Gifts for Gamers- 2025 Edition

For The Kiddos

My First Orchard

My First Orchard is one of the best introductory games you can give to toddlers and young kids, and it’s one of those rare titles that works exactly the way you hope it will. Players work together to pick colorful wooden fruit from a small orchard before a hungry raven reaches the end of the path. That’s the whole game, and it’s fantastic.

The components are vibrant and chunky, designed for tiny hands that haven’t yet mastered careful placement or gentle grabbing. The fruits look good enough to eat, and kids love sorting, collecting, and cheering when everyone manages to pick the orchard clean. The cooperative nature means no meltdowns over losing, no arguing about rules, and no moments where an adult needs to “help” too much. Everyone wins or loses together, which makes it a natural fit for families with mixed ages.

What makes My First Orchard so effective is how smoothly it introduces core gaming concepts. Kids learn turn-taking, color matching, basic dice rolling, and shared goals. It’s the kind of game that grows with a child, teaching real skills in a gentle and joyful way. Parents appreciate the short playtime, the sturdy wooden components, and the fact that it doesn’t feel like babysitting wrapped in cardboard. It feels like play, because it is play.

Adding My First Orchard to your holiday list is a great way to bring even the youngest members of the family into game night. This is one I purchased for my own niece and nephew when they were toddlers (3ish, but the box says 2+ and I think that’s a fine age too). I’ve also suggested it to coworkers in the past for their kids and others and it’s always been a winner. Retail price is about $30.

Animal Upon Animal

If you want to delight kids under ten — or secretly delight adults who still think like kids — Animal Upon Animal is a slam dunk. It’s a beautifully produced dexterity game where players stack cute wooden animals onto a growing tower in the center of the table.

It has the same energy as Jenga but is far cuter and more creative. The pieces are high quality, the rules are simple, and the laughter is guaranteed. This is the kind of game that turns into a family tradition.

This one is great for kids in the 5-6+ range. My own kids played it and actually still enjoying playing it as teenagers with their cousins, who are now 7. Heck, I’d play it any day over Jenga, even with only adults. For this title, you’re looking at under $20.

Rhino Hero

Not every great game has to come in a massive box with 300 tokens. Rhino Hero is a charming, card-stacking dexterity game that turns your table into a wobbly skyscraper. Players take turns constructing floors, placing walls, and moving a heroic little rhino up the tower without knocking it over.

Kids adore this game. Adults quickly realize that they adore it too. There’s always one moment where someone holds their breath because the tower is seconds away from collapsing, and everyone is invested in the outcome.

The kids will open this on Christmas morning and on New Year’s Eve, you’ll be breaking it out to play with all the adults. Last year, it was a huge hit with my group of non-gamer adult friends as we rang in the new year.

It’s universal, engaging, and takes five minutes to explain. Perfect stocking stuffer energy. You can get this one for about $15.

If you want to punch it up a notch, take a look at Rhino Hero: Super Battle, this one’s big brother. Same concept with a little more around the edges. Regular price is about $30.

Catan Jr.

Up until this point, the games for kids I’ve recommended have all been dexterity-based.

Catan Jr. is the perfect way to introduce kids to the world of modern board gaming. It takes the core idea behind Catan — gathering resources and building across a shared map — and reshapes it into something intuitive and exciting for younger players.

Instead of settlers and roads, kids take on the role of pirate crews building hideouts and sailing to new islands. Barrels of molasses, parrots, wood, goats, gold, and swords are the resources of choice and the map is full of charming details that make it feel like an adventure rather than a lesson in resource conversion. Turns are simple: roll the die, collect resources, and decide what to build next.

What makes Catan Jr. stand out is how it teaches core hobby concepts without overwhelming kids. Players learn to plan a little, trade a little, and adapt when the Ghost Captain moves to block the space they wanted. It’s light, colorful, and genuinely fun for adults to play with children, which is not something every kids’ game can claim. Personally, I actually like this version compared to classic Catan.

Catan Jr. is an excellent gift for families with younger gamers and a natural stepping stone toward more advanced strategy games down the road. Expect this one to run you between $30 and $40.

For Teens and Adults

Ticket to Ride

If there were a Hall of Fame for gateway games, Ticket to Ride would have its own wing. Players collect sets of colorful train cards and spend them to build routes across a map of the United States. The rules are simple: draw cards, claim routes, and connect cities. The magic is in how quickly players start plotting, blocking, and bluffing without the game ever feeling mean.

