The holidays are here. Meaning it’s time to buy gifts whether for an office in the time-honored tradition of the exchange or for your nonbusiness related loved ones. We’re spotlighting just a few things from various categories leading into your holiday parties and gatherings. Today, for the board and party gamer in your life here are some of the best things you can deliver this season.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Dungeons & Dragons Ultimate Edition
For the D&D faithful, test your group’s knowledge of goblins, witches, and orcs. Navigate the custom game board with iconic D&D character movers in this full-sized collectible edition featuring 1800 questions on Dungeons & Adventures, Monsters, History, Cosmology, Characters, and Magic & Miscellany. As a person with limited campaign experience, this was harder than Calculus in high school but all my D&D nerds around me found it a fun break from the rigors of rolling for initiative. So we’re recommending it for that niche part of your audience.
Hello Kitty and Friends Lotería
Players win by matching images on their tablas with iconic characters, items, and places, such as Keroppi, Flowers (flores), and Hello Kitty’s Hotel (Hotel de Hello Kitty) illustrated in traditional Loteria style. Alternative rules also allow players to call clues using their Hello Kitty and Friends knowledge. Growing up hearing cards like El Catrin and keeping track with uncooked pinto beans wasn’t an experience I could easily translate to everyone in my life but with versions like Hello Kitty Loteria, it makes learning the game engaging for kids new to bingo.
Hello Kitty and Friends Loteria is available now.
Minecraft Portal Dash
For the Minecraft family that wants you to get away from the screen for a bit, Minecraft Portal Dash is a phenomenal game that pixels to piece the imagination and ingenuity players love about the game. In this 1-4 player board game, you’ll work together to cross the lava-filled landscape, avoid or destroy monsters, and get to portals in order to survive together against near-impossible odds. It’s developed in direct partnership with Minecraft developer Mojang Studios. For adults who have Minecraft fanatic kids, it’s got a level of engagement from some great board game mechanics. Definitely a great gift for someone you know!
Minecraft Portal Dash is available now at Target
THE WIZARD OF OZ ADVENTURE BOOK GAME
When I originally tried the Princess Bride Adventure Book Game, I was surprised at how much fun this linear ride through a beloved and well-known story could be. The new Wizard Of OZ Adventure Book Game expands on the chance elements of that game and captivates one of the most iconic films of all time in this book game with fantastic artwork and game paths that take you down a yellow brick road of fond memories. It’s the perfect way to introduce younger audiences to alternative board games.
The Wizard Of Oz Adventure Book Game is available from Ravensburger.
STAR WARS VILLAINOUS POWER OF THE DARK SIDE
A contender for strategy board game of the year, Star Wars Villainous is an evolution in the Villainous games series. Up to four players take the role of one character from the dark side of the Star Wars universe as Vader, Kylo, Moff Gideon, or Ventress. The first to complete their unique objective becomes the true Sith lord. As engaging as the strategy elements and playability of it are, one of the series’ selling points is its life as a collectible. Not only is this adorned in a sleek Star Wars based design from its packaging right down to the markings on the ambition tokens you’ll use but the mini villain mover figurines are fantastic shelf or desk pieces. We reviewed the game earlier this year and if you need a Star Wars gift for Xmas this is should be on your radar.
Star Wars Villainous is available now.
MARVEL DICE THRONE
Like me, if you’re playing Marvel Snap on mobile and can’t put it down, you’ll need some kind of real life equivalent. Enter Marvel Dice Throne, a really quick-moving and intense card/dice battle game that’s customizable to the number of players you have. Attack your opponents and activate abilities by rolling your hero’s unique set of five dice. Accumulate combat points and spend them on cards that have a large range of effects, such as granting permanent hero upgrades, applying status effects, and manipulating dice. The artwork is stunning Marvel fanfare. Dice are detailed to each character using iconic symbolism. For the Marvel fans you know, this is something they will thank you for.
Marvel Dice Throne is available on Amazon
We’ll have gift ideas in the coming weeks for gaming, comics, movies, and weird stuff.
