Holiday Gift Guide: Toys and Collectibles

Vance - For anyone and everyone

Funko Pop! Vinyl

It probably seems weird to recommend something that has become so ubiquitous, but a new crop of Funko Pop! figures made me step back and really appreciate these things more than I had before. In the early 2000s, when I first became aware of designers producing toys specifically intended for adult collectors, things like McFarlane Toys' Edward Scissorhands and Ash Williams action figures and Simpsons Treehouse of Horror sets began decorating my bookshelves. But while each figure was cool enough, the assemblage quickly began to look ungainly. There was a lot of aesthetic disconnect, and the options for affordable collectibles of nerdy things I liked were pretty limited. Funko Pop! vinyl figures changed that, with a bewildering array of licensed properties and figures -- and at only $10. While I liked them (I mean, come on, they're stinkin' cute), it was sort of easy to make a punchline out of "Well, of course they have a Funko for that now." But here's the thing: I really like Warner Bros. Animation. And when Duck Dodgers, What's Opera Doc? Bugs and Elmer, Gossamer, the Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, and way more suddenly showed up over the last few months, I realized that there had been a Looney Tunes-shaped hole in my heart, that only adorably big-eyed collectibles could fill. And with even PBS (Bob Ross!) added to the lineup as well, I know that there's now a Funko Pop! for pretty much everybody on your list. 

Mike - For the nostalgic collector

Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

The Loyal Subjects has really been upping its game lately. Featuring a line-up that included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, G.I. Joe, and Masters of the Universe, the crew at TLS has recently added Dragonball Z, Thundercats, My Little Pony, How to Train Your Dragon and more! These fun little blind boxes would make excellent stocking stuffers and each figure features articulation (so you can actually play with them!) a collector's card, and most include an accessory. I have quite a few myself and I love it when my kids take them down off the shelf and play with them. It allows me to share a part of my childhood with them.

Mike - For the comic book fan with good taste in comics

Saga toys by Skybound

I would be lying (sorry) if I didn't say that I want all of the Saga toys.  I mean all of them.  Look at The Will and Lying Cat! Look at them! In addition to this amazing pair, the Skybound shop has other action figures, a Ghus plush, and Lying Cat statues in multiple colors! Won't someone please buy me a pink Lying Cat!  I think I've been pretty good this year.

Mike - For the Star Wars fan

Anything Porg by Funko, Hasbro and others

If someone on your shopping list is a fan of Star Wars then you owe it to them to give them all of the Porgs.  There are amazing Porg stuffed animals, a Porg Pez dispenser, Porg bobbleheads, talking Porgs, Porg pillows, Porgs that you stick on your car window with suction cups, and more! Porgs are the best and everyone on your list will see their quality of life improve with one (or more!) of these cute little birds in their lives.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Holiday Gift Guide: Board Games

Joe - For the gamer with a dedicated gaming group

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 by Z-Man Games

Probably my favorite gaming experience of 2017 has been gradually working my way through Season 1 of Pandemic Legacy. We’re perhaps ¾ through the campaign and we already know that Season 2 is a must buy that we’ll dive into right away. Pandemic Legacy is a fantastic way to level up your Pandemic gaming experience.  

Mike - For the 90's dino loving gamer

Dinosaur Island by Pandasaurus Games

Before I even talk about the game itself, how can you not want to buy this based on the exceptional box art alone?!? The goal of Dinosaur Island is to build a successful dinosaur theme park. A good park will include rides, attractions, and dinosaurs! Putting a T-Rex in your park will bring you some visitors, but you run the risk of it breaking out. Featuring clever worker placement mechanics, dino crafting via DNA collection, and a fun auction mechanic,  Dinosaur Island will definitely impress when it hits the table.

