Another year, another game to discover. If you couldn’t make it to Pax Unplugged this weekend, try creating your own event at home with these suggestions from our current favorite games to share with your friends and family this holiday season.
Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. This means that the GeekDad/GeekMom contributor may make a small amount of commission if you click through and purchase the item at no extra cost to you. We may have also received the item for review from the manufacturer.
Murdle Jigsaw Puzzles
Suggested By: Jenny Bristol
Mfg: Chronicle Books
Price: $19.95
Purchase: Murdle Jigsaw Puzzles
Description: Mixing logic with jigsaw puzzles, these Murdle jigsaws bring a lot of fun to the table. Put together a 500-piece puzzle to solve the murder mystery! But you won’t get much help from the box—there is no full reference image! You’re (mostly) on your own here. Then, once you assemble the puzzle, follow the included clues and study the puzzle image to solve the mystery. Full of cute and funny details, these puzzles are fun to do by yourself, or with a whole group. See who can solve the mystery first! There are two puzzles so far, but I hope they make more. (And be sure to check out the full line of Murdle puzzle books!) Read my full review on GeekMom. JB
Donkey Kong Bananza
Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Nintendo
Price: $69.00
Purchase: Donkey Kong Bananza
Description: The first true must-own of the Switch 2 era, Donkey Kong Bananza manages to channel the very best elements of every Donkey Kong title that’s come before into a remarkable adventure that surprises and delights, rewarding innovation and encouraging experimentation while never failing to let fun be its true focus. Bananza sees DK partnered with a sentient rock creature that is quickly revealed to be none other than a younger version of the songstress Pauline. Abducted by VoidCo, a capitalist cabal of sinister simians, for her powerful voice, Pauline joins Donkey Kong as he delves ever deeper into the underground world in an attempt to recover the stolen Banandium Gems and undo VoidCo’s cruel, exploitative plans via deliberate exploration and wanton destruction—two of my very favorite things! –Z. [Review materials provided by Nintendo of America.]
Floats McGoats
Suggested By: Sarah Pinault
Mfg: Hootenanny Games
Price: $24.99
Purchase: Floats McGoats
Description: If you just need to laugh with your family for 45 minutes, and also like targeting siblings in attack strategies, then this is the game for you. We have been playing this since last Christmas and it floats everyone’s boats with the hilarity of floating goats. A ship carrying far too many goats has broken apart and you must each save as many goats as you can by building rafts and saving more goats than the other players. Watch out for sharks! SP
Dungeons & Dragons – Starter Set: Heroes of The Borderlands
Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Wizards of the Coast
Price: $49
Purchase: Dungeons & Dragons – Starter Set: Heroes of The Borderlands
Description: If you, a friend, or loved one has been interested in getting into Dungeons & Dragons as a player or a Dungeon Master, but has been intimidated by it or just don’t know where to start, then the Dungeons & Dragons – Starter Set: Heroes of The Borderlands is exactly what you need! I recently did a deep dive on just why this is an excellent starting point for all ages and you can read it here. This amazing starter set makes D&D as accessible as most tabletop games. -W.J.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Suggested By: Jenny Bristol
Mfg: Nintendo
Price: $69.99 ($59.88 for Nintendo Switch edition)
Purchase: Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Description: Transporting fans back to Lumiose City, the grand Parisian metropolis of Pokémon X and Y fame, Pokémon Legends: Z-A wonderfully combines the spirit of the core Pokémon franchise with the frenetic combat of the Legends spin-off. The shift to a real-time battle system may feel strange at first, but players will quickly get the hang of this new action-heavy approach to Pokémon warfare. Combine that with a healthy dose of urban exploration, tons of character customization options, and even more Mega Evolutions, and you’ve got an irresistible gameplay experience. Available now on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is sure to find itself atop many a gift list this holiday season. –Z. [Review materials provided by Nintendo of America.]
