I don’t mean to alarm you, but Christmas is 13 days away! That means you have 2 weeks to knock out that last of the present shopping.
Don’t despair, we have been reviewing awesome stuff to help you decide what to get that loved one.
Fancy Lights
Wanna help your loved one deck out their living space? Well fancy lights are a way to go!
WiZ Smart Fairy Lights
Maybe you have seen a family members sad tree and want to give them a little more sparkle in their Xmas. Maybe your own tree is a little sad and want your husband more engaged, either way this is a great way to amp up those Xmas vibes. We checked out and loved these smart fairy lights!
Maybe give this to the family member before the big day though, so they don’t feel shade opening it up in front of everyone next to their sad tree.
WiZ Dial Switch and Colour Smartbulbs
A cheaper solution that can also bring the Xmas vibes are the WiZ smart lightbulbs. You can still get your green and red going, but also adjust the colours for all year long.
Video Games
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Keith took Echoes of Wisdom for a spin and while the hardware struggled, he reckoned: “There’s enjoyment to be had in the game’s freestyle approach to puzzle and encounter design”.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Maybe your loved one doesn’t have a Switch. In that case, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth may be what’s needed. I mean, Matt did say: “masterful design, clever application of its many ideas, and an effortless balance between nostalgic homage and subversive reflection on the source material, Rebirth does work—spectacularly so”
Until Dawn (2024)
Maybe your friend loves those spooky vibes. Well if they do then the new version of Until Dawn might be the right choice.
Bronwyn reckoned there wasn’t much point if you’ve already played it, but “If you’ve never played the original, this is a good game to get you into the franchise. “
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II
What about space battles, surely your friend likes space battles! If they do then Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II is a great choice. After all, Xenojay said this about the game: “Stunning visuals, great voice acting and easy to pick up and play from the start, Space Marine II suitably lives up to the hype it garnered. “
Age of Mythology Retold
Okay, your friend doesn’t like space battles, horror, charming Switch games or JRPG’s. How about we go back in time to old school Mythology. Brian took Age of Mythology Retold for a spin and said: “For new players, Age of Mythology Retold is a great RTS well worth sinking hundreds of hours into. For old players who’ve already done this, we’ll find room to spend hundreds more. I cannot fault this game, which remakes what needed to be remade and leaves the rest untouched. “
That’s some high praise!
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Maybe you aren’t sure which game to get. Well if they have an Xbox, then a Game Pass Subscription is an easy win. They get access to heaps of games to play for a damn reasonable price.
If you are lucky enough to be gifted this I recommend the new Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. If not this, then there are the Forza games, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Black Ops 6, there is so much awesome!
Trading Card Games!
Do you have a family member or friend who loves slinging cardboard? As a carboard addict myself I can sympathise. The great news is, it’s super easy to buy for us. A pack or two, maybe a fancy box, there’s all kinds of awesome for different budgets.
Magic: The Gathering Foundations
The current MTG set Foundations is a banger, with so many options to choose from. For new players, the Beginner Box is an amazing starting point for the game. For more established players, the Starter Collection gives a bunch of excellent standard legal staples to start building some fun new decks. And worst case scenario, just grab some booster packs. There are awesome cards in this set that will be useful for years!
Flesh and Blood: 1st Strike Blitz Decks
Have you got a friend that has been showing an interest in trying out a different TCG? Well if FAB hasn’t made it’s way into their lives, then the 1st Strike Blitz decks are an incredibly fun way to play.
Perfect for a FAB newbie!
Flesh and Blood: Ira Welcome Deck
Times are still tough for many of us, so buying an expensive present may be out of the question. Well if you have a family member who is into TCG’s and hasn’t checked out FAB yet, then the Ira Welcome Deck may be a great choice. They are given away at a lot of LGS’s for free, but if you don’t have one nearby you can even just print the cards out! So print them out on some fancy paper and you get the home made vibes at a super low price.