What makes this one so perfect for families is how intuitive it is. Kids love the bright colors and plastic trains. Adults love that it takes ten minutes to learn but rewards clever planning. And everyone loves that a full game wraps up in under an hour.

It’s competitive without being stressful, strategic without being heavy, and replayable without requiring expansions — though if you want them, there are many. This one is a perennial hit and a safe buy for absolutely anyone. MSRP on this one is $55, but due to a new look refresh in 2025, you can find a sale or the old look for around $40.

Pandemic

Pandemic flips the script by making the whole table play on the same team. Instead of competing, you’re all working together to stop a global outbreak before time runs out. Each player takes on a different role with a special ability: the scientist cures diseases faster, the dispatcher moves everyone more efficiently, and so on.

Pandemic succeeds because it creates real tension without overwhelming players. Turns are quick, the stakes feel high, and when you pull off a last-second win, the whole table celebrates. There’s nothing quite like watching someone who “doesn’t like board games” suddenly lean forward, studying the board, plotting their next move, and genuinely caring about the outcome.

This is an excellent choice for families who want to cooperate rather than compete. It’s also fantastic for teens who enjoy strategy but aren’t ready for heavier fare. MSRP on this fella is about $50.

Forbidden Island

If Pandemic seems a little intimidating, Forbidden Island is the perfect warm-up. Designed by the same creator, this one has players trying to escape a sinking island while snatching up valuable artifacts.

The table presence is gorgeous. The island tiles literally sink as the game progresses, creating a visual and emotional sense of urgency. The rules are simple enough for kids to understand, but adults won’t be bored by it. And because the island changes every time you play, it stays fresh longer than you’d expect.

Forbidden Island is one of the best cooperative introductions you can buy and costs significantly less than most boxed games. It’s one of my go-to recommendations for families buying their first “real” board game. You should be able to find this gem for under $25.

The Crew

If the gamer on your shopping list grew up playing Spades, Hearts, or other trick-taking card games, they’ll take to this one like a fish to water.

The Crew is a standout. It’s a trick-taking game where the entire group must work together to complete specific card-play missions without openly discussing their hands.

Challenges escalate as you progress through missions, and the real joy is when the table wordlessly pulls off an impossible-feeling play.

The Crew is compact, inexpensive, and endlessly replayable. It’s one of the best values in modern gaming at less than $20.

Onitama

One of my favorites of this list, Onitama is like chess. Players are moving strategically, with pieces moving in unique ways. However, I actually like Onitama better due to its simplicity and the fact it’s finished in fifteen minutes. Two players face off on a tiny board, each using a rotating set of movement cards that shift every round.

What makes Onitama special is how thoughtful it feels without requiring deep calculation. Because the movement cards cycle between players, you always know exactly what your opponent can do — the tension comes from anticipating how they’ll use that knowledge.

It’s an excellent gift for anyone who likes abstract games, quick duels, or clever two-player experiences. I used it to teach my kids the concepts of chess and years later, they keep coming back to this one instead of its better known predecessor. You should be able to pick a copy up for under $30.

Bohnanza

Bohnanza is one of the most delightfully strange card games you can bring to a family gathering. Players take on the role of bean farmers planting and harvesting different varieties of beans for coins. The twist is what makes it special: you cannot rearrange the cards in your hand. Whatever order you draw them in is the order you’re stuck with.

The game teaches timing, basic economics, and social interaction without ever feeling like work. You plant beans. You harvest beans. You try to make the best of whatever odd assortment of cards you draw. It’s charming, quick, and endlessly replayable, especially with mixed-age groups.

Bohnanza is a great gift for families who want something light and interactive that gets everyone talking rather than staring quietly at their cards. Grab a copy for your gamer’s stocking for only about $20.

King of Tokyo

King of Tokyo delivers exactly what you hope it will: giant monsters throwing haymakers at each other. Players roll dice to attack, heal, gather energy, and compete for control of Tokyo. Every turn brings tension because staying in Tokyo gives points, but it also means you’re the target for every other player.

It’s rowdy, fast, and ridiculously fun. Kids love the characters. Adults love the push-your-luck decisions. This is the game you bring to gatherings where you want noise, excitement, and big reactions. My son starting loving this game back when he was around 10. If you know someone who wants to fight against Godzilla or King Kong, this game lets them act it out.

