studios revisiting longstanding franchises for either sequels or conscientious remasters, which results in a slate of new titles that almost comes across like comfort food. From Samus and Ratchet to Commander Shepard and Link, there’s a lot of familiar territory this year.

The familiarity also comes about in surprising ways, though. An unofficial, spiritual sequel to a popular franchise stumbled into the gaming arena, while another horror series borrowed generously from one of its older, most popular installments in creation of a very overt callback game. And then, a studio answers the impassioned requests of fans for a sequel to a decade-and-a-half old property.  What’s remarkable is that barring a few expected quibbles with modern-era glitches or perhaps some features that could’ve been beefed up or done better, the wide spectrum of games have all received rampant acclaim, to a degree where it was tough leaving off games from this list instead of finding stuff to add.

Below, you’ll find a list of over a dozen video games worth giving for the holiday season, with links to each game’s page on Amazon to make purchasing easy. Be sure to pay attention to the system format for the game this year, though, as the visual differences between Xbox and PlayStation games of different console types can be somewhat minimal. You’ll know a Switch game when you see it.

For the Open World Lover With an Open Mind

Following a period where it seemed like every big game had to be a sandbox time-sink as a prerequisite, it seems like that demand for everything open-world seems to have hit a decline.  If a game has an open aspect, now it’s usually in service of novel gameplay or quirky personality to justify it. Below are a pair of games that actually make the player want to continue exploring the nooks and crannies of the world they’re in.

No More Heroes 3

• After nearly a decade away from the series proper, Travis Touchdown returns from the middling success of a spinoff title for No More Heroes 3. With this return, the series also reintroduces several popular aspects from previous titles, notably a more open world for exploration.
• No More Heroes 3 takes place two years after the spinoff game and takes the action to a grander scale, pitting Travis Touchdown against invading aliens who have established a new tier of assassins to eliminate and drawing him back to the fictional California city of Santa Destroy.
• Travis must earn enough money to move up the ladder of assassins, and he does so by traveling across 5 distinct islands completing side tasks and grinding, utilizing his “beam katana” and wrestling repertoire to get him through the brisk, amusing third-person combat scenarios and pop-culture references.

Click to Order on Amazon

Hitman 3

• IO Interactive has poured a lot of energy into making the rejuvenated Hitman franchise a satisfying mix of old-school stealth pleasures and modern polish and open-world freedom, and they’ve reached a pinnacle with Hitman 3, opting for fan-pleasing refinement over rocking the boat with changes.
• The story follows Agent 47 as he flips allegiances and works to take down Providence, a cabal of powerful political and industrial forces pulling strings from the shadows.  Expect lots of big twists and turns, which is where most of the risk-taking for the game takes place.
• While the plot makes significant moves of the espionage variety, the freedom of the gameplay and its willingness to not take itself too seriously lets Hitman 3 feel like familiar territory, allowing for a wide variety of ways to complete missions and create chaos if desired.

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For the Patient Gamer Awaiting the Return of Fan-Fave Franchises

It’s impressive to see the longevity and staying power of video game characters and settings, as we’ve reached a point in the culture where a property can lie dormant for a decade or two – or three! – and come back with a vengeance if there’s enough passion and demand. All three of these properties have undeniable fanbases behind them, and the resurgence of two of them isn’t exactly unexpected. However, the fact that the first game on this list exists at all is a marvel, a delightful fruition of fan requests stemming from an initial game that, while it’s built a cult following since release, didn’t sell well.

Psychonauts 2

• A devoted fanbase has been waiting patiently for a second entry in the Psychonauts narrative, continuously asking the folks at Double Fine Productions when they’ll get back there. Well, the mythical has finally turned real with the third-person action platformer Psychonauts 2.
• Players once again gain control of Raz, a wayward and agile acrobat with psychic powers, whose fascination with joining the mental-power research and regulation agency Psychonauts has landed them in their office, the  Motherlobe.  There, he uses his powers to help root out a double agent.
• In a fashion befitting the wacky personality of Double Fine, Psychonauts 2 weaves together a compelling premise with clever, bizarre puzzle-platform levels, while also striking a meaningful chord involving mental health in the process.

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Metroid Dread

• It’s been a while since a new Metroid game has been released, but it’s been even longer since a new 2D Metroid game – that isn’t a remake — has rolled onto the scene.  Metroid Dread goes back to the series roots and delivers a fresh side-scrolling adventure with Nintendo icon Samus Aran.
• Originally conceived as a Nintendo DS follow-up to a Game Boy title from the early 2000s, Dread follows Samus as she investigates the alien planet ZDR after parasite-killing EMMI robots fail to complete their mission. Ambushed and lacking full powers, Samus must battle local enemies and sneak past the EMMIs.
• Dread gets the Metroid formula back to its roots with 2D side-scrolling level design with a modernized feel, placing Samus in the position of both hunter and hunted through old-school skill progression through levels and new stealth components. It does everything a classic Metroid game should do, well.

