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Gifts for Gamers

Retro consoles in bricks and the stories behind the games

  • 10 ideas
  • £9.99 to £149.99
  • Updated

Prices and stock checked 13 October 2026 and may change · How we make these guides

See the 10 ideas

Gamers are hard to buy for if you do not know which console they use or which games they own. The safer route is to give them something about gaming rather than a game, such as a display model of a classic console or a book about how games are made.

The LEGO sets here are built from famous hardware: a Game Boy, a SEGA Mega Drive, a PlayStation, a Donkey Kong arcade cabinet and two Mario Kart builds. The books look at how games get made, why people play and how politics shapes the industry. Prices were checked on 13 October 2026 and can change.

  1. Game Boy

    A LEGO Game Boy for adults, a nostalgia piece for anyone who grew up with the handheld.

    £54.99 View at LEGO

  2. SEGA Mega Drive Console

    A SEGA Mega Drive console set from age 12, a small retro build for fans of 16-bit gaming.

    £34.99 View at LEGO

  3. PlayStation

    A LEGO PlayStation for adults, a display model for fans of the Sony console.

    £139.99 View at LEGO

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  5. Donkey Kong Arcade

    A Donkey Kong arcade cabinet for adults, the biggest set in this list and a retro showpiece.

    £149.99 View at LEGO

  6. Mario Kart – Mario & Standard Kart

    A Mario Kart set with Mario and a standard kart, an adult build that suits Nintendo fans.

    £149.99 View at LEGO

  7. Mario Kart – Shy Guy & P-Wing

    A smaller Mario Kart set with Shy Guy and a P-Wing, sold from age 7, for younger fans.

    £17.99 View at LEGO

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  9. Blood, Sweat, and Pixels

    Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Jason Schreier's stories of how games are made, for readers who like behind-the-scenes accounts.

    £11.99 View at Waterstones

  10. Retro Gaming

    Retro Gaming, a byte-sized history of video games from Atari to Zelda, for fans of the early days.

    £10.99 View at Waterstones

  11. Lost in a Good Game

    Lost in a Good Game, a book on why we play video games and what they do for us.

    £9.99 View at Waterstones

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  13. Power Play: Video Games, Politics and the Battle for Global Influence

    Power Play, a hardback on video games, politics and the battle for global influence.

    £25.00 View at Waterstones

Questions people ask

What is a good gift for a gamer who has everything?

A display model of a classic console, like the LEGO Game Boy or PlayStation, adds something new without duplicating a game. Books about gaming are another option.

What is a good gift for a young gamer?

The Mario Kart Shy Guy set is sold from age 7 and the SEGA Mega Drive build from age 12. For readers, the books here are better for older teenagers and adults.

Are LEGO console sets playable?

No. They are display models of the hardware, not working consoles, but they are fun to build and look good on a shelf.

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