Mike - For the gamer who wants to test friendships

The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 by Mondo

Mondo's first excursion into the world of games is a lot of fun and drops you arctic outpost from John Carpenter's 1982 film The Thing. As you explore the outpost and battle The Thing, you also have to figure out who among the group is a human and who has been infected. Very few gaming moments are as fun as deceiving one of your friends so you can make it to the escape chopper and bring the infection to the rest of the world.

Mike - For the gamer looking for a stocking stuffer

Simon's Cat by Steve Jackson Games

At the low cost of only $6.95, Simon's Cat packs a lot of fun into a deck of 48 cards. Featuring art from the Simon's Cat YouTube cartoon (which I have never seen, but have been told about it by my kids' friends every time we play this game), Simon's Cat is a light Uno-esque card game that is a lot of fun and can be played very quickly. This is our go to game to play while we wait for food at a restaurant or want something light for a quick family game.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Holiday Gift Guide: Video Games

Mike - For the gamer who just wants to have fun

 

Super Mario Odyssey by Nintendo - Nintendo Switch

 

It may not provide the most in-depth gaming experience, but Mario Odyssey is the most entertaining game I played in 2017. It brings back the magic that Mario 64 had an is a platforming masterpiece. Loaded with Easter Eggs, intuitive gameplay, and a wedding, Odyssey more than lives up to the hype and makes me a very happy Switch owner.

 

 

brian - For the gamer questioning the meaning of life

 

NieR: Automata by Square-Enix - Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows

 

NieR: Automata asks a lot of questions. It'll start with "can an android be alive?" and goes from there. You'll have to get over spending most of the game as a sexy anime lady, but NieR: Automata will go places that games don't go. Even if you're no good at games, you can dial down the difficulty and automate the combat. The game won't hinder or judge you. It just wants you to play and experience what it has to offer. It's a desolate, sometimes grim, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking game that has few equals.

Zhaoyun - For the gamer who wants to get a little weird

Torment: Tides of Numenera by Techland Publishing - Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Xbox One, Playstation 4

Everyone loved Planescape: Torment, and if the game-obsessed in your life don't already own this loose sequel (or at least, a similar and quite fun game with very similar rules), chances are good that they'll like it as well! Is it as good as Planescape: Torment? Probably not...but then, what is? On second thought, why not just get the gamers in your life another copy of Torment!

 

 

brian - For the gamer with great headphones

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice by Ninja Theory - Microsoft Windows, Playstation 4

Hellblade does a lot of things right, but the thing it does right the most is the sound. A great pair of a headphones goes a long way as Senua battles the Norse men and the demons that haunt her as she seeks revenge for the death of her lover. Hellblade won't break your bank account either, as it's only $30 and well worth every dollar. 

The G - For the gamer who can't get enough Stranger Things

Stranger Things: The Game by BonusXP - iOS, Android

Did you love Stranger Things? How about The Legend of Zelda? If you answers were "yes" and "hell yes," as they should be, then Stranger Things: The Game is your dreams come true. It is, after all, an 8-bit Zelda clone set in Hawkins, Indiana. You play as Hopper, Nancy, Lucas, Mike, Will, Dustin and Eleven, each with their own peculiar strengths and weaknesses. Hopper has a super punch; Lucas has his slingshot; Nancy's bat with nails on it can bash through fallen tree trunks; Mike can ride his bike to escape various baddies; and so forth. The game is reasonably difficult, but never cheap; and it's oozing with old school retro charm. Oh, did I mention it's also free? 

brian - For the gamer who wants to solve space mysteries

Tacoma by Fullbright - Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Xbox One

You could spend all of Tacoma watching a loading bar fill up. Instead, why not watch scenes from the past as the crew of Lunar Transfer Station Tacoma try to survive imminent death and learn why they abandoned the station? These scenes play out in an innovative AR interface which allows for rewinding, following particular characters, and getting more insight into the events than your typical cutscenes. It's an evolution of the "walking simulator" genre that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

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POSTED BY: brian, sci-fi/fantasy/video game dork and contributor since 2014