Giant Foam Dice Set
Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: KESS
Price: $24.99 – $119.99
Purchase: Giant Foam Dice Sets
Description: If you play tabletop roleplaying games, you probably already own more than one set of dice. But do you have some truly giant dice that you can chuck across the table? This set of seven 5.5″ dice are brightly colored and made of sturdy foam, and will really make a splash at your RPG sessions. And if you don’t want a whole set, they also sell individual 20-sided dice. -PB
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Nintendo
Price: $69.00
Purchase: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Description: Filling in blanks left from its brief mention in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment tells the story of Princess Zelda’s adventures in Hyrule’s ancient past. Alongside King Rauru, Queen Sonia, and a truly staggering cast of allies, you’ll mow down wave after wave of enemies in an attempt to stave off the Demon King Ganondorf’s looming invasion. Intricate LoZ lore meets fearsome Musou combat in this stand-out Switch 2 exclusive, released just in time for the holidays. –Z. [Review materials provided by Nintendo of America.]
Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons
Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: Ravensburger
Price: $$34.99
Purchase: Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons
Description: The Horrified series of games is immensely popular, with one of them, American Monsters, being a 2021 finalist for GeekDad Game of the Year. With Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons, you’ll face iconic D&D monsters, working together with your fellow adventurers to defeat a Beholder, Displacer Beast, Mimic, and the deadly Red Dragon. Great gameplay, iconic D&D artwork and locations, and wonderful miniatures, all add up to an enjoyable night at the game table for anyone. – PB
Hunt A Killer x Sam and Colby: The Haunting at Wicker Ridge
Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: Hunt A Killer
Price: $29.99
Purchase: Hunt A Killer x Sam and Colby: The Haunting at Wicker Ridge
Description: Are you a fan of mysteries, or of the supernatural? Then this game will provide a perfect night’s entertainment for you and your friends and family. In The Haunting of Wicker Ridge, famed real-life paranormal investigators Sam and Colby have been trying to identify and banish a demon haunting the Wicker Ridge house, but when strange forces drive them out, they turn to you for help. With a low difficulty level, this immersive adventure is also a good introduction to the “mystery in a box”-style game. -PB
Miniature Paints
Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Bear Cavalry
Price: $5.99 and up
Purchase: Miniature Paints
Description: Bear Cavalry is a relative new comer to the miniature painting arena, but they are making a huge splash! All of their paints are made in the US and are made as sustainably as possible – recyclable bottles, recycled paper and mushroom fiber packaging, and paint that is as non-toxic as possible – their weathering mud even uses coffee grounds and local sand for its texture! And if all of that weren’t enough reason to try them out, their paint is smooth, vibrant, and has great coverage (better than any other mini paints I’ve tried in all my years of mini painting) and comes in about 50 colors along with several colors of weathering mud and several technical paints (varnishes, canola oil based effects, etc). Colors can be purchased one off at $5.99 a bottle or in a variety of sets. Support a small, sustainable business while leveling up your mini painting game with Bear Cavalry paints. And look for a deeper dive review of their paints coming soon! WJ
Magical Athlete
Suggested By: Jonathan H. Liu
Mfg: CMYK Games
Price: $29.99
Purchase: Magical Athlete
Description: This chaotic race game is fun for the whole family! While it uses a simple roll-and-move mechanic, each of the 36 wacky racers has a unique special ability, leading to unpredictable results when they’re combined. Read the full review here. (JHL)
Tamagotchi Collections
Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: KESS
Price: $34.75
Purchase: Tamagotchi Collections
Description: Tamagotchi Collections is a fun new table top game from KESS designed to tug at the nostalgia for those of us who remember standing in line at Toys R Us to get their first Tamagotchi back in the ’90s! It’s a great little game for 2 to 4 players ages 8 and up and hits all the notes you’d want from a Tamagotchi game – collecting Tamagotchi, feeding them, playing with them, and, of course, dealing with poop! Look for our full review of the game coming soon! WJ
Micro Macro Kids: Crazy City Park
Suggested By: Jonathan H. Liu
Mfg: Edition Spielwiese/Hachette Boardgames USA
Price: $29.99
Purchase: Micro Macro Kids: Crazy City Park
Description: Find the clues on the poster-sized map to track down lost dogs, stolen jewelry, and more! This entry in the Micro Macro series has more kid-friendly mysteries, but is still quite the challenge! For mystery lovers ages 6 and up. Read the full review here. (JHL)
