It’s time for the 2017 Video Games Holiday Gift Guide! We’ve been hard at work coming up with a fun list of video game-related holiday gifts for your friends and family. Everyone loves that feeling you get as you see the smile form on someone’s face when you’ve given them a gift that means something to them. In this video games holiday gift guide we’ll go over some gifts we’re thinking of getting our loved ones, and maybe a few special treats for ourselves. Through this gift guide, we’ll hopefully help you narrow down the list of potential presents for fellow fans and collectors in your life.
This 2017 Video Games Holiday Gift Guide consists entirely of ideas voted in by ToonZone’s crew. Participants created a list of gift suggestions. A master list was created from these lists. We each selected our top ten gifts and assigned them a point value from 1-10. The gift ideas with the highest point value made this list.
Is there a gift on here that you’re thinking of getting for someone? Is there one you would have included that isn’t in the guide? Let us know in the comments!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch, Wii U)
In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Link awakens in a cave 100 years after the destruction of Hyrule at Ganon’s hand and with no memory of his past. Zelda, who is somehow still alive, has held Ganon’s might at bay for the past century. Our favorite hero of Hyrule must puzzle together his past and purpose. Will he become strong and fast enough to take down Ganon in the battle he and his people were unprepared for the last time?
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is incredibly well done. At the time of writing, I’ve logged a good 250 hours in this rendition of Hyrule. The graphics are awe-inspiring and the gameplay is solid. BotW doesn’t give you enough chances to grow emotionally attached to the characters vital to the story’s progression, but it does do an amazing job of achieving the illusion that Link exists in a vast, living, breathing, and fully realized land. There has been one DLC release for the game and one more is on the way. Breath of the Wild retails for $59.99 USD.
-Contributed by Eileen “Harley” Cruz
Check out Breath of the Wild on Amazon.com
Batman: The Enemy Within (PS4, Xbox One, PC, iOS, Android)
Batman returns for a second season of mystery and intrigue with Batman: The Enemy Within – The Telltale Series. Picking up from the fallout of the first season, Bruce Wayne is struggling to regain the trust of Gotham has his family’s dark secret has come to light – his parents were involved in organized crime. In addition to that, The Riddler, Gotham’s original costumed supervillain, is back to remind the city why they feared him in the first place. What unfolds is a deep dive into the criminal world of Gotham City as both Batman and Bruce Wayne find themselves slipping deeper and deeper into the dark underbelly of the world’s seediest city.
For those who enjoyed the risks Telltale took with the first season of Batman: The Telltale Series, particularly the twist of Thomas and Martha Wayne being involved in Gotham’s criminal underworld, the second season continues with more twists and surprises. Be it the new spin on The Riddler, the slow emergence of John Doe and the tragedy that befalls Wayne Industries, The Enemy Within works wonders in keeping players on their toes. As someone who loves to see creators play around with the status quo, Telltale’s Batman series has been a fascinating journey. For the first time in a long time, fans are getting a Batman tale riddled with legitimate surprises, and the second season doesn’t look to be letting up any time soon. Batman: The Enemy Within costs $19.99 on Amazon.
-Contributed by James Harvey
Check out Batman: The Enemy Within on Amazon.com
Sonic Mania (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
The Sonic the Hedgehog series returns to its 2D roots with the critically acclaimed Sonic Mania. Players take control of Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles as they traverse classic stages from previous titles and brand-new stages. Returning stages are updated with new layouts, while brand-new stages feature unique concepts and themes.
Many fans have been waiting to play a new 2D Sonic game for years. The game was developed by fans like Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley. Sonic Mania successfully crafts an experience for both nostalgic fans and new players. Featuring phenomenal music and inventive level design, Sonic Mania is a must-buy for fans of Sonic the Hedgehog, platformers or excellent video games. Pricing on the Collector’s Edition of Sonic Mania varies from system to system but runs under $100 on Amazon.
-Contributed by Greg91
Check out Sonic Mania on Amazon.com
Cuphead (Xbox One, PC)
Inspired by the animation style of the 1930s, Cuphead is a run and gun action game with some platforming and a focus on boss battles. The graphics and audio were created via traditional hand-drawn cel animation, watercolor backgrounds, and original jazz recordings. Cuphead and Mugman go to the Devil’s Casino and lost big! They must fight a series of bosses and win in order to pay back their debt to the devil. Players can play as
Cuphead or Mugman in single player or local co-op as they face all sorts of well-animated and incredibly difficult bosses. While not for the weak of heart, Cuphead is well worth the time and effort it takes to beat the game. If you know a fan of animation and run and gun games, you should get them Cuphead. At $19.99, they’re getting a very well-polished game.