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Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

• Despite their rampant popularity during the PS2 and PS3 eras, Ratchet and Clank only showed up once during the PS4 era for a reboot/reimagining of the first game, titled Ratchet and Clank. Their devoted fans have been waiting anxiously, and now they’ve received Rift Apart on the PS5.
• Rift Apart serves as a meeting-point sequel to both 2013’s Into the Nexus, the last game produced for the PS3, and 2016’s Ratchet and Clank. During a battle with Dr. Nefarious, several dimensional rifts open and relocate the characters to alternate realities; Clank is found by Rivet, a female Lombax like Ratchet.
• Using a new device called a Rift Tether, both Ratchet and Rivet can zip between portals to realities, a new gameplay tactic introduced within the series’ signature run-‘n-gun antics and bountiful artillery. A mix of old and new weapons, locations, and combat mechanics ensure Rift Apart has something for all.

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For Those Who Enjoy (Re)Playing Beloved Games Polished in HD

Sometimes developers make remastered versions of games simply because they want to ensure fans will keep playing and remembering the same game for years, preserving legacies by essentially making archive versions of their games to keep up with the times.  Other times, however, studios take risks and get their hands dirty with improving certain titles by listening to fan feedback, and the result ends up being a noteworthy upgrade and a reason for people to revisit that goes beyond nostalgia. Both the titles below have that going for them.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

• Nearly a decade after the series reached a polarizing conclusion, the folks at BioWare have begun the process of revisiting the Mass Effect franchise with this Legendary Edition collection for newer consoles.  All three games from the original trilogy have been included, along with their respective DLCS.
• Players gain control of Commander Shepard, who can be a customized character creation or a preset, as they race against time to stop the Lovecraftian Reapers from wiping out civilization. The player makes choices – from who live and dies to brokering deals and building relationships – that’ll have degrees of impact throughout the whole series.  
• The original Mass Effect received a drastic overhaul in visuals and gameplay without fundamentally changing how it operates, while the other two games have been more subtly polished. Like this, including the extended version of the ending and all the character and story DLC, Mass Effect feels complete and still presents one of the most engrossing and adaptable sci-fi arcs in gaming.

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Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD

• Once considered the black sheep of the modern Legend of Zelda creations, Skyward Sword has enjoyed some laid-back reevaluation amid Breath of the Wild’s successful tweaking of the franchise. This HD remaster takes some voiced issues to heart and shapes it into a fresh, worthwhile adventure on Switch.
• Skyward Sword follows many of the familiar story beats of other Legend of Zelda games, yet its focus on the early aspects of the history of the Hyrule kingdom and the Skyloft setting in the clouds give it an extra dose of storytelling intrigue. Link still needs to rescue Zelda, hacking-‘n-slashing across time.
• Skyward Sword HD may not have drastically improved visuals, but other aspects of the new version make it well worth a second look, from tweaking the autosave feature to making it so the game doesn’t require motion controls (the Joy Cons can still be used this way).  Link’s still in baggy trousers and the level design and exploration show their age, but this Switch version improves the conditions to enjoy it.

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For the Nostalgic Horror Lover

Whether it’s by being stranded among zombies in a European village or teaming up with buddies to wipe out infected humans, the horror games included below rustle up memories of game past through wildly different methods.

Resident Evil Village

• Arguably the best entry in the Resident Evil series succeeded by isolating itself in a small European village invaded by a zombie-creating parasite. Capcom decided to try and recapture this magic with Resident Evil Village, taking place a few years after the last one and featuring protagonist Ethan Winters.
• From a first-person viewpoint, Village lets the player openly explore the stuck-in-the-1800s European village, allowing them to use the setting for tactical combat against the enemies. Aside from the now iconic vampire Lady Dimitrescu and her sisters, Ethan battles against werewolf like creatures in an effort to rescue his daughter.
• Resident Evil: Village brings the scale back to a stripped-down, scarier place in how Ethan explores the area and scrounges together an inventory of resources, combining iconic aspects from earlier games – there’s unsurprisingly a lot of Resident Evil 4 in here — with what’s worked in the current iterations.

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Back 4 Blood

• The folks responsible for the Left 4 Dead franchise, Turtle Rock Studios, have returned after a decade to deliver the spiritual third entry in the franchise.  Back 4 Blood is the result, and while it isn’t pound-for-pound an exact continuation of those popular games, the developers got about as close as they can.
• Somewhat differently, Back 4 Blood takes place about a year after a parasitic outbreak has claimed much of humanity, where groups of survivors known as Cleaners try to clear out post-apocalyptic surroundings. This progression makes the atmosphere a little lighter while coordinating squad attacks.
• Sure, Turtle Rock deliberately models much of the co-op gameplay off Left 4 Dead, but they’ve also incorporated modern RPG-ish aspects like deeper weapon customization and skill cards to update the gameplay.  Coupled with plentiful maps and a quality attitude, Back 4 Blood largely feels like the sequel everyone’s wanted.

Click to Order on Amazon

For Those Dazzled By Conceptual Sci-Fi

Whether it’s temporal anomalies, tapping into the power of human brain, or the idea of superheroes being a bunch of poor renegades traversing the galaxy for their next payday, these games latch onto unique science-fiction concepts and apply relatively conventional gaming control ideas to them. The results are thrilling entertainment against the backdrop of engrossing sci-fi atmospheres.

