Buying a gift for a gamer might seem easy at first. However, it can be more challenging than you might presume.
Gaming is becoming more popular. What used to be a niche pastime has now amassed many billions of pounds worldwide. It can make purchasing gifts for gamers difficult because they have likely already bought many of their games, consoles, and accessories themselves. Surprises may be few and far between, as many of them know their hobby inside out.
The pressure can be more intense when you want your gift to be classic, yet at the same time, unique and useful. If you’re in this situation and you’re stuck for ideas, we’ve provided a few suggestions for you below.
The Arcade Experience
There is nothing more classic than an arcade game. Some of these titles are singlehandedly responsible for making the video game industry the titan it is today.
Bitcade has added its own twist to the experience with its very own 2992-in-1 emulator that comes with most of its built-to-order arcade machines. Users can now enjoy some incredibly unique titles that mainstream audiences today could easily miss. It’s retro gaming done right!
If you need some inspiration for the titles that can be played here, get the low down on the best of Bitcade’s arcade games, which they’ve listed. Whether it’s Sonic or Asteroids Deluxe, there is something for everyone here. Take your time in scrolling through, as you can’t beat these Bitcade games for striking that perfect balance between playing a classic and yet something totally fresh and unique at the same time.
Rare Retro Games
Sticking with the theme of retro games a while longer, you should know that some of them offer more than just a fun experience. Those that are oldest and rarest can fetch an extortionate fee.
Not all the owners of these games will know that they are sitting on a pile of cash. Therefore, it’s a good idea to do some research to see which retro games are fetching the most money today. You may be able to pick them up for a bargain at places like car boot sales, where people sell items they think are mostly junk or useless to them.
If you have any friends who used to play retro games and have since hoarded their goods, it may be a good idea to pick through their stock too. It might be they’re none the wiser about the cash they’re sitting on too.
Gamers are often collectors too. They like to line their shelving units with games old and new and showcase their pride and depth of knowledge. Keep that in mind as you shop around, mainly if the gamer you are gifting to is very ardent about their hobby. If they don’t like what you buy for any reason, you can at least be content that they can sell it off for a pretty sum too.
Custom Console Controllers
Console controllers are classic in and of themselves. However, with the added magic of some customisation, they can have a brand-new appeal to them.
First, some controllers can be customised from an aesthetics point of view. They can be bestowed with different colours or have stickers placed over them that come with varying designs beyond the usual. Some can feature characters, logos, and just about anything else from the recipient’s favourite entertainment media. A quick Google search, and you’ll find the people who can provide these services.
Second, customised controllers can affect gameplay in some cases too. For example, some can feature what’s referred to as a ‘macro button’. This enables users to assign numerous commands to a single button so that, when pressed, it performs several functions in the game at once instead of just one. Circumstances and capabilities vary, but if you shop around long enough, you can find some custom controllers that can change the game, literally, forever.
External Storage Drives
Consoles can frequently run out of storage, especially on last-gen hardware. Playstation 4’s and Xbox One’s used to both fall short in this area somewhat.
However, an external storage drive can be a godsend for many gamers. Using a USB and SSD drive means that they don’t have to make sacrifices with their data, and can save and store as much as they want, whenever they want.
Of course, what’s more classic than storage? Running out of room can be a source of significant stress for people, especially when they can see the GBs or their MBs tightening more and more as time goes on. Give your gamer friend a solution to this conundrum, and all of their progress will never have been for nothing.
Remember that today’s games can be enormous in size too. Depending on the hardware they’re using, some gamers can only have 3-4 titles installed at a time. You can run many titles from an SSD drive, too, so anything you can do to lighten the load would undoubtedly be appreciated. External storage can make a big difference there!
