With Black Friday just three weeks away, the holiday shopping season is almost upon us. Some people already have everything planned. You know exactly what to get your mom, your sister and your best friend; you already had those planned out for almost a year now.
But what to get for your other really good friend? Well, you know that they're a gamer, just like you, but you want to give them something different. Sure, it would be simple to get them a game that they said they've wanted, but no, you want to get them a gamer gift that they'll love that isn't just a game.
Well, you're in luck! There are a lot of different things you can buy a gamer that isn't a game, but still pertains to games. In order to make things easier for you, I'll list what I think are the top 5 best gamer gifts that aren't games.
For starters: Toys
Whether it be an action figure/model of their favorite character or an adorable plushie, there are tons of gamer toys out there. One thing I know I would love to receive as a gift are these playing cards based on The Legend of Zelda by Fangamer.
They feature prominent characters and symbols from the series and are produced by the US Playing Card Company, the same company that makes Bicycle playing cards, so you know they're legit. They are available for $15 USD and they come in your choice of red or blue.
Clothing/Jewelry
Gamers love to show off their gamer cred and what better way than awesome clothing? This sweet t-shirt based on Banjo-Kazooie comes with a pretty cool pin and can be had for $23 USD over at Fangamer.
But what about that sweet stuff in the game that would be awesome to have in real life? Well, how about a necklace with the Spirtual Stones from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? Each necklace is handcrafted and features Swarovski crystals (Zora's Sapphire) and an emerald green rhinestone (Kokiri's Emerald) and is sure to please Zelda fans.
It's available at Level Up Studios for $60 USD, but if that's too expensive they can be bought individually for $22 USD each.
Gaming Peripherals/Accessories
If you're looking to get someone something that can take their gaming to the next level, then gaming peripherals and accessories would be the best thing to get. For PC gamers out there who come across a game they'd rather prefer to play on a controller, the Logitech F710 is the perfect wireless controller for the price. You can currently buy it on Amazon for around $40 USD.
If you're tired of hearing weird noises come from your friend's headset while you're out on a raid together then consider gifting them a good headset. If you want one of the best of the best, then the Logitech G35s are the ones to get.They are available at Amazon for around $100 USD, but for some that's a bit pricey.
If you're looking for something cheaper, then consider the Logitech G230s. They are a decent corded headset in the same style of the G35s and are a nice gift at $35 USD.
Gaming Books and Art
Many games have so much concept art that the world never gets to see. Fortunately, companies are catching on that gamers would love to see just what goes into the designing process of their favorite games, and so they have started to release art books.
One such amazing art book is the Capcom 30th Anniversary Character Encyclopedia, which you can get at Amazon for just under $8 USD. In addition to some very nice concept art you will find facts, statistics and historical information from all of their most popular titles.
If you think your friend would rather have something they'd like to hang on their wall then head on over to Gametee. They have a sweet art series that features characters ranging from the Skull Kid from Majora's Mask, to Vivi from Final Fantasy IX.
My favorite in the series though would have to be The Psychic. It epitomizes what I experienced when I first encountered Mewtwo for the first time back on Pokemon Red and it can be had at Gametee for £9.99, which turns out to be roughly $16 USD.
If all else fails? Gift Cards
If you still can't decide on what to get your gamer friend, then why not have them decide for themselves with a gift card? There are many different gift cards out there you can get them, ranging from Nintendo Points or Microsoft Points, to GameStop or Steam gift cards. They vary in denominations and can be used to purchase many different things, such as DLC in a game to games themselves.
If you want to give them even more of a choice you could always buy them a Visa gift card. They could be used to buy almost anything, from a game, to food, or even gas in their car.
Either way, I'm sure your friend will be glad to know you got them a gift. But if you end up getting something that pertains to games but isn't a game, I'm sure they will be even happier to see you went that extra mile.
What do you think are the best gifts for gamers? Want to mention something that I left out? Let me know in the comments below!
Published: Nov 5, 2013 06:32 am