Deathloop

• Stealth, steampunk, and the supernatural interweave in the games of Arkane Studios, the team behind the Dishonored series. Deathloop continues that legacy, telling a story of assassinations and time loops that plays into the studio’s narrative strengths while hooking the player with novel mechanics.
• With a setting that’s more identifiable and realistic than Arkane’s previous worlds, pegged to the ‘60s or ‘70s, Deathloop follows an assassin who must eliminate 8 different targets on an island in the same time loop … or else the timeline will reset. Naturally, another assassin is also hunting the main character to thwart their progress.
• Paying attention to details and routines is one of the keys to success in Deathloop, which incorporates a familiar caliber of strategy to Arkane’s previous games, observing how obstacles move and knowing what weapons to use for different scenarios. It opts for a credible variety of solutions to endless possibilities, and that’s ideal for a concept with a bunch of moving parts already. Deathloop is a timed PS5 exclusve; Xbox users should expect to pay it next year.

Click to Order on Amazon

Scarlet Nexus

• Some might be quick to dismiss Scarlet Nexus based on the anime stylings of the characters and the conversation panels, but they’d be overlooking a much more engaging action-RPG experience from Bandai Namco that taps into fast-paced action, open-roam exploration, and science-fiction concepts.
• Echoing the stellar sci-fi action game Control, Scarlet Nexus focuses on agents for a supernatural defense force who also have psychokinetic abilities. The world-building differs in how society has developed around the potential of the human brain, and how citizens with elevated abilities are recruited to defend civilization from hostile aliens.
• Scarlet Nexus makes the most of its relatively standard anime-style plotting and conversational rhythm by dialing up the smooth superpower combat and chaotic battles with unique enemies. And it only grows more interesting as the player gains access to further abilities and explores the futuristic Japanese landscape.

Click to Order on Amazon

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

• While the enthusiasm for Marvel’s The Avengers may have petered out much quicker than most had anticipated, that shouldn’t hold one back from jumping into  Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which has one very clear thing going for it: it’s focused on delivering an engaging single-player experience.
• In a post-galactic war environment, the story finds the Guardians of the Galaxy – Peter, Gomora, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Drax — strapped for cash and willing to go to sketchy lengths to make some. They end up pissing off the wrong person while on a mission to make a quick buck, which chains together the events that’ll shape this new raucous adventure.
• This game from Eidos and Square goes down a different path than the Avengers game by molding the story around light RPG elements, allowing the story to branch from choices made and dialogue chosen in prompts. Wrapped around serviceable, if repetitive third-person sci-fi shooting, Guardians of the Galaxy makes an effort to fill the space opera RPG void left in the absence of others like Mass Effect.

Click to Order on Amazon

For the Console Gamer Who Misses Out On Great PC Titles

Console players lucked out this year, as they’ve been granted the honor of being able to play two of the best PC titles to come out in recent memory, in very short order. They couldn’t be more different, either: one’s a colorfully action-based dungeon crawler with levels of difficulty, and the other’s a bleakly moody and dialogue-heavy RPG with layers of complexity.

Hades

• This roguelike dungeon crawler has amassed a strong following since its release, touting it as one of the best current games that couldn’t be played on Xbox or PlayStation. After much celebration, Hades has finally been ported over to those systems a year later, in both digital and physical formats.
• After gaining control of the Prince of the Underworld, players navigate through the beautiful, complex maze of the constantly changing realm as the Olympian gods cheer you on. The path is challenging and unpredictable, but gifts from the gods help the journey, if you can keep them. Die, and boons are reset.
• Between the ever-changing dungeon and the boons to other character-driven paths the game can take, Hades has been designed with countless runs in mind, and it generates enough excitement to do so. That also makes it worthwhile to get this physical edition for the shelf, which includes a 32-page character compendium and a digital code for the soundtrack.

Click to Order on Amazon

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

• While Hades gets the adrenaline flowing through its action and unpredictability, Disco Elysium has been making a name for itself in the opposite spectrum. A dialogue-driven RPG that’s almost entirely stat-based and driven by dialogue or situational decisions, it has been celebrated as one of the best of the genre since its release.
• As a boozed-up detective, the player navigates the subtly futuristic realm of Elysium to pursue the case, which opens up a wealth of conversations and only the tools in the character’s noggin to navigate them. Skills are all about temperament, and as the character moves up in level, overdeveloped aspects of their personality can come into conflict with one another while trying to “succeed” in a conversation. Min/max isn’t effective here.
• Due to the fluid nature of the skills and the wealth of options at the player’s disposal – the game and setting originated as a tabletop RPG, after all – Disco Elysium carries heaps of replay value for the right type of player, with the Final Cut’s addition of fully voiced characters and new quests elevating that.

Click to Order on Amazon

2021 Gift Guide: Video Games for the Holiday Season

Thinking about expanding beyond the limits of traditional video games on your console or PC? Virtual reality headsets are finally moving into the mainstream, thanks to falling prices as well as an increased availability of games & apps. Check out some of our favorite VR headsets available during the holiday season.

Be aware that sale son these devices typically pop up during Black Friday sales. In addition, some companies will bundle packages of games together with discounts up to 50 percent off.

Best Wire-Free Experience: Oculus Quest 2

Hands down, the Oculus Quest 2 is one of the best VR experiences to introduce new users to the entertainment value of virtual reality games. Available in two storage size options (128GB and 256GB), the Quest 2 is an all-in-one virtual reality headset that doesn’t require PC connectivity. It comes with two touch controllers (powered by AA batteries), a spacer in case you have glasses and offers 1,832 by 1,920 resolution (per eye).

Battery life is a bit short, at 2.5 hours. However, an hour of playtime is probably the average length of time before the headset gets to heavy to wear. There are a number of accessories you can add to your Quest 2 to make it more comfortable to wear, in addition to extending the battery life by several hours.

