Opinionated Gamers Gift Guide 2024 – Really running out of time!

Posted on December 15, 2024 by Dale Yu

OK, if you’re not ready for shopping, just skip this post.  But, if you’re looking to get a jump on the holiday season, here are a few ideas for you.   Today, how about some suggestions for last minute things that can be delivered by Amazon Prime so that you can be sure they arrive by Christmas?

Today, I would like to give you a list of last minute things that could be nice gifts:  Games for one and/or two players… !

As usual, the Amazon links are affiliate links, and we may benefit from them if you buy the games from the link.  The title of the games will also link to our review of the game (where possible)

At the bottom of the post are links copied from our previous Gift List ideas – so that you don’t have to find our previous posts (though no guarantee they are still on sale)

 

Games specifically for two


  1. Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth – https://amzn.to/41tpOLp
  2. Codenames Duet XXL – https://amzn.to/3ZRC5rP
  3. Splendor Duel – https://amzn.to/3ZQde7v
  4. Star Realms Frontiers Box Set – https://amzn.to/3OVZgem
  5. Skyteam (the reigning SdJ!) – https://amzn.to/4fpsHjO
  6. The Rose King (50% sale – English version of Rosenkonig) – https://amzn.to/3ZD6Z5K
  7. King of Tokyo Duel – https://amzn.to/3ZAqmN1
  8. 7 Wonders Duel – https://amzn.to/3ZPiubJ
  9. Blokus Duo – https://amzn.to/3ZD7xZm
  10. Rivals for Catan Deluxe – https://amzn.to/3VEtXZ0

Good Solo Games

  1. Legacy of Yu (such a tastefully named game!) – https://amzn.to/3ZDxrfA
  2. Sleeping Gods Distant Skies – https://amzn.to/4isO4mZ
  3. Warp’s Edge – https://amzn.to/4gyhoGL
  4. Under Falling Skies – https://amzn.to/4isOeuB
  5. Dinosaur Island: Rawr n Write – https://amzn.to/3Deiw46
  6. Jump Drive (you’ll also need the expansion, so 2 links here) – https://amzn.to/4gdu0n5  https://amzn.to/3DqRl5W
  7. 7th Continent – https://amzn.to/3ZyRtrC
  8. Cantaloop Books 1,2,3 – https://amzn.to/4gaYgis  https://amzn.to/4iwE2RN  https://amzn.to/4g9S4XV
  9. One Deck Dungeon – https://amzn.to/4ixpYY9
  10. Tranquility – https://amzn.to/3OUWhTb

Jigsaw Puzzles

  1. Magic Maze Jigsaw puzzle – https://amzn.to/3UZhEq1 
  2. Big Rock City Jigsaw puzzle- https://amzn.to/4fRkeWU
  3. Ravensburger Escape Puzzles – https://amzn.to/3V2FMYV 
  4. Hunt a Killer Dead on the Vine – https://amzn.to/48XZ0EG
  5. Hunt a Killer Body on the Boardwalk – https://amzn.to/4eCtL3b

 

— older links below — 

(links from 12/13)

Books  for people who like playing games (Remember when Amazon was only an online book store?!)

 


Since we’re all games, we all now about Catan, right?   Did you realize that there was also:

A new novel? Written by Teuber himself?! – https://amzn.to/4gBSR3L

A puzzlebook?  https://amzn.to/3GzPE2v

An old novel?  https://amzn.to/3F1Wxtj

A cookbook?  https://amzn.to/3yf0SGR

The Game of Authors Compendium was reviewed by Joe Huber – “One of my hobbies – if not one I get to pursue often – is researching the histories of games. I’ve spent a lot of time understanding the history of Acquire, and I’ve tried to understand how Pit and all of the variations on the game came to be, with less success. So this book – looking at the history of The Game of Authors – is right up my alley.”  It’s not available on Amazon, but look here: https://www.libroworld.com/9781646710591/

I recently looked at a puzzle/maze in a book, Daedalian Depths – https://amzn.to/3pQM798

The premise of that book is: “There are forty-five rooms in the Maze and each room is numbered. As outlined in the directions, by selecting the correct door in each room, it is possible to go from room #1 to room #45 and back to room #1 in only sixteen steps. Hidden in room #45 is a riddle. The answer to that riddle is concealed somewhere along the shortest path through the Maze.”