Just One

Just One is a game that teachers, parents, coworkers, and non-gamers all instantly understand. Players give one-word clues to help the guesser identify a secret word. But if clues match, they get removed, leaving the guesser with the odd scraps that remain.

It’s silly. It’s clever. And it creates the kind of laughter that feels warm rather than chaotic. If you want a party game your entire family, from grandkids to grandparents, can genuinely enjoy together, Just One is one of the best ever made. This is one of the few games on the list that I don’t yet own. I actually encountered it at a holiday party a few years back in the house of a non-gamer, and got to see it captivate a group of non-gamers for hours, long after the group had forgotten to keep track of scoring. Pick up a copy this Christmas for under $30.

Sushi Go!

I left one of my favorites for the final spot on this list. Sushi Go! And Sushi Go! Party are fast-paced card drafting games where players pick a sushi dish from their hand, reveal simultaneously, then pass the remaining cards to the next person. Cards score in different ways, but none of which are too complicated for an older child to understand. It takes minutes to learn and about fifteen minutes to play. The big differences between the two versions are player count and cost (2-5 and $15 vs. 2-8 and $30, respectively) other than some minor additional game elements “Party” adds to the mix.

The artwork is whimsical and adorable. The strategy is light but meaningful. And because every decision happens simultaneously, there’s no downtime. It’s a great little gift for families, kids, or anyone new to the hobby.

Gameless Gifts for Gamers

Gaming Tables

For that very special gamer in your life, if you are in a position to give a board game table this holiday, you could earn a spot in their personal gaming (and gifting) hall of fame!

Let’s be clear: nobody needs a dedicated gaming table. But once you’ve used one, it’s hard to go back.

A good gaming table adds three real benefits:

1. Space and Organization: Board games take up space, even family games. Inserts, player boards, cups, tiles — a proper table gives everything room to breathe.
2. Comfort: Cushioned rails, cupholders, and comfortable height adjustments make long sessions more enjoyable.
3. Utility: Most tables include toppers that turn them back into normal dining tables. Families get the best of both worlds.

The first, and to my mind, most important consideration, is how big does the table need to be? BoxKing tables range from 41”x 26” (smaller coffee table) to 4’x 6’ or even two linked tables resulting in a 6’ x 5’ playing space!

Ensure you gamer has the space needed, not just for the table, but also it needs to give room for the chairs to pull out. If this is a gift you’re considering, take your time and choose between the numerous finishes and accessories to get the perfect gift for your gamer.

If you have friends or family who’ve recently discovered modern board games, a gaming table is an unforgettable gift. It’s the kind of thing they’ll use for years and years.

Gaming Accessories

Small upgrades make a big difference, and they’re perfect gifts when you don’t want to break the bank.

Bit Bowls: Great for games with small tokens, tiles, or coins. They keep the table clean and organized. If you’re looking for a very inexpensive stocking stuffer, silicon muffin cups make for great bit organizers too!

Card Sleeves: All games with cards can benefit from sleeves. They’ll better survive sticky fingers, snack breaks, and repeated shuffling.Tip: buying sleeves can be tricky- look up the game on BoardGameGeek, click the “more” down arrow, and select “sleeves” to see which one a game needs.

Dice Trays: Keeps dice from clattering across the table or into drinks. A must-have for King of Tokyo and most kid-friendly games.

Foldable Table Mats: Improves card sliding, reduces noise, and turns any kitchen table into a gaming-ready surface. These are available in a number of sizes based on the table you have.

Component Organizers: Perfect for players who want faster setup and teardown. If you’re unsure of which game would benefit most, consider a gift card to one of the many insert producers, like The Broken Token.

These items give any game night a noticeable boost and make excellent gifts.

Final Thought

Board games are more than cardboard and plastic. They’re invitations. Invitations to talk, to laugh, to discover something new about the people sitting across from you. A good game night turns a group of individuals into a shared moment — the kind people remember long after the box goes back on the shelf. A gaming gift can make this all possible.

Whether you’re buying for a family with young kids, a pair of adults looking for a date-night game, the gamer who has more games than you can count, or someone dipping a toe into the hobby for the first time, this guide should cover your gifting needs.