During Black Friday 2020, a couple of the Oculus headsets were discounted between $20 to $50 and a few discounted game bundles hit the Oculus store. Look for similar discounts this year.

Check Price on Amazon

Best VR for Console Gamers: PlayStation VR

Ideal for anyone that already owns a PS4 or PS5, the PSVR system has a large catalog of games and one of the highest refresh rates at 120 Hz. Downsides include one of the lowest resolution headsets on this list, 960 by 1,080 resolution (per eye) and a limited userbase for multiplayer games.

Games can be somewhat expensive, but sales occur significantly more often than games on the Oculus store. Some players have mentioned issues with motion controller tracking and issues sealing out light.

On the flip side, this is one of the least expensive VR headsets and often comes bundled with games. During Black Friday 2020, many bundles were discounted as low as $199. In addition, Sony is offering 3 free VR games with a PlayStation Plus subscription.

Check Price on Amazon

Best VR for PC Gamers: Valve Index

While tethered to a PC, the Valve Index offers one of the best visual experiences due to a 120Hz refresh rate (and a 144Hz experimental mode). The Valve Index also offers some of the most comfortable to wear headsets and is compatible with some lower-tier graphics cards.

The Rift S offers 1,440 by 1,600 resolution (per eye) as well as 37.5mm off-ear speakers. Look for sales on the Valve Index  around Black Friday, but it will still be expensive compared to an Oculus headset.

It’s also the only headset with access to Half-Life Alex, one of the most impressive VR games on any platform.

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Best Headphones for VR: Logitech G333 VR Gaming Earphones

If you are looking for a good set of earbuds for your VR headset, the Logitech G333 are ideal for a few reasons. The short cable length keeps the cable away from your arms when swinging the controllers. It also comes with three options for silicone tips and and and aluminum housing.

Check Price on Amazon

2021 Gift Guide: Best VR Gear for Escaping into Virtual Reality

Stumped on what to get that person on your list who seems to already have it all? Looking for something a little less generic and a little more special? Here are some unique gift ideas that are sure to stand out from the rest.

Buy this Gift for Someone Who is Really Into Modern Decoration

Nanoleaf is a company that makes light panels which can be configured into any design as well as any of 16 million color options. No drilling is required (ideal for apartment dwellers) and you can even enable touch options to trigger specific smart home features via HomeKit.

• MSRP: $199 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $159

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Really Loves Their Dog

While the Human DNA fad is still going strong, the Puppy DNA fad has really just started to warm up. The Embark Dog DNA Test Kit tests for more than 250 dog breeds as well as a variety of diseases. Creating a family tree on the site, Embark will show your dog’s family tree all the way back to great-grandparents.

• MSRP: $199 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $140

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Hates Walking

While the hoverboard fad has cooled off somewhat, the Segway has gotten smaller and more affordable over time. The Segway miniLITE is a self balancing personal transporter that’s easier to balance on and provides a smoother ride than other transporters. It pulls 4.5 star out of 5 star reviews on Amazon.

• MSRP: $399 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $200

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Buy This Gift for Someone Who’s a Germaphobe

Featured on Shark Tank a few seasons ago, this device uses UV light to destroy all the microscopic germs living on your smartphone. In addition to that, the PhoneSoap 3 UV sanitizer also charges your phone, ideal for a nightstand. Pop your phone in at night and you will have a fully charged, germ free phone in the morning.

• MSRP: $60 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $40

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Lives on the Ski Slopes

Do you know someone that races up the mountain every weekend to ski or snowboard? They clearly need the Beardski Prospector Ski Mask, a surprisingly well made, waterproof ski mask that offers a thermal fleece neck as well as vented neoprene for the mouth and chin. Attaining a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Amazon, it gets high marks for comfort and warmth.

• MSRP: $17 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Buy This Gift for Someone that Loves DIY Projects

Combining the moulding flexibility of play-dough and the strength of silicone rubber, the Sugru Hardware Sealer is a product that can be formed by hand and allowed to set in any form overnight. It also attaches to almost anything, making it ideal for any DIY project.

• MSRP: $22 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

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Buy This Gift for the Serious Carnivore

The BBQ Branding Iron is a unique gift option for the meat-loving person who hates things like “vegan bacon” as much as Ron Swanson. The branding iron set comes with every letter of the alphabet so that grillers can sear everyone’s names onto their respective pieces of meat (or just the letters L-A-M-E onto any veggie burger they’re forced to cook).

• MSRP: $17 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

Check Amazon for BBQ Branding Iron

Buy This Gift for a Board Game Fanatic

Ideal for a dedicated game room or perhaps even a kid’s room (assuming they love word jumbles), the Giant Wall Scrabble board is a massive version of the game that we all grew up with. The large wood tiles are held to the board with magnets. There’s also a chalkboard on the right side of the game board to keep score.

MSRP: $1,200 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

Check Pottery Barn for Wall Scrabble

Buy This Gift for the Beer Connoisseur

Anyone who likes drinking beer will probably already have a collection of pint glasses, but most of them probably don’t have a set of pint glasses with their name on them. The Set of 4 Personalized Pub Glasses from Personal Creations can be customized with the name, state, and date of establishment of your friend or family member’s home bar or basement brewery. Personal Creations also has a bunch of other personalized craft beer/pub gifts; pair any of them with a nice six-pack or growler and you’ve got a great, one-of-a-kind gift.

