Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers
Hey! Do you have someone (or are you someone) whose stocking is just waiting to be stuffed? Well, our careful research shows that even with a really good running start, you’re never going to get that copy of Kingdom Builder Big Box Edition into a stocking, so instead Team Gameosity has come up with a list of relatively tiny, relatively affordable games that will help you stuff all the stockings you care to manage!
Qwinto
Player Count: 2-6
Gameplay Style: Roll & Write
Published by: Pandasaurus Games
Jess: Roll & write games tend to make good stocking stuffers, and Qwinto is a quick, easy to learn one, coming from the same family as our beloved Quixx. Qwinto is just 3 dice and a pad of scoresheets (pencils included!), so the game is perfect for travel and fun for the whole family, especially since it perfectly plays up to 6. Easy to learn and fun to play, this one’s great as a little gift!
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The Lady and the Tiger
Player Count: 1-6 (Depending on the game)
Gameplay Style: Variable, including bluffing, hand management, and puzzle
Published by: Jellybean Games/Quality Beast
Jess: The Lady and the Tiger is a beautifully illustrated deck of cards that was inspired by the classic short story “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton. Using these beautiful cards (and a few beads), this game provides a variety of gameplay experiences because there are actually 5 different games you can play using these components. With gorgeous presentation and a great table presence, The Lady and the Tiger is a really unique gift!
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Pocket Mars
Player Count: 1-4
Gameplay Style: Area Influence, Hand Management
Published by: Grey Fox Games
Andrew: I already covered Pocket Mars in a Game In A Minute, so I’ve link that here, but the upshot is that this little game is a surprisingly thinky area-majority puzzle that I really enjoy. I love the art and the gameplay, and it all comes in a small box at a reasonable price!
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Startups
Player Count: 3-7
Gameplay Style: Set Collection
Published by: Oink Games
Andrew: I really like a lot of Oink games, and every single one of them comes in a tiny box perfect for stuffing stockings. The reason I picked Startups is that it’s a pretty straightforward set collection/stock manipulation game that’s pretty easy to play and is a good portable title to boot. The only negative here is that it doesn’t play 2 players, but hey, it plays all the way up to 7, so that’s a boon too!
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Welcome To…
Player Count: 1-100 (not a typo)
Gameplay Style: Pattern building
Published by: Deep Water Games
Josh: (Relatively) small size and a great family game because it can play practically any number of people, Welcome To… is a great stocking stuffer…despite not really fitting into a stocking. Also, a lovely traditional Americana theme, and easy enough for beginning gamers!
Those are just a few of the great small games we think would make for perfect holiday gifts this year. Did we miss some of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!