-Contributed by Eileen “Harley” Cruz
Check out Cuphead on Amazon.com
Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)
Super Mario Odyssey is out for the Nintendo Switch, and once again, Mario must save Princess Peach from the evil Bowser. While teaming up with a hat-wearing ghost named Cappy, Mario can throw, attack, and even capture inhabitants to use their abilities.
Those who missed the open-world sandbox feel of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine will find plenty to love in Super Mario Odyssey. Each world is densely packed with side missions, mini-games, and secrets as you collect the many moons and coins scattered throughout. Super Mario Odyssey is everything you expected and loved from a Mario game: imaginatively charming and creatively unlimited. With dozens of worlds to explore and solid gameplay mechanics, Super Mario Odyssey proves the series hasn’t lost its touch! Super Mario Odyssey costs $57.99 on Amazon.
-Contributed by Neo Yi
Check out Super Mario Odyssey on Amazon.com
South Park: The Fractured But Whole (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Following up on the turn-based RPG The Stick of Truth, South Park: The Fractured But Whole inserts the player into the absurd and raunchy world of the Comedy Central cartoon as the “New Kid” in town reeled into a town-wide roleplaying game. The first game’s theme of sword-and-sorcery fantasy roleplay has been traded out for one where the kids are all pretending to be superheroes, with combat taking place on a grid-based battlefield where tactical positioning is as important as what abilities you use.
Here the player has ten different classes to choose from and can customize the identity of his or her character at any time, which offers an impressive degree of freedom to experiment and see how various people in town react to you. But really, The Fractured But Whole is a RPG for superfans of South Park. If the crude nature of the raunchy show isn’t an absolute home run with you or someone you know, this is not a good gift. On the other hand, for people who have seen enough to recognize the game’s many callbacks to old gags and past targets of its ruthless parody, there is a deep well of material to enjoy. South Park: The Fractured But Whole is $44.77 on Amazon.
–Todd “GWOtaku” DuBois
Check out South Park: The Fractured But Whole on Amazon.com
Persona 5 (PS4)
Part turn-based RPG and part life simulator, Persona 5 brings a hyper-stylized JRPG experience like no other to the Playstation 4. As “Akira”, an unassuming self-insert character living a conventional student life in modern Japan, your life is turned upside down when a powerful politician frames you for his own drunken misdeeds. Now stuck on strict parole at a new school in a new neighborhood, other scandals concerning abusive adults and their victims intersect with your life. Normally these youths would have no way to fight back, but these patterns of abuse have supernatural causes that also enable Akira and his ever-growing circle of friends to fight back through a double life as “Phantom Thieves.” By navigating the twisted psyches of the corrupt and “stealing their hearts” to compel their contrition, a sweeping quest to protect the innocent and ultimately reform society begins.
Full of panache, Persona 5 does quite a job of making the traditional dungeon-crawling experience feel like more of a genuine rebellious power fantasy than a grind as your flamboyantly-dressed party dashes through hallways and leaps past obstacles to get the drop on monsters and exploit weaknesses. Key to the combat is the game’s Persona system, which revolves around defeating and using monsters of varying abilities to complement the strengths and weaknesses of your allies. There are dozens of combinations, and almost the kind of “gotta catch em’ all” feeling you’d expect from Pokemon. But dungeons aren’t even half the game, really: to truly succeed and experience the full game you’re called to explore your surroundings and develop your relationships with the people you meant, which the game rewards with access to even greater powers – and no small amount of satisfaction. What’s more, in a year where there have been no shortage of headlines about men being held to account for abuses and the codes of silence that enabled them, the game’s narrative of flawed but well-meaning teens sticking it to the powerful resonates even stronger in retrospect. For those who’d love the idea of basically playing out an ambitious anime, there is simply no better game available in 2017 than Persona 5. The turn-based RPG is $48.95 on Amazon.
–Todd “GWOtaku” DuBois
Check out Persona 5 on Amazon.com
Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4)
In Horizon Zero Dawn, you’ll take on the role of a skilled hunter, Aloy, as you explore a vibrant and lush, post-apocalyptic world. Nature has reclaimed the ruins of an ancient, forgotten civilization. Humans live within primitive hunter-gatherer tribes, while mechanized creatures inhabit the landscape. What you choose to do as Aloy will determine the fate of the planet.