MSRP: $50 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Buy This Gift for the Totally Unique Hipster

Toms Shoes are already about as hip as you can get. But there’s one way to give them even more hipster cred: making sure no one else will ever have the exact same pair. You can get custom Toms on Etsy for around $100 (about twice the cost of normal Toms). You can get pretty much anything you can think of — from sports teams, to classic art pieces, to Disney characters, to movies, and everything in between — hand-painted on your Toms.

MSRP: N/A | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Buy This Gift for the Book-Loving Child (or Child at Heart)

Books are always a great gift idea for kids, but let’s be honest — they just aren’t all that exciting to open up on Christmas morning. But the collection of pop-up books from Matthew Reinhart can hardly be called books. They are so cool, so unlike any other book you’ve ever seen before, that kids might just get more excited about them than the toys they get.

Titles include Transformers, Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs, DC Superheroes, The Chronicles or Narnia, The Jungle Book, and Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy (most are currently around $25 on Amazon). I own the Star Wars and Dinosaur books and they are ridiculously awesome and entertaining.

MSRP: $30 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Buy This Gift for the Person Who Doesn’t Need More Stuff

Sometimes, the best gift you can give someone is something that’s not easily wrapped in a box: an experience; a memory. For the person who already has all the “stuff” they want or need, a gift certificate for a night of fun can be a great, unique option. For the creative type, how about one of those “wine and canvas” places (where you learn how to create a painting while getting tipsy on wine)? For the foodie, try cooking classes. Or go crazy and get them skydiving lessons. Groupon has tons of these types of activities and more (check their Occasions section for the best holiday options).

MSRP: N/A | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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12 Really Unique Gifts for People Who are Tough to Please

Geeks are in high demand these days as the Web is bleeding over into every facet of modern business these days. You inevitably have a geeky relative or friend, so make sure you get them something they will really love this year. Of course, we have a few ideas to help you out.

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves RGB

Does your geek have enough RGB in their computer case to light up the room? Are they obsessed with staying healthy? Do they like to spend all night at raves?

Enter the Razor Zephyr, a transparent wearable air purifier mask with N95-filters. It also comes with 2 high speed fans (up to 6200 RPM), 3 sets of N95 grade filters for 9 Days of usage, a USB-C Charging Cable (for the RGB) and anti-fog spray.

Check Price on Razer

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves PC Gaming

This gift is excellent if your geek already has a gaming keyboard, but wants to isolate the most used keys for PC games. The FitLink FPS & MOBA Gaming Keycaps Upgrade Kit is an inexpensive upgrade that will add a bit of flair to any keyboard.

• MSRP: $18.99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Card Games

There has been an explosion of card games from web cartoonists as of late, the most popular of which is Exploding Kittens. Described as a card game about”Kittens and Explosions and Sometimes Goats,” this insane game is created by the mind that brings you The Oatmeal. And if kittens aren’t your thing, check out Bears vs. Babies (also by The Oatmeal) or Joking Hazard (Cyanide & Happiness).

• MSRP: $19.99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $15
• Related: Shut Up And Take My Money: Cards Against Humanity Complete Set And Case

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Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Everything Star Wars

This super cool LEGO set of Star Wars droid R2-D2 includes retractable leg drops, an extendable front hatch, a hidden compartment to store Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber and a 50th anniversary Lucasfilm brick. Due to the complexity of the build, it’s recommended for ages 18 and up.

• MSRP: $200 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A
• Related: 75 of the Best Star Wars Toys & Gifts in the Galaxy

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Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Minecraft

This torch-shaped bottle offers the iconic design from the classic video game. It offers a 22 oz. capacity and measures 10.5 inches tall and 2.37 by 2.37 inches wide. The bottle material is dishwasher safe is is made from a break-resistant plastic, ideal for kids.

• MSRP: $14.99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

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Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves a Great Cup of Coffee

Experimenting to find the absolute perfect cup of coffee is a geeky obsession in of itself. You will recognize a coffee geek if they recoil at the thought of drinking the brew in the office coffee pot. Many of these folks grind their own specialty beans as well as use elaborate espresso machines to brew some hot java. The Chemex 8-Cup Glass Coffee Maker is the perfect gift for this geek, offering up a unique way to brew coffee.

• MSRP: $50 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a
• Related: 10 Coffee Mugs to Get You Through Your Monday Meeting

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Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Old-School Nintendo

While the 1st iteration of this landed on Etsy before heading over to Kickstarter years ago, the Super Mario Block Table Lamp is the perfect gift for the geek who can’t get enough of Super Mario, Nintendo or video games in general. This 14″ tall lamp includes a Super Mario figurine that hovers over a green felt base.

• MSRP: $35 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

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Buy This Gift for the Study-Weary Geek Who Needs a Nap

Let’s be honest. It’s extremely difficult not to make fun of someone wearing this gift, but the usefulness and comfort of the Ostrich Pillow Lite cannot be denied. Ideal for constant travelers or students who need a short break from studying, the Ostrich Pillow Lite follows up on the popular Ostrich Pillow, which was like a personal, mobile version of the Google Nap Pod.