Lorcana Azurite Sea
Lorcana has hit the TCG world with a splash. Fun gameplay and quirky Disney art, what more is there to love? Well the new set has brought some really cool packages that would make for excellent gifts! The Stich box set is perfect for fans of Stitch with a Stitch themed binder and a special Stitch promo card. Or heck, even the Illumineers trove giving them heaps of packs to crack and a great way to store cards.
These will make any Lorcana fans heart soar!
Phones
Getting sick of your friends sending you photos taken from a potato? Maybe they don’t reply to your emails because they have to wait until they are at a laptop. Either way, a new phone may be what you need, and we checked out some doozies this year.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra
Tony absolutely raved about this phone. They achieved his adoration “by implementing better design decisions, better cameras, and upgraded hardware. Small quality-of-life upgrades straight out of the box, a fantastic design and feel, the largest external screen on the market, running on one of the top processors in the market today, and under $2000 to boot. “
Oppo Reno 12 Pro 5G
Blair checked out the Oppo Reno 12 Pro 5G and found “Honestly, it’s a solid phone, albeit a touch uninspiring. You’ll be perfectly happy with this purchase at the $1,100 mark.”
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
If the above are both too expensive, then it seems like this beauty may be what you need. Tony said “With the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion, what they have kept in the phone is mainly very positive, and factoring in the price that you can get it for (at time of writing, it is selling on the Spark website for $659.00), it’s actually very impressive what they have fit in this phone.”
Gaming Tech
Got a gamer in your life? Gamers do love an upgrade, so maybe one of these legends may be what you need?
SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds
Ear buds for gamers may be just what you need. Blair said “the Arctis GameBuds bring some serious strengths to the table, making it a strong contender for my personal favourites.”.
Very fancy!
Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX
This mouse may not be cheap, but listen to what Tony had to say: “If you are a serious gamer looking for a mouse that is hyper-sensitive with a lightweight body to take you to the next level and don’t mind paying for this advantage, the Logitech Pro X Superlight 2 DEX mouse is a no-brainer.”
I mean, can you ask for more praise than that?
Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL Keyboard
This beauty may not be perfect, but despite that, see what Tony had to say: “Its sleek, non-obtrusive look will complement any gaming setup, and the customisable RGB key lighting means it certainly won’t be boring (if you don’t want it to be).”
I wonder if I can convince someone to buy one for me!
Ways to listen to jams
When you have a rough day, listening to music can be the best way to reset yourself. When you’re having a great day, that music can make it greater. So helping your loved one enjoy jams is a pretty awesome life upgrade.
JBL Live Beam 3 Review
As far as ear buds go, this is some pretty high praise from Blair: “I have found my day-to-day ear buds. Seriously, they aren’t the cheapest, but they aren’t the most expensive. I would take these over low- and high-end ones in a heartbeat. “
JBL Soundgear Audio Glasses
Blair said about this quirky new product: “At $200 a pair, these are shockingly good value. If you want to listen to some jams as you hike in the forest and still want to hear nature, these are much better than blasting a portable speaker to upset the birds. “
JBL Clip 5
It’s summer, and so for those beach visits your whānau may need to enjoy some jams Well Blair checked the Clip 5 out and said: “We are talking about a $100 portable speaker. The bass is solid, and the sound was much clearer than I expected as I pumped the sound up.” and “This little beast got dropped, thrown around, and dropped off the balcony, and it is still going strong! What more can you ask for?”
Smarten a Home
Maybe you know someone with a house that is just too dumb. Well you can be the one that introduces some smarts to their hosuehold.
Amazon Echo Dot (5th Generation)
Blair loved the Echo Dot, especially for the price. This is what he said: “Honestly, this is an easy recommendation for someone wanting a little jack of all trades in their house. It does everything well, but nothing exceptional.”
Ring Battery Video Doorbell
Blair has been using Ring doorbells for a while and said: “If you have been using the previous generation of the entry-level Ring Battery Doorbell, then this is a serious upgrade that is worthy of the price.”
Echo Show 5 3rd gen
Want a fancier version of the Dot with a screen and all, well Blair checked out the Echo Show and said “with the number of great smart devices like Ring doorbells, the Echo Show 5 3rd gen has become an incredibly useful tool in my household. “