And, let’s not forget about a game which is found in book format – Cantaloop!  https://amzn.to/3pKMGBG

Cantaloop is a book that you interact with and try to solve the mystery that the protagonist finds himself in – that is figuring out how to break into the jail in Cantaloop.  Think back to your youth (well, my youth at least), and do you remember all those great point and click adventure games that you played on your Apple IIe or your brand new 486?  Well, Cantaloop brings memories of those adventure games back to the forefront.  I’m talking about the classics here – like Leisure Suit Larry or Sam and Max Hit the Road! 

Erik Arneson has written up a great guide on How To Host A Game Night!  https://amzn.to/3rTo8sR

Read our full review here

What about a book that isn’t a book?  There is an amazing puzzle found in Cain’s Jawbone – https://amzn.to/3EPTsMw

 “In 1934, The Observer’s crossword writer, Edward Powys Mathers, wrote a unique novel Cain’s Jawbone. The title, referring to the first recorded murder weapon, was written under his pen name Torquemada. The story was not only a murder mystery but one of the hardest and most beguiling word puzzles ever published.

The 100 pages of the book were printed and bound out of order and the reader was invited to re-order the pages, solve the mysteries and reveal the murderer(s).  And, you get a box, that looks like a book, that gives you the 100 pages in looseleaf format, and you are challenged to reorder them to form the book!

I know I talked about the Catan novel above… There are also a few Romance novel series that use boardgames as a backdrop – one of them I reviewed here…

I think there are at least three books in the series so far, and as I’ve been told about romance novel series – there’s always the chance of a new book or a spin-off series!  Get the first book here – https://amzn.to/3ypLfMU

Another Romance series that has come highly recommended – 

The Little Board Game Cafe, by Jennifer Page (4 part series) – https://amzn.to/3Zwo95b

And finally, a few books for those interested in game design or academia

The Kobold Guide to Game Design – https://amzn.to/3ELUTf5

Says Joe Huber in his review: “I have read a number of books on board game design, and most have followed the same formula, helping the aspiring game designer through the process from inspiration to game to sale, often offering anecdotal tales of the trials and tribulations other designers have face.  Selinker – a notable game designer himself – takes a very different approach, with twenty different essays, divided into four sections.  As a result, the book doesn’t feel as cohesive as other books on the subject – but it does offer a broader set of advice.”

And finally, for some light bedtime reading – https://amzn.to/3dI7wvN – 

Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: An Encyclopedia of Mechanisms compiles hundreds of different mechanisms, organized by category. Each has a description of how it works, discussion of its pros and cons, how it can be implemented, and examples of specific games that use it. Building Blocks can be read cover to cover, used as a reference when looking for inspiration for a new design, help solving a specific problem, or assist in getting unstuck in the midst of a project. This book, the first to collect mechanisms like this in the tabletop game design field, aims to be a practical guide that will be a great starting point for beginning designers, a handy guidebook for the experienced, and an ideal classroom textbook.

For what it’s worth – this is the reference that Boardgamegeek.com has used to refine their own categorization system on their website…

GameTek (Geoff Engelstein) –  https://amzn.to/3OSkARE

What games can teach us about life, the universe and ourselves.
If you shuffle a deck of cards what are the odds that the sequence is unique? What is the connection between dice, platonic solids and Newton’s theory of gravity? What is more random: a dice tower or a number generator? Can you actually employ a strategy for a game as basic as Rock-Paper-Scissors?

Designers & Dragons series (Shannon Appelcline – 4 books covering the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, and the 00s) – https://amzn.to/4gszn1X

Designers & Dragons: The ’70s is a comprehensive picture of the beginnings of the RPG industry. This second edition expands the original single book into a series of four, and we’ve added over 50,000 new words to this volume alone. Learn about the colorful history of TSR and the wave of D&D inspired games (and gaming companies) to follow, and dip your toes into war gaming trivia. Regardless of your gaming background, Shannon Appelcline’s meticulously researched history won’t disappoint.

Meeples Together: How and Why Cooperative Games Work (Shannon Appelcline & Christopher Allen) – https://amzn.to/4gpwPBi

Join experts Christopher Allen and Shannon Appelcline as they examine not only how cooperative board games work, but why. With more than 150 enlightening images showing principles and mechanisms of play in action, this book helps you see your favorite cooperative board games in new ways. Together, we look deep into the machines of great games to reveal how they work and how we play.

