Arcade Gift Guide – Gifts for Gamers
I live and breath games.
My sister Zoe and I aren’t even allowed talk to each other at the dinner table because it’s all about the games currently in our Steam libraries or the shiny Pokémon we’ve caught, and to my mum, it’s a foreign language. Buying for gamers can be tough because there’s always the worry of; ‘Oh, what if they already have this game?’
Never fear, there are plenty of solutions for this problem! Gamers are picky. Some like shooters, some like RPGs and some only like one or two games. Let’s dive in and take a peek at what’s available for them!
Clothing
Budget – €€
Clothing is a great gift because who doesn’t wear clothes? If your game friend or significant other is like a lazy Sim and decides clothes are optional, you can skip past this part, and maybe chat with them about their life choices. There are a few great sites that specialize in game related clothing. My top picks would be:
Look Human
Look Human is one of my favourite clothing sites out there. Their content ranges from anime to all things gaming, and you’re sure to find something your button-mashing bro (or sis) will love.
One-Day Sale Sites
Keep an eye on the ‘one day sale’ t-shirt sites too. These websites sell a different shirt every day for a low prices. They’ll often have gaming shirts so it’s just a matter of snapping them up! Check Teebusters, Teefury and Ript Apparely daily!
Vouchers
Budget € – €€€
Normally these are the thoughtless present nobody really appreciates, but for gamers, they’re golden. We’d much prefer a voucher to pick ourselves up a game rather than getting one we’re not interested in!
The best voucher to buy a gamer (especially in December) is a voucher for Steam. If you don’t know, Steam is an online library of games you can buy and download to your PC. It’s the biggest innovation in gaming to date, and once a year, they have the magical event called ‘The Steam Winter Sale’. For these few weeks gamers everywhere rejoice and/or cry. We empty our wallets on games reduced to €3 – €5 and we thank the Steam gods and sing their praises.
Alternatively, vouchers for somewhere like GameStop are also good options!
Toys
Budget: €€
Yep, toys. Figures, plushies and whatever else you can find. We love toys. Buy me anything from the Valve merch store and I’ll be happy. They’ve a huge range of great gifts for anyone who loves Team Fortress 2, Portal, Half-Life and anything else this wonderful company creates.
Art
Budget: €€
People who play video games will always appreciate video game related art. We love seeing other peoples take on worlds or maybe even taking a peek into seeing how that world was developed!
For the retro gamers out there, anything from A Beads C Start is a winner. From huge stunning portraits to simple little sprites, you’re spoiled for choice. Full of great stuff to decorate your bedroom or games room with, this places is perfect for NES nerds. Mario, Mega-Man, Metroid and plenty of other things starting with M (and other letters) can be found here.
Society6 is another great option. Everyone on this website is an independant artist that you’re supporting by buying their work. You can find canvases, posters and loads more! Just type in ‘gaming’ in the search box and away you go!
Alternatively, places like Amazon can be great for concept art books! Top picks would be Hyrule Historia, Art of Okami and The Art of Bioshock Infinite.
Actual Games
Budget: €€ – €€€
Imagine that? Buying games for a gamer! This year, the hype is all around Nintendo. If your gamer friend owns a 
3DS or WiiU, they’re a lucky person this Christmas. The two biggest games of the winter are Pokémon AlphaSapphire / OmegaRuby for 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for the WiiU or 3DS. More expensive than other things on the list, but still great options if you’re willing to fork out.
If you’re feeling charitable, you can fork out $25 (or your currency equivalent) over at the Yogscast Humble Bundle Store! For your money, you’ll receive $133 worth of games! How? It’s all for charity! The Humble Bundle is a charity website that offers you great games for a low price, and every penny goes to charity! You’ll get 16 game codes AND you’re helping people in need, and isn’t that what the season’s about?
I hope this has been helpful and that you can find that perfect gaming gift for whoever it is you’re buying for! Merry Christmas!
