Play· Plan B Games
A Mosaic With a Mean Streak
Azul, the original English tile game from Plan B, model NMG-600010EN: 2–4 players, ages 8 and up, about 30–45 minutes, and under $50.
From the shelf
Gifts for game night
A table, a box, and a winner who will mention it. These are the games already on the shelf, including the console that is allowed to leave the house. Bring the mean deck only if the room can take a joke. A polite dinner is the wrong room.
Showing 6 of 10. The shelf has more. These are the ones we’d hand over first.
Picks
Tech· NintendoThe Screen That Leaves the TV
Nintendo Switch OLED with white Joy-Con, model HEGSKAAAA: a 7-inch OLED screen, 64 GB inside, and a dock with a wired LAN port.
Play· Alderac Entertainment GroupPine, Elk, and a Polite Argument
Cascadia, the Alderac board game: a tile-laying habitat puzzle for 1 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, and a gift that stays under $40.
Play· CATANSheep, Brick, and a Friendly Robbery
CATAN 6th Edition, the English base game from Catan Studio: a strategy board game for 3 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, usually under $50.
Play· LEGOA Bouquet That Refuses to Wilt
LEGO Botanicals Flower Bouquet, set 10280: 756 pieces, 15 stems, and a gift that stays under about $50 because it never needs water.
Play· Cards Against HumanityThe Box You Only Open with the Right Crowd
Cards Against Humanity, the main game: 500 white cards and 100 black cards, for adults 17 and up, usually under $30.
Read the longer under-$50 guide