Puzzles and Games

Sagrada
$39.99 • Floodgate Games • Get Yours Now

Sagrada is a game where players are trying to make the most beautiful stained glass window out of tiny, variously-colored dice. Meanwhile the dice are working against you by rarely being the color or number that you really need. Each player has their own little puzzle to try to make the most points with. When you draft the die that works best for you, you might be taking what someone else desperately needs without even intending to. Sorry, not sorry. You’ve got slots to fill in your window. One slot may need a red die and that’s the only red die available that’s not a 5 and you already put a 5 next to that slot and you’re not allowed to place the same numbers or colors next to each other. As frustrating as this sounds, it’s also a ton of fun. It feels like Sudoku on crack except, when the game is over, you really do have something beautiful to look at and hopefully feel proud about. Little dice have never looked so good. Don’t worry. When you lose all of your friends because you keep taking the dice they need. It can also be played solo.

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Holi
$39.99 • Floodgate Games • Get Yours Now

Holi is a traditional Hindu spring festival that is celebrated in India by people throwing color onto each other. Holi: Festival of Colors is a board game that captures the idea of those color battles but in a far less messy way. Players score points in various ways from throwing color tokens all over the boards and onto the other players’ tokens. Whoever earns the most points, wins. 

This is a stunning board game that is sure to catch anyone’s attention once it is on the table. Between the vibrant colors and 3-tiered board, this game is near impossible to ignore. It might seem overwhelming at first glance but, with such easy-to-learn rules, players can be brought up to speed in no time. Throw color in the pattern matching whichever card you play, move your player token where it works best for you, and try to climb to the upper levels so you have a better vantage point to throw color down on everything. The rules are easy, but trying to avoid the color thrown by your friends will be difficult.

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COVID-19 Themed D20 Dice
$14.95 CAD • Pathogenik • Get Yours Now

TableTop gaming has had a major resurgence this year. While people can’t go out and party, they are hopping onto zoom calls and taking off on quests through D&D and other games. As any good gamer knows, it all comes down to the dice roll. What better way to commemorate 2020 with a D20 that actually looks like the COVID-19 virus?  Aside from the fact that anyone with a twisted set of humor will love this, it’s a great die. It is well-balanced, and it stands apart from any dice your friends are pulling out of their bags. A must-have for anyone who loves Dungeons and Dragons, or any other dice-based games. 

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Gradient 2000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
$36.69 • Cloudberries • Get Yours Now

Jigsaw puzzles are always great gifts. They pass the time on a cold winter’s day or a rainy afternoon. They are fun to do on your own or with your loved ones. And, they are challenging without making you want to punch a wall. The only other thing you could ever want is just a cool image to put together. That’s exactly what the 2000 piece gradient puzzle gives you from Cloudberries. If you love a good gradient, you are going to love spreading out on the floor and putting this nearly square meter-sized puzzle together. It’s great as a gift, or just a treat for yourself. 

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Milky Way Puzzle
$25.00 • Betterco • Get Yours Now

If you’re looking for an out of this world puzzle experience this holiday season, BetterCo’s Milky Way Puzzle is a great choice. We loved this 1,000 piece puzzle because the image is beautiful, but the challenge level is pretty high. With the randomness of space, it’s hard to follow image or color patterns to guide you on your way, so this puzzle is a perfect gift for talented puzzlers, people who want a challenge, or someone you want to keep occupied for a few days. 

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Space Man Puzzle
$25.00 • Betterco • Get Yours Now

Another great, and challenging puzzle that you’ll love this holiday season is the Space Man Puzzle from BetterCo. At 70cm x 70cm, this puzzle is a good size without being unwieldy. It’s got a beautiful photographic image of a lone spaceman, floating out in the vast darkness above the earth. That means this puzzle will be as difficult as it is pretty. There’s a lot of black space to put together and a very swirly blue marble. It’s a great image, a great challenge, and a great gift. 

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Super Retro Trio Plus
$79.99 • Retrobit • Get Yours Now

Emulators are OK, but they just feel like a simulation. There’s nothing that beats the satisfying thunk of a cartridge sinking into its slot on game system. It’s something that people haven’t really felt (other than on handhelds) since before the days of the PS1. The problem is that getting old gaming consoles can be a hassle. A lot of them are beat up and broken down. Thankfully, Retrobit has not only created an awesome retro console, but they’ve made one that can take all of your original cartridges from the NES, the SNES, and the Sega Genesis. That makes this one of the best gaming systems that anyone who cherishes retro games could ever have. It’s basically the centerpiece of any retrogaming set-up. It’s got both AV and HDMI hookups, 6 controller ports (it comes with two in the box), and it’s a shiny new piece of equipment, not an old beat up box you got at a garage sale or on craigslist. We loved how this was not only easy to use, but it cleared up a lot of space in our gaming set-up. Any time you can combine three classic consoles down into one great new machine, it’s definitely worth it!

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SEGA Saturn Bluetooth Wireless Control Pad
$34.99 • Retro-Bit • Get Yours Now

Fans of the Sega Saturn, arguably one of the most underrated consoles,
rejoice! Retro-Bit will help you take a trip down memory lane with
their officially-licensed SEGA controller featuring Bluetooth
technology. Perfect for retro gamers or modern gamers alike, this
wireless control pad is compatible with PC/MAC and even the Switch! It
features rumble capability on supported games and comes with a strong
550 mAH rechargeable battery that allows up to 10-15 hours of
gameplay! Perhaps one of the most comfortable gaming pads for fighting
games, this handsome controller faithfully recreates the original
design, quality, and feel. Those who’ve played X-Men: COTA or Virtua
Fighter on the original Saturn will know. Add this to your controller
to your collection and ask for it in your Christmas wish list this
year!

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Genesis 8 Button Arcade Pad with USB
$19.99 • Retro-Bit • Get Yours Now

 Whether you’re a retro gamer, a SEGA fan or a fighting game
enthusiast, Retro-Bit’s 8 button Genesis Arcade Pad is the choice for
you. This officially licensed SEGA controller is compatible with a
slew of platforms including the recently released SEGA Genesis Mini
and Switch! It features the classic 6-button layout along with new L/R
shoulder buttons for extra configuration options. Growing up playing
fighting games like Mortal Kombat (ABACABB … yeah I still remember) on
the 3-button SEGA controller, I coveted nothing more than to of have
had a 6-button controller. Now, having one in hand, I can say, an
8-year-old me would have been in gaming heaven. Relive those nostalgic
glory days and get yours today! But don’t do it for the memories, do
it because it’s just a darn good pad. Arcade sticks are overrated!