With Christmas finally behind us, there’s a new holiday looming in the distance, and it’ll be here before you know it. Valentine’s Day is all about showing that special someone how much you care, and while flowers and chocolate are popular gift ideas, why not get them something they’ll actually use and cherish? Don’t get me wrong–chocolate is always a good idea–but Valentine’s Day is a nice opportunity to pick up a new game you can experience together or surprise them with a new piece of merch from the series they can’t stop talking about.
Coming up with new gift ideas so soon after Christmas can be tricky, but don’t feel like you have to default to something generic. To help you shop for your sweetheart this year, we’ve rounded up some of the best Valentine’s Day gift ideas for games you can enjoy together, personalized accessories, collectibles, and more.
Games
Dream Daddy
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC
While a dating sim where you play as a hot dad attempting to romance other hot dads may not sound like a game you’d want to play with your significant other on Valentine’s Day, it’s actually the perfect game to play with a partner. Together, you can design your own hot dad, decide which handsome bachelor to woo, go on dates, and discover multiple endings based on dialogue options you choose along the way. It’s not all flirtation and dad puns, however; Dream Daddy also has a very sweet storyline about parenthood and some memorable characters you won’t soon forget.
Buy it digitally: Steam | Nintendo Eshop | PlayStation Store
Stardew Valley
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Android, iOS
You might think Stardew Valley is just a farming sim, but this massively popular game is also about building friendships and pursuing romance with the NPC of your choice. Just like you’re doing right now, the game makes you consider what gifts your partner will respond best to, and even after you marry the character of your choice, you still have to cherish them and show them attention if you want to keep them, which is a pretty solid message about relationships. While launched as a single-player game, Stardew Valley now has a fantastic multiplayer mode so you can play local or online co-op with your sweetheart.
Buy it digitally: Steam | Nintendo Eshop | PlayStation Store | Xbox Live | Google Play | Apple App Store
Don’t Starve Together
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
See how you and your partner would fare stranded out in the wilderness in Don’t Starve Together, a survival game with Tim Burton-esque visuals. The standalone multiplayer expansion of Don’t Starve thrusts you into a strange world with strange creatures and dangers, and you’ll have to work together with your partner to gather resources, craft items, and create structures to keep yourselves safe. If relationships are all about protecting each other and working together, Don’t Starve Together is the perfect game to buy for your significant other this Valentine’s Day.
Buy it digitally: Steam | PlayStation Store | Xbox Live
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC
In this colorful couch co-op adventure, you and your partner will explore the galaxy as LOVERS (which stands for League of Very Empathetic Rescue Spacenauts, in this context), using teamwork to battle the evil forces of Anti-Love and rescue adorable space-bunnies. Together, you’ll have to control the ship, using turrets and lasers to attack, shields to defend, and thrusters to navigate the environment. This is one game that can get very hectic very quickly and will definitely test your communication skills, but it’s also a blast. There’s a single-player mode as well where you get help from an AI pet, and up to four players can join in. While a lot cheaper to buy digitally, there’s a gorgeous collector’s edition available exclusively through IndieBox.
Buy it digitally: Steam | Nintendo Eshop | PlayStation Store | Xbox Live
Overcooked
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC
On the surface, Overcooked is a cute game about preparing meals, but it takes an insane amount of coordination to get high stars on its timed, chaotic kitchen levels. Overcooked requires a similar strategy to Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime: Tasks must be delegated, and communication must be swift and clear in order to navigate a level’s obstacles and submit enough plates of food in time. If you like cooking together IRL and can handle a challenge, Overcooked is the perfect game to play as a couple this Valentine’s Day.
Buy it digitally: Steam | Nintendo Eshop | PlayStation Store | Xbox Live
Fog of Love
Tabletop game
Fog of Love is a two-player board game where you create and roleplay as two characters who meet, fall in love, and face challenges in their relationship. From sweet moments to difficult arguments, you’ll have to decide how your character would react, and you’ll earn points in certain traits along the way. Just like in real life, your characters may also have different goals, and by the end of the game, the relationship could grow stronger–or fall apart. But hey, this is just a game! Regardless of how your fictional lovers fare in Fog of Love, you and your real-life sweetheart are sure to have a blast starring in this tabletop rom-com. This board game also has a few different covers available to include LGBTQ relationships.
