Toys
A Retro Console
18th November, 2023
Anyone born after 2000 cannot grok the sea change in media consumption wrought by streaming and fast internet. The difference between “watch whatever’s on 5 TV channels, hire physical media for £4 a night, or buy it for £15 apiece” and “watch a limitless stream of high-quality content: consume as much as you like for maybe £10 a month” is staggering. The same revolution affected computer games. Yes, you can still buy an expensive console1 and £60 games today, but now there’s vast options: mobile games, subscription services, and Steam sales make your £60 go a lot further.
A PS4 Controller
12th March, 2023
This gift suggestion is for the casual gamer, not a console owner. Someone who likes to play a game occasionally on their laptop, phone, or iPad.
You can use a PS4 controller with a PlayStation, of course, but it’s also a bog standard Bluetooth device. They’re robustly built and have decent battery life. They charge via micro USB, so you probably have a suitable cable already. They’re officially supported in the Apple ecosystem - so you can game on your Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Apple TV. They’re often on sale. They have all the buttons necessary for emulated SNES/Megadrive games. They work great with Steam, and Steam Link is surprisingly viable. They don’t take up a lot of space. All of these aspects make them a good gift.
Hanabi
30th December, 2021
Hanabi is one of my favourite card games. It’s got a lot of good points:
- It’s a cooperative game - all the humans versus the game itself - which removes the stress of player-versus-player competitiveness.
- The game owner will not dominate the other players, both because it’s co-operative and involves some chance.
- There’s little setup required and the rules are easy to understand.
- The game feels different depending on the size of the group playing.
- There are suggested game variations, so it has longevity.
Writing about games is a bit like writing about sex - I can describe the mechanics, but you won’t understand why it’s fun until you participate. With that said: in Hanabi you see everyone’s cards but your own, and must work as a group to arrange them in order by colour. Each turn you can give people a little information about their cards, but there are limitations; not everyone will have enough information to always play 100% safe. You’ll have to make some educated guesses about what to play.
A Jigsaw Jigsaw
7th December, 2021
I’m not convinced that jigsaws are good gifts. A jigsaw seems like something that’s better when borrowed, rather than owned. I can’t imagine they have a lot of repeat value.
And this won’t click with everyone: a jigsaw fan friend of mine says she hates ones with repetitive patterns, gradients, or solid colours. She uses jigsaws as a way to spend time immersed in artwork, studying the details rather than just looking at the whole. “You’d have to pay me to do this one,” she said.
A Microscope
16th November, 2021
I have a vivid memory of a microscope I received as a child; thanks to eBay I can show you the exact model. It was excellent: the microscope had an optional stand, for use with slides, but was a solid self-contained item. You could safely slip it in your pocket and take it outside. The microscope’s light was pivotable, so you could directly illuminate your subject or bounce it through the stand for backlighting. Seeing the world at 100x was really cool.
A Cuddly Mushroom
14th November, 2021
Cuddly toys are often poor gifts. Children have loads already; the line between “cute” and “horrifying” can be surprisingly blurry; there’s no way to tell whether a given cuddly toy will sing to their hearts. For adults, they take up space, and generally don’t double as cushions or pillows. They’re just large cute lumps.
Still, for the right recipient, this sleepy little mushroom is adorable. $49 from Urban Outfitters.