Unlike many hobbies and pastimes that give a fairly limited choice for gifts, the people in your life who like gaming present a very different issue. For them, it seems like there’s just too much choice.
Take a look online and Google “gifts for gamers” and you won’t just be spoilt for choice, you’ll be inundated with it. Of course, what might limit your options could be the budget but, again, there’s a wide range of options from the extravagant to the distinctly cost-conscious.
It also depends on what kind of gamer we’re talking about: whether they’re video game fans, enjoy a sociable evening playing cards or want to equip their games room to turn it into a real entertainment cave.
So, hopefully, our suggestions will give you a few pointers and spark off some ideas about what could make their faces light up when you unveil the gift you’ve so carefully chosen.
Gifts for video gamers
Of course, what every video-gaming fan will be hoping for will be one of the brand new consoles from Sony or Microsoft. But, at a about £500, these are going to be way beyond most people’s pockets.
So it might be better to set your sights on accessories and peripherals instead. At the top end of these, why not think about something like a gaming chair. They’re available from deluxe standard to budget and there are plenty of guides to the best ones online. Being specially designed for gaming they’ll also stay extra-comfortable even for the longest gaming sessions.
Another good idea for the video gamer in your life is a projector that can show all the action several times larger than even the biggest screen. Like pretty much everything, you can spend huge amounts on these but, more realistically, they’re also available for around £100 too. Plus, they’re not just good for games. They can turn your living room into a home cinema too if you ever fancy a movie night.
There’s been a huge resurgence in retro-gaming recently and this could be the perfect way to show them how it was back in the day. At the cheaper end of the scale there are games consoles like the Super Nintendo NES Classic that even comes with a Super Mario game thrown in for good measure. But why not think about a refurbished arcade game or game table? It might even turn out to be a great investment.
Gifts for cards players
Who’d have thought that, even in this technologically advanced age, we’d still be getting together for a night of card playing? But we do, and it’s becoming increasingly popular pastime.
The good news is that this has opened up plenty of scope for cards-related gift buying – and let’s start off with the cards themselves.
You could just buy a number of decks to play with and they’d be certain to be appreciated. Or you could search out some slightly more exclusive ones. Because of their design, or who has designed them, there are many sets that are definitely collectible. They might just be kept for special games or occasions, but they’re certainly going to be appreciated as a gift.
Poker’s a particularly popular game that gets people together, whether they’re playing for cash or just for fun and there are plenty of gifts that would be perfect.
One of the best, and the most useful, would be a poker table. There are many considerations to take into account when buying one so make sure to do your research properly before you choose. And remember, it’s going to be good for other card games, as well as playing board games on it as well.
If you can’t quite stretch to a poker table, you could at least buy a poker set complete with the betting chips, buttons and its own set of cards. If you’re feeling extra generous, then why not add an automatic card shuffler too?
Table game gifts
If there’s plenty of room in your home, like an empty cellar or a spare bedroom that’s never used any more, then you could think about buying a table game.
Not many places have room for a full-size snooker table but even a half-size one is big enough for a good game. Even more practical is a pool table – and the game’s arguably even more fun for everyone to play than snooker.
Slightly more room is needed for a table-tennis table. But if you’ve a yard or garden you can get outdoor ones to use in the Spring and Summer. They even fold away for convenient storage when they’re not being played on.
Or then there’s the ever-popular table football, or foosball as it’s often called. This is a game that really could fit into almost any home as it hardly takes up any space at all.
Pocket money gifts
If all these suggestions are still too expensive, never mind. There are plenty more gifts for gamers to suit every pocket from posters to put up in a game room to witty “Gaming In Progress” signs to hang outside the door.
Whatever you choose to buy, however much or little it costs, it’s certain to be appreciated by the gamer in your life. And, just maybe, it might even tip you over the edge into becoming a fully committed and very enthusiastic gamer yourself!