Gifts for Gamers: 10 Picks They'll Actually Use (Starting With Zelda)
Gifts for Gamers: 10 Picks They'll Actually Use (Starting With Zelda)
Buying for a gamer is easier than it looks, and harder than it should be. Easier, because gamers always know exactly what they want. Harder, because if you buy the wrong version of the thing they want, it sits in a drawer. So here's my rule for this list: every pick is something a real gamer would actually use, and I've noted which console it belongs to so you don't buy a Switch 2 accessory for someone still on the original Switch.
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1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake (Nintendo Switch 2)
The big one. The remake of the Nintendo 64 classic launched November 5, exclusively for Switch 2, rebuilt from the ground up — not just a sharper port. If the gamer in your life grew up on the original, this is the gift they'll remember opening. Nintendo lists the digital edition at $59.99 and the physical edition at $69.99. First-print physical copies have a textured foil cover, and digital buyers before November 23 get a Zelda 40th anniversary wallpaper. Fair warning: the foil-cover version sold through fast at some stores, so don't wait until the week of Christmas. Find it on Amazon — check today's price.
2. Mario Kart World (Nintendo Switch 2)
If they just got a Switch 2 and only own one game, this is probably the one they want next. It's the flagship Mario Kart for the new console, and it's the game most Switch 2 owners buy first. Nintendo lists it at $79.99. It also comes bundled with the console, so check whether they already have it before you buy a second copy. Find it on Amazon — check today's price.
3. Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
The Joy-Cons that come in the box are fine for a quick race. They are not what anyone wants to hold for a three-hour session. The Pro Controller is the full-size pad — proper grips, back buttons, a headphone jack for late-night play, and HD Rumble 2. Nintendo lists it at $89.99. One catch: it only works with Switch 2, not the original Switch. If they play on the TV or in tabletop mode, this is the upgrade that gets used every single day. Find it on Amazon — check today's price.
4. Samsung microSD Express Card, 256GB (Nintendo Switch 2)
Here's the gotcha nobody tells new Switch 2 owners: the old microSD card from the original Switch does not work in the Switch 2. It only takes microSD Express cards. The console has 256GB built in, and with games the size they are now, that fills up faster than you'd think. Samsung's 256GB Express card is the one Nintendo lists for the console, at $59.99. It's the least exciting gift on this list and one of the most useful. Find it on Amazon — check today's price.
5. Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2)
The other big Switch 2 game of the year, and the one for the gamer who likes to smash things. It's a 3D platformer where Donkey Kong tears through the levels themselves, and it's been one of the most talked-about Switch 2 games since launch. Nintendo lists it at $69.99. Good pick if they already have Mario Kart and Zelda covered. Find it on Amazon — check today's price.
6. Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip
A small one, but it solves a real annoyance: the Joy-Cons only charge when they're attached to the console or the grip that came in the box doesn't charge at all. The charging grip lets them play on the TV while the controllers charge. Nintendo lists it at $39.99. It's the kind of gift that looks minor and then gets used every time they sit down to play. Find it on Amazon — check today's price.
7. HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 Gaming Headset
For the gamer who plays late, or shares a house with people who don't want to hear every explosion. A solid headset with a mic for online play, light enough to wear for hours, and it doesn't cost what the flagship headsets do. Works with Switch 2, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC through the standard headphone jack. If you're not sure what headset they already have, this is a safe bet — it's one of the most popular budget headsets out there for a reason. Find it on Amazon — check today's price.
8. Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case
If they take the Switch 2 anywhere — the car, a friend's house, the holidays — it needs a case. The console is a handheld, which means it gets tossed in bags, and a cracked screen ruins Christmas fast. A good case holds the console, a few game cards, and the charger. Look for one made for Switch 2 specifically, not the original Switch; the sizes are different. Find one on Amazon — check today's price.
9. LED Light Strip for the Gaming Setup
Not a game, not a controller — just the thing that makes the whole setup look like a place someone actually wants to sit. A strip of LED lights behind the TV or desk, set to a warm color, turns a corner of a bedroom into a gaming spot. Govee's strips are the ones I see recommended most, they stick on with adhesive, and they run off a phone app. Cheap, easy, and it makes the rest of the gifts look better too. Find them on Amazon — check today's price.
10. Nintendo eShop Gift Card
When in doubt, this is the gift. If you don't know which games they own, which console they have, or what size anything is, a gift card lets them pick. It never goes wrong, never needs returning, and for a gamer it's as good as cash — it goes straight to the next game they actually want. Grab a physical card if you want something to wrap, or a digital code if you're shopping last-minute. Find one on Amazon — check today's price.
The honest part: the single most important thing is knowing which system they own. Switch 2 accessories don't work on the original Switch, and the old microSD card doesn't carry over. If you're not sure, ask — or buy the gift card and the game, and let them sort out the rest. Gamers are easy to shop for once you know the console. Get that part right and the rest takes care of itself.
