Vampire Survivors <\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n By the time you die a fourth time in Vampire Survivors<\/em>, chances are it will already have its hooks in you. The Casetlevania<\/em>-like graphics, excellent soundtrack, and casino-like rewards you receive from killing scores of monsters feeds a satisfying flow to the game\u2019s reverse-bullet hell. The free add-ons and four-player co-op, meanwhile, keep you coming back for more.Price: $4.99<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Video Game of the Year<\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n Jordan Minor\u2019s recent book represents a fresh take on video game history and the concept of \u201cGOTY\u201d lists. The author highlights a single video game that defined each year between 1977 through 2022, often focusing on the most culturally significant game as opposed to the “best” of the year. Minor’s essays are accompanied by guest write-ups from top-class game critics and journalists, too, along with excellent art throughout. Price: $20.80<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom<\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n 2023 may have been a huge year for video games, but there\u2019s no arguing that one of the biggest (and best) to come out this year was Tears of the Kingdom<\/em>. The Nintendo Switch title blends the open world of Hyrule with a unique crafting mechanic that provides an infinite number of ways to solve puzzles, fight monsters, and get from A to B.Price: $59.75<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Lego Pac-Man Arcade<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s okay to be awestruck by the lovingly detailed nostalgia beaming from this Pac-Man Lego set. The colorful, 2,651-piece building kit is a faithful recreation of a timeless arcade cabinet, complete with a light-up coin slot and a mechanical crank that moves Pac-Man and his ghostly pursuers around around the maze.Price: $269.99<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Steam Deck OLED<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n Valve\u2019s newly launching Steam Deck OLED is sure to be a hot commodity this holiday season. While the original Deck with a standard LCD screen is still a great handheld gaming PC, the new model sports a slightly larger, higher-quality OLED panel with a higher refresh rate and increased battery life, improving the overall look and experience of games.Price: $549+<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n Logitech\u2019s G Pro X Superlight 2 may have a super long name, but it\u2019s super short on heft, weighing in at just 60 grams. The newer mouse is designed for esports-level gaming performance, but its svelte looks and USB-C charging mean it can do the full-time job thing by day and land those perfect no-scopes in Counter-Strike 2<\/em> by night.Price: $159.99 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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FunKey S retro gaming console<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n The FunKey is possibly the coolest, most darling handheld ever made. It\u2019s a keychain-sized console reminiscent of the Game Boy Advance SP that plays emulated retro games. Its built-in screen measures a mere 1.54 inches, so it may be more of a tinkerer\u2019s novelty than something to play Super Mario World <\/em>to completion on, but if you could, why wouldn\u2019t you?Price: $74<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: The Art of the Movie<\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n The Spider-Verse<\/em> movies are exceptional comic book stories, but the thing that puts the Miles Morales-led films’ head and shoulders above most other superhero flicks is the unique artwork and visual style. Marvel’s official art book for the most recent installment makes a great gift for any webhead fans you know, or really anyone who appreciates a good hardcover.Price: $23.48<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Custom-designed controllers<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n Although console makers sell controllers in a fun range of colors, gifting a custom gamepad goes above and beyond to create something truly unique. Microsoft offers its Xbox Design Lab for customizing its standard and Elite controllers, while third-party boutique shops like Battle Beaver and AimControllers offer a dizzying array of cosmetic and esports-focused hardware mods for both PlayStation and Xbox pads. Price: $150+<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Baldur’s Gate 3 (PC, PS5, Mac)<\/em><\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\nBaldur\u2019s Gate 3<\/em> is one of the best CRPGs of all time, whether you\u2019re a hardcore pencil-and-paper RPG veteran or a complete newcomer. The turn-based combat is exceptional, but the character interaction and roleplaying is its true hallmark. The branching paths of the story offer hundreds of hours of playtime, with exceptional voice acting that makes the characters both memorable and endearing.Price: $59.99<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Hori Dual Charge Station for Xbox Series X \/ S <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n While some criticize that the standard Xbox Wireless Controller ships with basic AA batteries, one advantage is that you can easily replace them with good old-fashioned