 

[from 12/10]

  1. Whiteboards – one thing that we always seem to need are notepads to keep track of scores or to write down notes.  In a fit of genius, I figured that we could just use a white board and save the environment a bit!  – https://amzn.to/4fSmn4K 
  2. Card racks – we play lots of card games around here, and we also eat a lot of snacks.  Card racks definitely help me hold all the cards in a way that I can see everything and keep all that pesky snack powder off the cards! – https://amzn.to/3B4xcSM 
  3. Card and Bit Holders – these are honestly the best racks around, especially if you need to organize some bits.  They come in multiple colors so you can also use them for player color reminders.   https://boardgamegeekstore.com/products/bgg-card-bit-holders
  4. Box bands – if you store your games on their side (like a barbarian like myself), you sometimes need a band to hold the lids on.  These bands won’t degrade like regular rubber bands – https://amzn.to/4gnog9R
  5. Dice tower – https://amzn.to/4ip0z2D 
  6. Dice – having colored d6s around can be useful for counters, ersatz pieces, and all sorts of other reasons  – https://amzn.to/4f4LwZm
  7. Polyhedral dice – I have actually found that a polyhedral set of dice in usual player colors is sometimes even more helpful – https://amzn.to/4f6nAEV 
  8. Transformer table – for those nights when you have a few extra people show up,  this table can expand to meet the size of your group.  And then when game time is done, it collapses down into a nice small size so you can have your room back.  –  https://amzn.to/411Ldv2  https://amzn.to/495dfHP
  9. Neoprene covers – it’s also nice to have a nice smooth surface to place your games on.  The little bit of padding can also help you pick cards up off the surface – https://amzn.to/3ZsLhRU
  10. Cubes – https://amzn.to/3ZEuM6y 
  11. Bowls – https://amzn.to/4gGAOcP 
  12. Discs – https://amzn.to/3BkNK8Z 
  13. Mini poker chips for scoring (2 sets to get 1 thru 100)  – https://amzn.to/3Zhm90s  
  14. Big poker chip set (they can customize the denominations) – https://amzn.to/3ZpkIgr
  15. Boardgame back pack – for those times when you have to take game night to someone else’s place; store all the bits to a bunch of games in a single bag!  Also great for travel – https://amzn.to/4goIEri
  16. Start Player Shocking Roulette – this is a new version of Shocking Roulette that can now accomodate six fingers for your startling new way to choose a start player for your game.  No longer will you have to worry about who was most recently on a boat, who most recently ate goat or who is the most likely to float.  – https://amzn.to/4gpV9TA

 

[from Cyber Saturday]

Codenames – So,  as you may have read last week, I’m still obsessed with playing Codenames on my phone app.  All of the clue giving and solving on my phone has also led to an uptick in games of the actual game.  There are a number of different versions – so you can find one that suits your audience.  Personally, I like Codenames XXL – it has all the basic words but with bigger components that are easier for my aging eyes to read.

OK, you’ll note the last one is called Codenames Deep Undercover – that one might be for the adult audiences only.  Another party game that would be for adults only is Uno Dare Adults Only – which happens to be the most read review in the history of our blog.  It seems to go in and out of stock a lot, so you can check this link to see where you can get it at a number of different stores: 

OK, back to the party games.  CMYK is a newer company that has been focusing a lot on accessible games as well.  Two of them stand out for this category.  Wilmot’s Warehouse is a rollicking memory game.  Trust me on this one.  Wavelength is a great one for the “read my mind” crowd…  And of course, Monikers is the “dumb party game that respects your intelligence”

Though clearly not for me, plenty of people enjoy pretending that they are werewolves and going around eating villagers and what not.  There are a number of different versions of this, but the best one (IMHO) is One Night Ultimate Werewolf… and if you have a huge family, 25 people can play Ultimate Werewolf Extreme

Sometimes your groups want to solve mysteries – there are a number of different series out there where the entire group can work together to solve the puzzles in the box.  I’ll give one example of a few different franchises…

Finally, there are these old classics – some that you will remember from your youth, and some that have been modernized to fit the 21st century

Unrelated to party games, but something I wanted to mention before I forgot – one of our Opinionated Gamers, Steph H, produces an annual calendar filled with beautiful photos – you can check it out here… 

As always, a disclosure that the Amazon links are affiliate links and that some of the other links could be sponsored.

