Looking for a last-minute Christmas gift for the young (or the young at heart)? If you’re unclear as to what the hot toys are this year, we’ve scoured the web — and solicited a few suggestions from our staff — regarding some of the most popular toys and games this holiday season. Read on for our curated list, which includes gifts that will please friends and family of all ages, whether they’re into video games, gadgets, or getting their hands slimy.
Looking for a more robust list of picks? If so, take a gander at our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.
Nintendo Switch ($300)
Nintendo’s most ambitious console yet offers the power of a home console in a device you can take with you anywhere. Suddenly, you can play the latest Zelda or Mario game while on your morning commute, and the sharp visuals blow up nicely when you hook the Switch up to a TV. Whether you’ve got kids, or simply love Nintendo’s reliable, fun-for-all-ages style of games, the Switch is a lovely device that’s chock-full of innovation and promise. It’s so cool, in fact, we officially dubbed it our Product of the Year.
‘Codenames’ ($15)
Board games are more popular than ever these days, and not just for family game night. A generation of young adults raised on Catan have led to a wave of games that are strategic, and often complex. For those who don’t want to manage an economy, Codenames offers a simple — but surprisingly deep — experience that anyone can grasp. Players sort into two teams, each consisting of a spymaster and spies. Tiles with words on them are arranged on the table, and the spymasters must give clues to lead their spies to their team’s tiles (hopefully without choosing the other team’s tiles). It’s an intuitive game, one that any group, from nuclear families to college friends, can enjoy.
DIY Slime Kit ($20)
It seemed impossible for anything to dethrone fidget spinners as the decade’s strangest trend, yet slime did just that. Today’s social media personalities demonstrated that, with household items like Borax or shampoo, anyone could recreate the set of Nickelodeon’s Double Dare. If you’d prefer your kids not play with potentially harmful chemicals, however, why not buy a kit to keep them sliming it up safely?
Epikgo Classic hoverboard ($600)
They say you should dress for the job you want, so if you want to be a Silicon Valley executive, try living life on a hoverboard. The Epikgo Classic is fun to ride and can go more than 10 miles on a single charge, and besides, the calories you save from walking can be put to better use designing the next app to disrupt [insert industry here].
Power Wheels Boomerang ($330)
What kid doesn’t love to race? The Power Wheels Boomerang is a beastly, battery-powered vehicle that will let kids tear up the lawn in style — but don’t worry, it tops out at 5 miles per hour!
Nerf Rival Nemesis Mark MXVII-10k
Nerf guns are an ageless gift, enjoyed equally by children in the park and employees at Digital Trends headquarters. Regardless of how you choose to use it, the pricey Nemesis Mark MXVII-10k will make you the power player in any Nerf war. With a 100-round capacity and a motorized feed that’s capable of shooting projectiles at 100 feet per second, you’ll lay waste to opponents like Achilles having a bad day.
Lego Star Wars BB-8
If there’s one character in the new Star War films who is universally loved, it’s BB-8, the world’s friendliest rolling orb. If you want to make your own BB-8, this Lego set makes it possible, with superb detail and even a display stand.
Parrot Mambo drone ($130)
Although it’s not the flashiest drone in the world, this tiny quadcopter handles well and comes with a few fun attachments, including a claw for picking up objects and cannons for shooting foam balls. You can control it with a smartphone app, too, or spend a little more for a twin-stick controller. It’s one of our favorite drones to date, and also one of the most affordable.
