Games
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.