If you want to get into that whole universe, get started here. I'm also a fan of 3D printing my own accessories to enhance games, from token holders to improved monster miniatures.

Personally, I love games that have a video game tie-in, either a tabletop adaptation of a video game, or a video game version of a tabletop - and both have become increasingly common. Some popular board games, such as Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth, combine map tiles, miniature figures and a polished iPad app that handles some of the card and combat management for you. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the themes of the most popular board games are often focused on zombie attacks, sci-fi battles, Dungeons & Dragons-style fantasy and Lovecraftian supernatural hijinks. Youre better off completing every dungeon to the best of your abilities, for stones, for which you can roll with. The industry has undergone a creative renaissance in recent years, with increasingly sophisticated tabletop games capturing a surprisingly mainstream audience. Im pretty sure the MP system doesnt exactly encourage farming for MP, 1 or 10 at a time.

With so many social activities curtailed over the past 18 months, classic tabletop gaming has experienced a huge revival, even with the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and the new OLED-screen Nintendo Switch competing for gamers' attention.

This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2021, our list of ideas, by topic, by recipient and by price, to help you discover the perfect gift.

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