[From Cyber Monday]

Azul (for 13 bucks?!) – https://amzn.to/41jwEmJ

Splendor for 13 bucks?! – https://amzn.to/3BbDhg1

Azul is an award-winning board game that challenges players to create stunning tile mosaics while making strategic decisions and competing for high scores.  Featuring beautifully crafted, colorful tiles, Azul immerses players in the art of mosaic design, inspired by the traditional Portuguese azulejos.  It is a classic Eurogame, and one that I have enjoyed playing many many times.  Today, it’s on sale for $19 and there is a $6 coupon you can click on.  Wow!

Splendor is another classic euro-game; in my opinion a must-have in any eurogame collection.  It is is a fast-paced, engine-building game where players assume the roles of Renaissance merchants striving to buy gem mines, transportation means, and shops to acquire the most prestige points.  Today, it’s on sale for $19 and there is a $6 coupon you can click on.  Wow!

Let’s Go to Japan ($33)-  https://amzn.to/3CUu2kY

One of my favorite games of the past two years, Let’s Go to Japan has you planning a vacation to Tokyo and Kyoto – as you draft cards and add them to your calendar.  The planning part is a clever puzzle, and the interesting factoids on the cards really makes it feel like you’ve taken a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun

Guild of Merchant Explorers ($29) – https://amzn.to/4g5hl58

While we’re on subject of favorite games in recent years, this gem – which feels like a roll-and-write, except that you draw cards and actually place bits on your player board – has been a standout.   “The Queen has sent out a call to The Guild of Merchant Explorers, asking brave adventurers to voyage to all corners of the kingdom of Tigomé. While the kingdom is flourishing, its maps have not been updated in some time and its great cities have lost contact with one another. With your team of explorers, you will journey over rough seas, majestic mountains, vast deserts, and lush grasslands to establish trade routes between cities, visit far-seeing discovery towers, and discover new villages that have emerged.”

Disney Lorcana Gateway  Starter Kit ($12) – https://amzn.to/4gfXAHY

OK, so buying someone a starter set for a CCG is kinda like buying someone a puppy.  You might be giving them a gift, but you might also be shackling them with a committement they didn’t necessarily want.   As with all CCGs, the collectible nature can be a blessing and a curse, so tread carefully.  That being said, this Gateway box gives you everything you need to get started with the game.  Rules that are easy to understand and enough cards for two players to duel and get a minimum of experience with modifying their decks.  And at $12, it’s a steal.

Redwood – https://amzn.to/3B7NvOx 

Looking for a game for a photography buff? Or someone who loves nature?  Redwood combines these themes in a  game that uses physical templates to simulate nature photography.  Definitely a unique theme.

Twilight Imperium (4th ed) – https://amzn.to/4eVX1Cm

Looking for a strategy game for those people who want to play a game ALL DAY?  The classic Twilight Imperium from FFG will fit the bill.. . You can immerse yourself in an epic tale of galactic conquest and diplomacy in this fourth edition of Twilight Imperium. Players will command one of seventeen diverse civilizations, each offering a unique play experience and strategies for interstellar supremacy – Engage in warfare, trade, alliances, and political maneuvering as you vie for control of the galaxy.  All of this in 8 hours or so…

Century Big Box – https://amzn.to/3VjnaUm

We’ve never reviewed the three games together, but today you can get the entire trilogy in one convenient package.  Century takes players on a global journey to explore diverse trading techniques and uncover exotic spices.  You can play any of the three games on their own or combine them in any combination you like.

The Adventures of Robin Hood box cover

The Adventures of Robin Hood – https://amzn.to/3OAdGR1

Looking for a great game that the whole family can play? This story based cooperative game lets you take on the role of either Robin Hood or one of his Merry Men as you battle Prince John and his henchman throughout Sherwood Forest and beyond.  You learn the rules to the game with each successive scenario, and you will re-live the classic story.

