If you hadn’t realised, Christmas is coming – and gamers can be tricky to buy for. Whether they’re a Fortnite fanatic, a Zelda zealot, or anything in between, if you’re not well-versed in gaming, gift buying can be tricky. Whether you’re looking for a console, a specific game, or a gaming-themed stocking-filler, Express Online has plenty of suggestions for the gamer in your life. Check out our Christmas gift guide below.
Games…
Those consoles are nothing without the games, so here’s our picks for each console – along with the cheapest places to buy them.
Xbox One:
Resident Evil 2 – £16.85 from ShopTo
This remake of a PSOne classic might just be one of the best-looking games of 2019 – and also happens to be one of the scariest. It’s a faithful retelling in some ways, while also changing plenty – and is one of the year’s best.
FIFA 20 – £39.85 from ShopTo
EA Sports’ latest football sim is as compelling as ever, adding a new street football mode to an already impressive number of match types – including the life-absorbing Ultimate Team.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – £44.95 from TheGameCollection
Rebooting the franchise’s most famous (and popular) entry was a risk, but Modern Warfare offers the best Call of Duty title in a decade – both in terms of campaign and multiplayer.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – £24.95 from TheGameCollection
If your loved one is looking for a challenge, Sekiro offers one of the year’s toughest (and most rewarding) experiences. It takes place in a magical version of the Sengoku period of Japanese history, offering some beautiful visuals and haunting enemies.
PS4:
Death Stranding – £49.85 at ShopTo
Hideo Kojima may have created Metal Gear Solid, but his PlayStation 4 exclusive is one of the most technically impressive games this year – it’s weird, but it’s also brilliant.
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order – £46.85 from ShopTo
Who hasn’t dreamt of spinning a lightsaber? This original Star Wars story is set between Episodes 3 and 4 and offers tough combat and puzzle-solving across multiple planets.
Days Gone – £32.95 from TheGameCollection
Another PS4 exclusive, Days Gone sees players fight to survive the zombie apocalypse as a gruff biker. The game even won an award for best storytelling at the Golden Joysticks.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled – £29.85 from ShopTo
A remaster of the PlayStation original, but stuffed full of extra content, Crash Team Racing is one of the finest multiplayer experiences of this generation – especially if you have an extra controller or three.
Nintendo Switch:
Luigi’s Mansion 3 – £39.85 from ShopTo
Luigi’s latest outing is one of the year’s most delightful games, offering satisfying ghost-busting action and slapstick comedy in spades – as well as co-op multiplayer.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – £39.85 from ShopTo
A remake of one of the Game Boy’s oft-forgotten titles, Link’s Awakening is a cutesy adventure with a unique art-style that complements the modernised game mechanics of the original.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition – £40.95 from TheGameCollection
One of Japan’s biggest franchises, Dragon Quest XI finally came to the Nintendo Switch and bought new voice acting and extra content with it – bolstering an already incredible RPG.
Pokemon Sword and Shield – £42.85 from ShopTo
One of the world’s best-known series, Pokemon Sword and Shield are excellent new adventures in the Pokemon universe – with a fresh world to roam and new creatures to collect.
Ring Fit Adventure – £64.99 from GAME
Part game, part personal trainer, Ring Fit Adventure is a full RPG that you play using your body – and it’s quite the workout. There are bonus routines and minigames, too.
Extras
If you or your loved one is looking to play online, each console requires a subscription to do so. Thankfully, all offer bonuses for signing up.
Xbox Live offers free games every month (two on Xbox One and two on Xbox 360), and players also get access to weekly sales and deals. It costs £6.99 per month from Microsoft, but we’ve found the best price below:
One year of Xbox Live Gold – £37.85 at ShopTo
PlayStation Plus offers online play, alongside two free PlayStation 4 games per month, exclusive discounts, and the ability to back up your saved games in the cloud. It also costs £6.99 per month, but you can save with this deal:
One year of PlayStation Plus – £39.85 at ShopTo
Nintendo Switch Online is just £20 per year, and while it doesn’t offer any bonus games per se, members do get exclusive offers and the option to play retro titles from the NES and SNES systems.
One year of Nintendo Switch Online – £14.85 at ShopTo
If you’re looking to build a library of games quickly on Xbox or PlayStation, each offers an optional subscription.
Xbox Game Pass offers over 100 games to download and play when you want for just £7.99 – but you can bundle it with Xbox Live for just £10.99 per month, so you’re essentially paying just £4 for Game Pass.
Three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – £25.85 at ShopTo
PlayStation Now, on the other hand, offers game streaming of PS2, PS4 and PS4 titles, with select games available for download as well. It recently got a price cut to just £8.99 per month.
Stocking Fillers:
Aside from consoles and games, there are plenty of gaming-themed extras that gamers will love unwrapping on Christmas Day.
Funko Pop Figures – These toys have slowly taken over the world, and there are now thousands of the novelty figures – so you’re bound to find your favourite character. You can find loads at Amazon.
Clothing – Sometimes it’s not enough to just play a game – you want to tell the world about it. For such an occasion, there’s some incredible clothing out there for gamers, like these colourful Christmas sweaters from Numskull Designs – which you can find here.
Retro gaming consoles – Looking to relive gaming memories of yesteryear? These dinky retro console versions of the Sega Mega Drive, PSOne and SNES offer built-in games and HDMI connectivity – so you can replay the classics, or introduce them to a younger generation.
– Sega Mega Drive Mini – £69.95 at TheGameCollection
– PlayStation Classic – £46.75 at GAME
– SNES Classic – £139.99 at Amazon
Vouchers – Of course, you can always give gamers the gift of choice. Pop an Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, or Nintendo eShop voucher in their stocking and they’ll be able to pick up whatever they want – without having to wait for the shops to open on Boxing Day!
PSN Credit – £8.85 per £10 at ShopTo
Xbox Live Credit – £10 per £10 at ShopTo
Nintendo eShop Credit – £15 per £15 at GAME
This article contains affiliate links, we may receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more. Also note that all prices are correct at the time of writing.