With a gorgeous open world, great gameplay, and story, this PS4 exclusive is a must-play. If the person you’re thinking of getting a gift owns a PS4, they should own this too. Horizon Zero Dawn costs $38.99 on Amazon.
-Contributed by Eileen “Harley” Cruz
Check out Horizon Zero Dawn on Amazon.com
Metroid Samus Returns (3DS)
After a hiatus, the main Metroid series has returned with an excellent new installment for the Nintendo 3DS. Metroid: Samus Returns is a reimagining of the Game Boy game Metroid II: Return of Samus. New features include the melee counter, Aeion abilities, and extensive use of the 3DS touchscreen to expand the gameplay options for players.
Fans have been clamoring for another 2D Metroid game for over a decade, and Nintendo has finally delivered a game worthy of the wait. The stereoscopic 3D adds layers of depth to the background and environments, the boss battles provide difficult yet satisfying showdowns, and the atmospheric music brings the planet of SR388 to life in a mysterious way. Metroid: Samus Returns contains a copious supply of exploration, challenge, and discovery. The long-awaited return of 2D Metroid is not to be missed.
-Contributed by Greg91
Check out Metroid Samus Returns on Amazon.com
Call of Duty: WWII (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
For fans of the FPS genre, the Call of Duty series has long been a pillar of the first-person shooter genre, and this edition seeks to get back to basics by returning to the well-worn path of recreating the World War II experience. The game features the obligatory campaign as well as robust multiplayer support, which is really where the meat of the game lies. Players are randomly assigned to one of two sides and can choose from one of five specialties (“divisions”) for their soldier, featuring a range of different weaponry and perks. For example, an Armored division soldier would have machine guns and the best firepower, while an Airborne soldier would excel at a stealth approach.
Longtime fans of the genre may appreciate how this game eschews not-so-realistic movement as double jumping and running in favor of straightforward “boots on the ground” movement that compels you to navigate the terrain the way someone really would. The new “war” multiplayer mode holds appeal for offering objective-based gameplay inspired by key battles in the war, such as the Normandy Invasion. Call of Duty: WWII costs $49.94 on Amazon.
–Todd “GWOtaku” DuBois
Check out Call of Duty: WWII on Amazon.com
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (PS4)
In Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, the kingdom of Dalmasca has been conquered by the Archadian Empire. The only living heir to the throne, Princess Ashe, has devoted herself to the resistance with the hope of freeing her country once again. Meanwhile, 17-year old street urchin, Vaan, lost his parents to the plague and his brother in the war. He dreams of flying in the skies without a care as a sky pirate. We join these unlikely allies and their companions as they set out on an adventure to free their homeland from tyranny.
Whether you’ve played Final Fantasy XII before or not, The Zodiac Age is a solid purchase. It features a complete remaster of the game and The Zodiac Job System, which was previously available only in the Japanese release. If you’re familiar with the job systems in Final Fantasy III, V, and Final Fantasy Tactics, you’ll get a handle on this one in no time. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is available on the PS4 and runs $54.00 on Amazon.
-Contributed by Eileen “Harley” Cruz
Check out Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age on Amazon.com
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix (PS4)
This extensive collection includes various games throughout the Kingdom Hearts series all on one disc. The four games included are Kingdom Hearts FINAL MIX, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II FINAL MIX, and Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep FINAL MIX. Meanwhile, two cinematic experiences retelling the stories of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded are also included.
Hours upon hours of gameplay highlight this collection alone with the variety of titles available. New bosses, challenges, and items are included in the final mix versions of the various games. Packed with content, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix is worth playing for older fans to enjoy the games again or for new players to discover for the first time. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix costs $37.99 on Amazon.
-Contributed by Greg91
Check out Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix on Amazon.com
Overwatch
Overwatch was created as an international task force to restore peace to a war-torn world during a previous global crisis, and then disbanded once their goals were accomplished. The task force has been revived with a new generation of heroes to tackle new dangers and challenges.
Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer online first-person shooter. Even those who aren’t usually into first-person shooters love this game. This fast-paced multiplayer FPS doesn’t rely on blood and gore and offers enough character variation to keep you interested. Overwatch is available for the PS4, Xbox One and PC costs $49.99 on Amazon.
-Contributed by Eileen “Harley” Cruz
Check out Overwatch on Amazon.com
[…] 2017 Video Games Holiday Gift Guide | 2017 DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Holiday Gift Guide […]
[…] 2017 Video Games Holiday Gift Guide | 2017 Holiday Gift Guide – Comics & Collectibles […]