It's the time of year when many folks are out making sure they have enough gifts for all the people on their lists. Sometimes picking out just the right things can feel like trudging through the snow on a perilous journey (even if you live in the southern hemisphere—we know you understand). We at Outland would obviously love it if you chose some of our own books, games, or comics to give to your family and friends this year. We even released a coupon book specifically designed for DMs and GMs to print and give to their players! (Check out Party Favors: A 5e Compatible Coupon Book at DriveThruRPG.)
But in the spirit of the holidays, we wanted to share with you some of our favorite non-Outland things we think would make great gifts during this season of giving.
Ryan Collins, Creator of Kinterlands: Siege Command
I just picked up Tokaido Duo while at PAX Unplugged, and my wife and I are really enjoying it! It's a two-player game that plays quickly and offers a surprising amount of engagement without being overwhelming. And at a $25 price point, it would make a perfect gift!
Michael Rookard, Creator of Galefire
Battletech Essentials is a pick up and play box for the best and longest running mech wargame around. It simplifies some of the game rules for new players and is a great starting point to get into Battletech!
Ann Marie Cochran, cover artist of Haunted Hallways (and many more)
I highly recommend Sushi Go! It's a really simple, fun, pick up card game.
Angie Dreher-Bayman, Project Manager and co-author of Monster of the Celadon Sea
I have too many to pick just one! We’re really digging Clank! Catacombs as a good fun 4 player game. Recently, we busted out Take5 and it got rowdy. It can be played with up to 10 players and has 104 cards. It's easy to pick up after one round. We also love Splendor. It’s a game we can play with our mom. The kids have been playing it too (with their own weird house rules!) along with Machi Koro.
Alana Joli Abbott, Editor in Chief and co-editor of Never Too Old to Save the World
With all the great game recommendations, I'll throw in something to read. Every year, New York Times cartoonist and artist Seth and publisher Biblioasis design these tiny books, perfect for sneaking into someone's stocking. The stories are from the Victorian tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas, so they're all older, public domain short stories about hauntings. This year's titles are "A Room in a Rectory" by Andrew Caldecott, "The House by the Poppyfield" by Marjorie Bowen, and "The Captain of the Polestar" by Arthur Conan Doyle. For a few chills that have nothing to do with the cold winter weather, I highly recommend these and the earlier tales in the series!
Compiled by Alana Joli Abbott. Featured image by Jeremy Mohler.