• MSRP: $45 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a
• Related: 8 Geeky Soaps That Will Bring Some Fun into the Bathroom

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Buy This Gift for the Gadget Geek Who Loves Everything Star Trek

Bringing Star Trek-like communication to the modern world, the Onyx, created by OnBeep, is a wearable device that allows a team of people to communicate in real-time with just a tap of a button. Operating over Wi-Fi or LTE when connected to a smartphone or tablet, it’s a darn cool way to keep track of family at large venues (like theme parks) as well as chat with remote coworkers in the office.

• MSRP: $99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $49
• Related: 7 Stylish Geek Chic Menswear Items

Order the OnBeep Onyx Here

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Board Games

Achieving a stellar 4.5-star rating on Amazon, Risk Legacy takes the traditional Risk board game and adds in game-changing elements that progressively alter each successive round. Decisions that you make in Game 1 may come back to haunt you several games down the line. In addition, the tedious task of world domination has been sidelined in favor of a faster style of play. If you need a backup gift, don’t forget about the horribly evil and insanely popular Cards Against Humanity.

• MSRP: $60 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $42

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Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves to Draw

Definitely useful for breaking into the digital art field, the Wacom Intuos tablet allows artists to draw on a digital pad and see the those results on a computer screen. It’s a fantastic companion for someone who uses Photoshop heavily, specifically because drawing by hand is more natural than using a mouse. While there’s also a professional version of the pad, the starter versions are more reasonably priced between $100 to $200. However, you may be able to score one of the pro tablets under $200 with deals posted on Ben’s.

• MSRP: $99 to $199 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

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Buy This Gift for the Geek Who’s Got a Little Freak

Are there any Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans in the house? What better way to celebrate any future Philadelphia Eagles victories than running around in a Green Man costume, just like everyone’s favorite, illiterate janitor, Charlie Kelly. Ideal for Halloween or really any sporting event in Philly.

• MSRP: $30 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price of the Green Man suit

Buy This Gift for the Geek That’s a Mystery to You

Having trouble figuring out your lovable geek to being with? If that’s the case, then you simply can’t go wrong with a Loot Crate subscription. Offered in increments of 1 month, 3 months, 6 months options, you can give the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Loot Crate packs each monthly subscription box with awesome geek and gamer gear related to all aspects of pop culture.

• MSRP: $20 / month | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $10 / month
• Related: 20 Awesome Subscription Boxes like Loot Crate

Visit Loot Crate Gifts

2021 Holiday Guide: Awesome Gifts for Your Favorite Geek

In a year full of Zoom meetings, Google Hangouts, e-Learning and “virtual happy hours”, the last thing I want to do with my free time these days is stare at another screen.

Enter the book. I’m not talking about the kind you download onto your iPad or smartphone and read in the dark. No, I’m talking about the kind you hold in your hands, flip through with your fingers. The kind you can turn to when your eyes and your brain both need a break from the digital world we’re living in.

Books offer an escape, and what better gift is there than that right now? Here are some of the best gift-able titles for the 2020 holiday season.

Best Travel Book

Accidentally Wes Anderson ($35) looks, well, straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. Based on the super popular Instagram account of the same name, this quirky travel/photography book explores real-life places that have the same distinctive aesthetic as his films, and tells the stories behind them. Includes a forward written by Wes Anderson himself.

Check Price on Amazon

Best Coffee Table Book

Humans ($35) is author/photographer Brandon Stanton’s 2020 follow-up to the mega bestseller Humans of New York. In Humans, Stanton shares photographs and stories of every day people from around the world. Over 40 countries are represented in this 448 page book that the Washington Post calls, “one of the most influential art projects of the decade.”

At a time when the world seems divided as ever, this book looks like a great reminder of the shared humanity that ties us all together.

Check Price on Amazon

Best Cookbook for a Global Pandemic

Because going to watch sporting events in-person isn’t really a thing right now, Tailgreat: How to Crush It at Tailgating ($28) might seem like a weird pick. But even if you won’t be actually tailgating anytime soon, outdoor gatherings will likely be the “new normal” for awhile. Tailgreat includes 120 recipes from James Beard Award winner John Currence that will bring your socially distanced outdoor get togethers to a new level.

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Best Kids’ Baking Cookbook

When I saw that Christina Tosi had come out with a kids’ cookbook, Milk Bar: Kids Only ($23), I immediately bought it. I’m not even a big desert person, but her Momofuku Milk Bar Corn Cookies are one of the best things I have ever eaten in my entire life. Her new cookbook is absolutely delightful, too–great writing, great pictures, super fun recipes that appeal to both kids and kids at heart. So far my family has made the Rocky Road Cereal Squares and the Dreamsicle Blondies and both were delicious!

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Best Humor Book

God-Level Knowledge Darts: Life Lessons from the Bronx ($26) is the writing debut from Desus & Mero of the hilarious Bodega Boys podcast. They describe their new self-help book as “a sequel to the Bible, or maybe to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, depending on how big a nerd you are.” If that doesn’t convince you to pick this one up, I don’t know what will!

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Best Comic Book Collection

One of these days Wonder Woman 1984 will be released (maybe?). In the meantime, Wonder Woman: The Cheetah Comic Book Collection ($20) will get you acquainted with Cheetah, the villain played by Kristen Wiig in the new movie (that will hopefully, someday, actually come out). This 2020 release includes all of Cheetah’s appearances in various DC comics from 1943 to 2016.