Accessories and collectibles
A new controller
Pick up a new controller in their favorite color this Valentine’s Day. PlayStation’s newest DualShock 4 colors, like Rose Gold and Electric Purple, are fantastic, and at the Xbox Design Lab, you can even design a custom controller for your sweetheart. For Nintendo Switch owners, PowerA offers gorgeous third-party Switch controllers at a more affordable price point, such as these new Pokemon Sword and Shield-inspired designs. If you’re new to playing games together as a couple, a new gamepad is just what you need to get started.
Jewelry
If they’re the jewelry-wearing type, surprise them with a new necklace or pair of earrings inspired by their favorite game. Fangamer has some gorgeous pieces of jewelry referencing games like Stardew Valley, Persona 5, and The Legend of Zelda. We also love this adorable pair of Eevee earrings at Etsy.
Online gaming subscription
Memberships like PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Switch Online, and Xbox Live Gold grant access to online multiplayer games, and it’s a perfect way to stay connected if you and your loved one are in a long-distance relationship. PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold are a bit more expensive, but they also get you free games every month.
Pikachu & Eevee Sweet Days Plush
Is there anything cuter than this fuzzy pink basket holding Pikachu, Eevee, and some Pokemon sweets? Sadly, you can’t eat these sweets, but you can still enjoy how happy these two look together. You can’t really tell in the photo, but they’re holding a little red heart together–adorable.
Cuphead and Mugman set
Show them just how well you go together with this matching Cuphead and Mugman set, inspired by the acclaimed run-and-gun game. These adorable mugs are perfect for a cozy game or movie night, and even if you two don’t live together, they’ll think of you every time they make a drink. Each mug comes with a removable stirring straw. Just note they’re not dishwasher or microwave safe.
Sega Genesis Mini
Retro gamers will delight in the Sega Genesis Mini, which includes 42 nostalgic games and two controllers so you can play some of the classic games together, like Golden Axe, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and ToeJam & Earl. This mini console is truly tiny and won’t take up much space, but it’s sure to bring hours of fun if they have fond memories of the original Sega Genesis.
Sayonara Wild Hearts vinyl collection
Sayonara Wild Hearts is often described as a pop album video game, so naturally, its soundtrack is phenomenal. Fortunately for fans of the game, iam8bit has released an exclusive 2xLP vinyl record containing the complete collection of songs from Sayonara Wild Hearts, with a gorgeous holographic foil-stamped heart on the cover.
Eevee Sweet Choices Pokemon Pin Set
This darling pin set features nine collectible pins inspired by the Eeveelution family. The set of candy-style pins comes in an adorable heart-shaped box with Eevee and Sylveon on the cover. It’s the perfect gift for any Eevee fanatic or pin collector this Valentine’s Day, and it ships directly from PokemonCenter.com. (Also, if you’re looking to spend a lot less on a gift, there’s also a cute Valentine’s Day greeting card that includes two Eevee and Sylveon pins for just $15.)
PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset
If they’re a PS4 owner and don’t yet have a headset for the console, they’re sure to appreciate opening up the PlayStation Gold wireless headset on Valentine’s Day. While certainly not a high-end headset, the Gold headset is extremely comfortable to wear, affordable, and compatible with not only PS4 but also mobile devices, PC, and Mac. It’s also designed to be comfortable to use with PlayStation VR. Multiple colors are available, including this stunning rose gold shade that released late last year.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade1Up Machine with Riser
If you really want to impress this Valentine’s Day, Arcade1Up makes fantastic retro arcade machines featuring classic games like Street Fighter, Pac-Man, and Space Invaders. This Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles machine will run you $400, but it’ll provide endless entertainment as you and your partner team up to fight Shredder and other classic TMNT villains. Up to four players can jump in at once, making this the ultimate party game as well.
Source: Gamespot Best Valentine's Day Gifts For Gamers 2020