Rebel Princess – https://amzn.to/41eZftd

Looking for a neat take on a classic trick taking game?  Rebel Princess takes the game of Hearts that you probably already know and adds all sorts of twists into the game to refresh it.  Take on the role of a particular character and get a unique once-a-hand power.  Also, new rules are added each round to change up how the game is played.

Ticket to Ride – Legends of the West – https://amzn.to/49lRinZ

Looking for a legacy version of one of your favorite gateway games?  As you play this game, you’ll play at least twelve games of an ever evolving Ticket to Ride campaign adventure.  You’ll definitely explore the entire North American continent before you’re done with this epic game. Today it’s 33% off ($80 instead of $120).

 

Stocking Stuffer sized games

  1. Jabba’s Palace (Love Letter) https://amzn.to/491ZAkE 

  2. Pixies –     https://amzn.to/4fNpwTw 
  3. UNO Show ’em NO Mercy – https://amzn.to/4hZtMRS 
  4. UNO NFL – https://amzn.to/3OmIjJq 
  5. Bohnanza – https://amzn.to/3OwJFl9 
  6. 20 Strong – https://amzn.to/3ARiZIM
  7. Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs – https://amzn.to/418vnhY
  8. A Gentle Rain – https://amzn.to/3Bcwu5G 
  9. Any of the Button Shy Games – https://amzn.to/3Zt17gv
  10. Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Card Game – https://amzn.to/4i8mbjV
  11. Pictionary the Card game – https://amzn.to/3B3AwNP
  12. Sea Salt and Paper – https://amzn.to/3Og3AEK 
  13. The Mind – https://amzn.to/4g16clQ
  14. The Game –  https://amzn.to/4i4HWRH 
  15. Scout – https://amzn.to/3ZdanEh
  16. Deep Sea Adventure – https://amzn.to/3Zr1kRo 
  17. Fake Artist Goes to New York – https://amzn.to/4gcIkMf
  18. Troika – https://amzn.to/4eQbtLX 
  19. Make the Difference – https://amzn.to/4fLFIVR 
  20. Illusion – https://amzn.to/3COAkCN
  21. The Crew – https://amzn.to/4g9VgST
  22. Happy Salmon – https://amzn.to/3B83nR5
  23. Qwixx – https://amzn.to/49eW5rx
  24. World’s Smallest Clue, Sorry, Blokus, Battleship – https://amzn.to/3ZuvWBN
  25. World’s Smallest UNO – https://amzn.to/3OAnc6w
  26. World’s Smallest Hungry Hungry Hippos- https://amzn.to/3BdiB7h

Also, pardon the duplication, but apparently some of the links didn’t work from yesterday’s post – so I’ll fix them and repeat them below.

Most gamers are collectors, and if there’s something that they like, they generally want to have all of the things…  Here are some links to great deals on classic game franchises.  So many things are on sale this week due to Black Friday coming up.

Maybe you’ll be wanting to buy gifts for your family and friends.

Maybe you’re in need of an idea (and a link) to give to family members you’re seeing today so that you get a game you want instead of a pair of socks…  Might as well fill in a hole in your collection?!

Below you’ll find links to start/complete your collections of Ticket To Ride, 7 Wonders, Pandemic, Dominion, Catan, Carcassonne, and more… (All the links but one are Amazon affiliate links, so you will also be helping us out).

Ticket to Ride

7 Wonders

Catan

Carcassonne

Dominion

(usual disclaimer that I helped develop the game, so this can be viewed as pure shilling).  Also, man if anyone is still reading this all the way down here, you can enter a hidden raffle. send an email to me through the Contact Us link on the website, and include a knock knock joke as your entry. 

Pandemic

Wavelength ($17)   —

OK this isn’t a classic yet, but it is going to be. And, if you’ve just spent all day wishing that you had a great party game to play with family and friends, I can’t recommend one any more highly than Wavelength.  The game rarely goes on sale, and interestingly, the webpage doesn’t show the price, but when you add it to the cart, it lists at $17.50 today.  https://www.target.com/p/asmodee-wavelength-board-game/-/A-83549452#lnk=sametab

Until your next appointment

The Gaming Doctor

About Dale Yu

Dale Yu is the Editor of the Opinionated Gamers. He can occasionally be found working as a volunteer administrator for BoardGameGeek, and he previously wrote for BoardGame News.
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