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Best Pop-Up Book

Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Diagon Alley and Beyond ($75) is Matthew Reinhart’s newest pop-up book, but literally everything he’s done is awesome.  Simply calling these books seems wrong–they are true works of art! The coolest things about this new Harry Potter pop-up is that it can be opened up into a displayable 3D diorama of all the pages!

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Best Book That’s Not Really a Book

Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie Postcard Book ($25) is an incredible value. For $25 you get 100(!) panoramic postcards plus storage box that doubles as a display frame. The postcards feature really beautiful concept art by Ralph McQuarrie, the artist who worked with George Lucas to establish the saga’s visual aesthetic in pre-production.

I was given this set for my birthday last year and totally thought someone spent a lot more money on me than they really did!

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Best Book Gift Set

The Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite Deluxe Edition ($80) is a cool gift idea for fans of the popular Umbrella Academy Netflix show (just renewed for a third season yesterday!). Includes a 216-page leatherette hardcover with the entire Umbrella Academy comic series, a 50-page “sketchbook”, plus lithograph and slipcase designed by illustrator Gabriel Bà.

If you don’t need the fancy details, the Umbrella Academy Library Edition Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite (Hardcover) on its own is much cheaper ($40).

Check Price on Amazon

Best Read-Aloud Picture Book

Ironically enough, the best read-aloud book goes to No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever ($18). This kids’ book plays around with homophones, homonyms, and tricky punctuation, like “Man, a tea sounds great” vs “Manatee sounds great!”

Hopefully this November 2020 release will be as hilarious and awesome as its predecessor, P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever ($18). Seriously, it’s so good.

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Best Kids’ Fiction Series

The obvious choices here would be Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Man or Captain Underpants (all good!), but my kids and I recently discovered a hidden gem of a series: The Unicorn Rescue Society. Before you roll your eyes, they’re not really about unicorns! And they are really well written! Mostly, I’m just stoked to have found a series that both my boys (8 and 4) and girl (6) all enjoy.

The Unicorn Rescue Society Series Set ($33) includes the first four books: The Creature of the Pines, The Basque Dragon, Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot, and The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande.

Check Price on Amazon

Best Biography

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow ($22) is not a new release (2005), but it’s seeing a surge in popularity since Hamilton the musical debuted on Disney+ this summer. It’s said that Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda read Chernow’s Hamilton biography on vacation, was super inspired by the story of America’s lesser known founding father…and the rest is well, history.

Don’t let the length scare you–even at over 800 pages it’s a super fast read! Great gift for a Hamilton musical fan, or really anyone who enjoys a good story.

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Best Cocktail Book

Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails ($25) goes beyond providing drink recipes. In this 2020 release, New York City bartender John deBary focuses more on the “science of mixology” and teaches you how to tweak any drink to your preferences and moods. Pair this with a nice shaker and you’ve got an awesome gift for just about anyone (over the age of 21 of course!).

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Best New Anthology

The Best of Me ($30) is a collection of writer David Sedaris’s favorite stories and essays over the last 25 years. If you want to introduce someone you love to the brilliance that is David Sedaris, he’s given you a great place to start.

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Best Book for Math Nerds

Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World ($27) is described as ‘The book-length answer to anyone who ever put their hand up in math class and asked, “When am I ever going to use this in the real world?”’ This 2020 bestseller includes math mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman Empire and more.

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Best Sports Book

Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty ($30) would have been an interesting read either way, but the fact that Kobe Bryant died this year brings a new level of fascination to this story. Written by Sports Journalist Jeff Pearlman and covers the Lakers “dynasty” from 1996 through 2004.

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Most Highly Anticipated Memoir

The first volume of Barack Obama’s presidential memoirs, A Promised Land ($45) comes out today (11/17). No matter what political side you’re on, you have to admit Obama has always had a way with words. His historic rise to become the first Black president is a story I think a lot of people are looking forward to diving into this holiday season.

Check Price on Amazon

Most Highly Anticipated Sequel

Ready Player Two: A Novel ($29) comes out on 11/24, right in time for holiday gifting. Fans of the first book, Ready Player One have been waiting for this one for nine years! Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation in 2018 only upped the level of anticipation. Let’s hope it was worth the wait!

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Best Book to Give Your Wife/Daughter/Niece

What Would Frida Do?: A Guide to Living Boldly ($25) is described as a “vibrant herstory-meets-self-help book”. Author Arianna Davis is getting a lot of praise for telling Frida Kahlo’s story in a fresh new way. Looks like an inspiring read for girls and women of all ages.

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Best Book for Car Lovers

A Man & His Car: Iconic Cars and Stories from the Men Who Love Them ($40) is a collection of 80 stories of men and their beloved cars. Includes Ed Burns talking about his 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Jay Leno telling the story of his 1955 Buick Roadmaster, and Shaquille O’Neal nerding out over his love of trucks.

This is a follow up to 2017’s A Man & His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them (also a fun gift idea, especially paired with a watch!)

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20 Giftable Books for 2020

2020 hasn’t been, uh, very good. You know it’s not great when a year inspires an extensive range of “dumpster fire” products (including hundreds of Christmas tree ornaments) to commemorate it!

It’s really not surprising that there are a lot nostalgic toys coming out right now. Here are some of the best that will not only bring out your inner child, but will let you pretend, even if for a moment, that you’ve gone back in time.

