In our never-ending quest to track down the best tech, toys, tabletop games, and gear, 2023 has already become a standout. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for a gift for that special someone, we’ve got plenty of options.
Disclaimer: Recommended products are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company, GameStop.
Nerf Elite Jr. Explorer
Nerf blasters continue evolving designs in ever more extravagant directions, many of which aren’t suitable for younger enthusiasts. The Elite Jr. line focuses on simple and safe designs easy for kids to enjoy, with lighter weights, grips for smaller hands, and easy loading. The Explorer can blast out four darts before making you scramble around to find them, and includes eight darts in the pack – you know you’re losing at least a couple. $13
Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game
This cleverly constructed card game for two players has each side take control of the Empire or Rebels and work to take down their opponent’s bases. Players each draw cards from a shared row of revealed options to flesh out a private deck. Some cards are neutral and available to each player, but others are unique to a particular faction and can be sabotaged or bounty hunted to remove their availability. Easy to learn but deep in its strategic potential, it’s a worthy entry in a recent strong run of Star Wars tabletop games. $38
Immortal Hulk Gallery Diorama
The Immortal Hulk comic series took the rage of the title character in exciting directions, focusing on horror and trauma to present new facets in the long-running character arc. This beautifully sculpted diorama statue perfectly captures the uncontrollable beast at his most ferocious, and with its nearly foot-tall height, it has the presence to dominate a display. $$125
Monaco 5.1.2 Surround Speakers
The Monaco all-in-one sound system offers a superb solution for a standout surround audio setup in your theater space, but with low complexity that won’t scare off relative newcomers to audio tech. The wireless speakers (except power cords) use WiSA SoundSend to transmit perfectly synchronized audio from your TV. The Dolby Atmos-enabled sound is lifelike, cinematic in scope, and rich in distinct sounds from onscreen action; it’s a particularly ideal match to a gaming setup. $1,500
BenQ X300oi Gaming Projector
Projectors have become an excellent way to display your favorite games, as illustrated by products like the X3000i. The 4K output and intense brightness rated at 3000 ANSI lumens help give great picture quality, and you’ll find the HDR performance impressive. Dedicated gaming modes for FPS, RPGs, and sports gaming help to differentiate your experience, but in every case, extremely low lag makes for a big win. $2,000
Sega Genesis Mini 2
The mini console trend may have slowed down, but Sega recently released a follow-up to its 2019 Sega Genesis Mini. This new version delivers a new form factor based on the Genesis Model 2, a six-button gamepad, and a whole new catalog of classic and obscure games that stretch into the Sega CD library. $100
Coyote & Crow Core Rulebook
Drawing inspiration from the indigenous cultures of its creative team, this new tabletop role-playing game posits an alternate history in which the last 700 years of colonization never happened; a strange mystical power allowed a vastly different civilization to develop. A game of building legends and exploring alternate ways of resolving conflicts, it’s a fascinating twist on expectations for gaming groups looking to try something new – no matter your cultural background. $70
Cubendi
The Shashibo magnetic puzzle box has only gained in popularity since its release, so it’s no surprise that Fun In Motion Toys has a new follow-up rolling out. Like its cousin, the Cubendi is a folding puzzle box that uses internal magnets for various fascinating configurations. Part fidget toy and part puzzle, the arrangements and options are more complex and challenging this time – perfect for busy fingers and minds. $25
Ricoh Theta SC2
Don’t be put off by the SC2’s status as an “entry-level” 360-degree camera. The 14MP 360 photos and 4K video that the camera produces turn out nicely for a device at this price point, letting users experiment with image capture in all directions simultaneously. Its compact size and ease of use offer a great way to get into this burgeoning arena of photography and videography. $300
DualSense Edge Controller
The DualSense that shipped with the PS5 is already a stellar controller. But this pricey upgrade might be worth it for players looking for greater personalization and increased input options while holding on to all the awesome features of the original. Tweakable profiles and mappable button layouts, multiple stick caps, and two half-dome or lever back buttons – everything is presented to support flexibility and a premium feel. All the new features ding the battery life a bit compared to the original DualSense, but that’s the worst part about an upgrade to what many have described as the best first-party controller on the market. $200
Lego Lion’s Knight Castle
Longtime builders will appreciate this sprawling fortress’ many nods to the castle sets of yore and the possibility of instilling a love of the theme in a new generation of Lego enthusiasts. The lengthy 4,500-piece build includes clever engineering twists to get wall angles and rotations just right. It contains all kinds of hidden chambers and secrets for emergent storytelling and display placement of the 22 included mini-figs. $400
