Nintendo 2021 Gift Guide

November 7, 2021 Luke Henderson

As the holidays fast approach, there is always the rush of trying to think of that perfect gift for those who mean something to you.

You could of course rush out and get someone those very warm socks that you know they have been after, or if they are a gamer, you can check out what we recommend in the world of Nintendo. They have some games that are very good, either for solo players or for those group sessions and if you are coming in new as well, they have a few console choices for you, though stock maybe a little spotchy at times.

Below is our suggestions, including links to where you can buy the items.

Nintendo Switch OLED Model

The new OLED model of the Switch is just the same as the main Switch, you can play it on your TV or anywhere you want, but as the name suggests, it comes with an OLED screen. With a few other key enhancements this model has fixed a few issues some folks had, looking at you new-and-improved kickstand. The only issue you will have is stock, the white version is more common than the neon model, but both are hard to get.

Amazon | EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen

Metroid Dread

New Metroid games are a harder thing to find, purely because Nintendo tend not to make them all that often, the series is 35 years old and there are only 11 games, mainline and not counting remakes. Dread completes the story that started all those years ago, but beyond that, the game will challenge players, it is not going to be an easy game for people to play, so just be aware of that.

Mario Party Superstars

It is more Mario Party, that should be enough. But if you do want more, this is a Mario Party game that takes classic boards from the Nintendo 64 titles, along with 100 iconic games from the past, to make a collection that is pure chaos and fun. Plus with online play, if friends are elsewhere in the country or world, you can still roll the dice on some fun.

Amazon | EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Digital Store

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

When this first released on the Wii it had the potential to be the most immersive Zelda game ever, but it instead became the most divisive. The HD version fixes a lot of the problems that many had with the original release and makes the 1 to 1 sword controls respond correctly, plus there is a lot of game to be had here, with even the quickest gamer still taking more than a dozen hours to complete it.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl

This is a double entry, given that the Pokemon games tend to release in twos, so you can trade Pokemon with friends, for these entries, they are remakes of the DS titles, meaning those who have played those, may find some very familiar gameplay here. But there is also some expanded content to be discovered as well, so even returning players will have more fun, catching them all.

Brilliant Diamond

Shining Pearl

Just Dance 2022

Keep the party going with Just Dance 2022, which is also available for other platforms, and dance the night, day, morning or anytime of the day. With more new songs, plus that insane library of titles from Just Dance Unlimited, this is one for those who want to keep active. The series always feels at home with Nintendo platforms, given it started there and while you can use your mobile phone here (and on others) those Joy-Con controllers are a better fit for your dancing.

Monster Hunter Rise

Released back in March of this year, this is perhaps the oldest item we are suggesting in all our bargain guides, but Monster Hunter Rise also scored a perfect score in our review. You can choose to tackle everything solo and if you do, those later quests will seriously challenge you, but the game is more fun when you are running around with other players, coming up with strategies on the fly and bringing everything together, to take down a massive monster.

Switch Lite

If you have younger gamers you are buying for, then the Switch Lite is the best option for you, the only real difference between this and the other models is that you can not dock it to a TV, it is a handheld only. The other big difference is that the controller is built into the console, so titles like Just Dance 2022, require additional controllers to work, but that design change has made it a more durable console.

Amazon | EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Mighty Ape

There you go, those are the games and hardware we are suggesting for Nintendo fans, beyond that you can also get some digital currency so people can buy their own games via the Nintendo eShop.