Best ’80s Throwback Toy

Transfomers on their own are already pretty nostalgic, but the new Transformers Vintage G1 Autobot Blaster takes it a step further by adding the ultimate retro symbol into the mix: the boombox.

Inspired by the original 1985 release, the G1 Autobot goes from boombox to robot mode in 4 steps and just looks super cool (or should I say rad?). They’ve even recreated the original packaging, making it extra fun for gifting. It’s a Walmart exclusive–expect it to sell out before it drops too much in price.

Also worth mentioning (but unfortunately not releasing until January), is the awesome looking Transformers Collaborative: Back to the Future 35th Anniversary Mash-Up Gigawatt ($30; preorders only). It converts from robot to time machine mode in 17 steps–just don’t accidentally go back to 2020!

MSRP: $30 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Nostalgic LEGO Set

Again, LEGOS on their own already take it back to a time when toys didn’t need batteries or WiFi or other fancy tech. But the new LEGO Ideas 123 Sesame Street also brings all the feels with a recreation of the street so many of us “grew up” on. The best part is the collection of minifigures you get with this set: Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, Big Bird and an Oscar the Grouch (that pops out of his trash can!).

This is a LEGO Shop Exclusive, meaning you’re not gonna see deals on it at Amazon or other stores. At $120, it’s not cheap, but my guess is it’ll hold onto its value as a collectible set.

• MSRP: $120 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Throwback Toy Update

Before there was Animal Crossings, there was the Tamagotchi. If you grew up in the ’90s, chances are you had one of these “virtual pet” keychains hanging from your backpack at some point.

The Tamagotchi On is an updated version for a new generation of kids. They’ve kept the concept and design quite similar, but the technology has come a long way. Not only are the graphics better, you can now connect to friends’ devices (have your pets go on “playdates”), plus access games and additional content on their free app.

Reviews have been very good so far–on Amazon it averages 4.6/5 stars with almost 2,800 reviews.

• MSRP: $60 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $37

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Best Old School Arcade Game

The gaming scene is interesting right now. On one side of the spectrum we have the release of the Playstation 5 and more advanced consumer-friendly VR sets, and on the other, we have a surge in popularity of old school arcade games/systems. Clearly people want the tech advances of the former yet crave the simplicity and nostalgia of the latter.

Of the brands that are out there, Arcade1up is definitely the best when it comes to officially licensed retro arcade game machines. Because I can’t pick them all, I’m going with the Pac-Man 40th Anniversary Countercade as the best gift option. Takes up less space than a full size cabinet and it comes with not one but four really good games: Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Galaga and Dig Dug.

There’s no release date or price yet, but also keep an eye out for the Atari Mini PONG Jr. portable gaming system to come out later this year or early 2021–looks pretty sweet.

• MSRP: $150 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $100

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Best Mighty Morphin’ Build-a-Figure Toy

Big nerds Power Rangers fans everywhere were super excited when Hasbro announced a new Megazord for 2020. You can’t actually buy a figure on its own–there are three separate sets that go together to build it: the Triceratops Dinozord / Sabertooth Tiger Dinozord 2-Pack ($15), the Mastodon Dinozord / Pterodactyl Dinozord 2-Pack ($15) and the Tyrannosaurus REX Dinozord ($15).

Could make for a fun Christmas morning if each set is wrapped and opened separately!

• MSRP: $45 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Best Vintage Star Wars Toy

Pretty much all of the 2020 Star Wars “Vintage Collection” Toys look awesome. I’m picking the Empire Strikes Back Carbon-Freezing Chamber Playset because a) I just have a weird obsession with anything having to do with Han Solo in Carbonite, and b) because it’s a great display setup for any of the other 3.75″ action figures in this series.

MSRP: $50 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $37

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Best Classic Toy

Before I was even working on this list, I was looking through Amazon’s 2020 Toy Gift Guide and was surprised to see Lite Brite pop up. I clicked on it thinking they must have added some smartphone app component or something, but nope! It’s just a less clunky LED update to the classic light-up pegboard that first became popular in 1967.

Not a lot of bells and whistles here, but that’s exactly what makes it great.

MSRP: $20 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $11

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Best Nostalgic Doll Toy

Polly Pocket, the tiny doll that lived inside what looked like a makeup compact, has endured a lot of drama since her original release in 1989. There was a redesign in 1998, a widespread safety recall in 2006, a complete (mostly failed) relaunch in 2010, and finally another try in 2018. By 2020 it seems they have finally done right by this poor girl!

The current sets are getting fantastic reviews. The Polly Pocket Unicorn Party Large Compact Playset has everything a little girl (or boy) could possibly want: confetti, surprises to unwrap, and well unicorns. Looks like they’ve crammed a lot of fun into a such a small package.

• MSRP: $25 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: NA

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Best Bonus Nostalgic LEGO Set

It felt wrong to end this list without including the LEGO 1989 Batwing. I mean, it’s a Batwing, and it’s from the best Batman movie there is (arguably the best superhero movie there is) so it’s cool no matter what. But what makes this 2,363-piece set really amazing is that it can be mounted on the wall after it’s built. A challenging build that ends in a sweet piece of art for the wall! You can even find lighting kits for it on Etsy.

Ok, I think I’ve thoroughly convinced myself Santa needs to bring this one for my kids me this year!

• MSRP: $200 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

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Take Us Back! Best Nostalgic Toys of 2020