rechargeable cells. Hori\u2019s dual charging cradle comes with two long-lasting rechargeable batteries and four replacement battery covers, so you simply drop a controller or two down to immediately begin charging. Price: $26.35<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Apple TV 4K (third-gen)<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n If you subscribe to Apple Arcade, an Apple TV 4K can effectively double as both a mini gaming console and one of the best streaming devices you can buy. With it, you can connect a Bluetooth controller like the PlayStation 5\u2019s DualSense, thus allowing games that were initially developed for PC \/ consoles to be played on the big screen for which they were designed. Price: $129+<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Sonos Beam (second-gen)<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n The second-gen Sonos Beam is a terrific sound bar with big sound for its small footprint. It uses eARC for minimal latency, so playing games doesn\u2019t have that annoying audio delay that can plague entry-level home theater setups. Plus, it integrates with the rest of Sonos’ Wi-Fi-connected ecosystem if you choose to expand your music listening to multiple rooms. Price: $498<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Skelly Talking Plush<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n \u201cHey-a there, boy-o!\u201d It\u2019s a plush version of Skelly, the lovable scamp and bone-a-fide buddy \/ test dummy from Supergiant Games\u2019 Hades<\/em>. The trash-talking plush features poseable arms and legs, and he sounds off with various one-liners when you rough him up or squeeze him. Just keep in mind that plush Skelly won\u2019t magically re-form when cut into pieces like his in-game version.Price: $9<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Elden Ring Standard Edition Vinyl<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n If you\u2019re a fan of both FromSoftware and records, the Elden Ring Standard Edition Vinyl from Bandai Namco is a treat to own. The moody instrumental soundtrack collects 17 tracks on two marbled, smoke-gray LPs for over one hour of music from The Lands Between, complete with some lovely artwork of the game\u2019s iconic Erdtree on the inner gatefold.Price: $34.99<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Loki<\/em>: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nMCU movie fatigue may be a very real thing for many of us, but Loki<\/em> remains a high point for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The six-episode Disney Plus series, which stars Tom Hiddleston as the titular antihero, is quite different from the usual superhero formula thanks to its unique set design and characters \u2014 not to mention its fun time paradoxes.Price: $39.96<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Love Letter<\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n Love Letter<\/em> is the perfect ice breaker for a group of up to six people. The deduction-based card game is a great on-ramp to more involved and unique \u201cdesigner\u201d tabletop games, though it\u2019s so much fun on its own that I wouldn’t be particularly shocked if you ended up playing this inexpensive, travel-friendly game all night.Price: $7.50+<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Jsaux HDMI 2.1 Bi-Directional Splitter 2 x 1<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n Got a TV that\u2019s limited to a single HDMI 2.1 port, thus hampering your ability to get the most out of current consoles? A two-by-one splitter like this option from Jsaux allows both a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox Series X to share the same port, so both consoles can reach 4K resolution \/ 120Hz on supported sets. Price: $18.99<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Hounded<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n A date night spent indoors isn\u2019t complete without a little friendly competition, and Hounded is a fantastic way to test your cunning against one another. One player plays as The Fox, trying to outsmart and outrun the other player\u2019s Master of Hounds. It\u2019s a simple strategy game that takes less than one hour, lending itself well to lots of rematches.Price: $19.95<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Ronin: A Visions Novel<\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n Star Wars<\/em> fans who thoroughly enjoyed the animated Star Wars Visions<\/em> series on Disney Plus are likely to dig Ronin: A Visions Novel<\/em>. Emma Mieko Candon’s original book is inspired by “The Duel,” a Visions<\/em> short that blends Star Wars<\/em> with feudal Japan as it recounts the tale of a wandering Sith who struggles to escape his past.Price: $15.92<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Nerf LMTD Halo Needler<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n The Nerf LMTD Halo Needler is part foam dart blaster, part trophy piece. It’s a faithful recreation of the iconic Needler from the Halo franchise, complete with light-up needles. It looks great on a shelf, but, being Nerf, you can also use its motorized drum to rattle off up to 10 darts when it’s time to have some fun. It\u2019s best used at any Grunt birthday parties (wink-wink).Price: $99.97<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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