We're back with another list of thinky-themed gifts! Whether it's for family, loved ones, or a cheeky purchase for yourself, we've put together a short list of the perfect gifts for those who like to get their brains in gear over the holidays. Our list includes a variety of puzzles, games, and general thinky-themed goodness.
If you're after even more recommendations, you can check out last year's gift guide. Yes, there's some overlap, but that's because we want to continue supporting those creating wonderful things in the thinky space!
Happy holidays from everyone here at Thinky!
Herd by Blaž Urban Gracar
We are big fans of Blaž Urban Gracar’s wonderful puzzle books here at Thinky, which is why we were extra excited when Herd was announced! It's a solo thinky board game where you have to solve a string of figure-sliding puzzles laid out in a slick puzzle book. The book contains 65 main puzzles (not including the book's optional challenges) and comes with 6 plastic figures. A heads up: If you order now, it won't be processed until January 3, BUT you can download a PDF version over on itch.io.
Second hand jigsaws!
Let's return to our humble roots as thinky lovers and take some time to appreciate the modest jigsaw. If you like thifting your gifts, are on a tight budget, or want to support your local non-profit, run to your local charity shop and buy some jigsaws for a couple of quid - I guarantee they will have some. Jigsaws are the thinky lover's equivalent to knitting, gardening, and cooking - a humble hobby that's gentle, quiet, and relaxing. A cozy jumper, mug of tea, podcast, and a 1000-piece jigsaw? Yes, please.
Design Works book series by Lost in Cult
Okay, this is extremely cheeky as I have a book being published by Lost in Cult, but there are so many other books in the publisher's Design Works series that deserve attention, especially if you love the inner workings of some of the best thinky games. If you like behind-the-scenes-style books packed with developer interviews and cool artwork, this series is for you! The four thinky-centric books we'd like to highlight are: Outer Wilds: Design Works, Animal Well: Design Works, Tunic: Design Works, and Cocoon: Design Works (the one I wrote). Some you can buy now, some are on pre-order, but all four are well worth checking out.
Senet magazine
We love board games, and we also love Senet magazine! This is the perfect stocking-filler for those who love board games. Every 72-page issue features wonderful words and insights into the craft of board games - developer interviews, reviews of the latest releases, and deep dives into the creative processes of the hobby - it's got the lot.
Jeff Langevin art prints
I'm always on the lookout for cool art prints of my favourite games, but particularly ones that don't scream GAMER. I found Jeff Langevin's work on one of my many online art print hunts, and their work fits the brief seamlessly. Langevin creates artwork inspired by a bunch of different games, but the two that caught my attention were their Blue Prince and Outer Wilds prints - and they're awesome. They're both not too in-your-face about their inspirations, and are very much in the school of 'if you know, you know', which I love.
The Genius Square
A very lovely shopkeeper in Brighton introduced my partner and me to this game and I cannot stop playing The Genius Square. Roll the dice, put the little pegs in those assigned spaces and then try to fill the rest of the board with tetriminos. A lot of the photos market the game for kids, but I'm a thirty-year-old woman, and I loved this game. I really love the game's simplicity, and depending on the roll of the dice, some of the puzzles can be quite challenging. It's quick, compact, and a lot of fun.
Finspan
I'm a huge Wingspan fan. Not only have I played all the expansions, but I've also played the game's dragon follow-up, Wrymspan, and now this fish-focused release Finspan! I was pretty dubious when Stonemaier first announced Finspan - maybe they were just trying to cash in on a popular board game series? - but I was WRONG. Finspan is a lot of fun, and although it shares some mechanisms with Wingspan, it has its own mechanics that make it totally different. There's a lot I love about it, but, briefly, the main reason I love it is that there's more of a focus on moving and grouping components - turning fish eggs into fish and then grouping fish into schools - which makes it feel more dynamic than both Wingspan and Wrymspan. It's one of my favourite board games of the year.
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