Gifts for an Escape Artist or Puzzler

So, someone you know has officially caught the escape room or puzzle bug! We are so glad they had fun solving challenges with friends, family, or coworkers; but now they won't stop nagging you about escape rooms. Have no fear, Palace Games is here! Here are some of our recommendations to keep your puzzling loved one busy this holiday season.

Games!

This is an obvious go-to for spending quality time with loved ones, but halfway through a game of Monopoly, someone is flipping the game board off the table in frustration. We recommend these games where players collaborate to win!

Castle Panic: This is a perfect cooperative game to involve the entire family! Players must work together to defend their castle from monsters. Up to six players, ages ten and up. Protect your castle at all costs!

Mysterium: A perfect game for those true crime detectives in the family! Mysterium is a cooperative game for up to seven players, ages ten and up. In this spooky murder mystery, one player plays the role of the ghost and the rest of the team are mediums. The object of the game is to figure out how the ghost was murdered all those years ago, but there's a catch! The ghost can only communicate through visions. The mediums must decipher the meanings behind images and work together to solve the mystery! 

Unlock!: This thread wouldn't be complete without recommending the Unlock! series, we are an escape room company after all. This cooperative card game is an escape room in a box! Pick from the different themed adventures, recommended for up to six players, ages ten and up.

Now if you still want some friendly competition, but are tired of the same old board games you have played since childhood, try these games this holiday season!

Hues and Cues: This colorful board game has a pretty simple objective, try to get as close to the shade being described. Easy, right? Well, that is until everyone is arguing over what shade they think Banana is. Be ready for a lively game of color. It seems pretty simple, but be warned, it's harder than you think! This game is easy to learn and works with groups big or small. 

The Movie Movie Game: For our Cinema lovers out there, test your film knowledge with The Movie Movie Game! This crowdfunded card game twists players' brains by combining two movie titles. We got a kick out of trying to decipher where one title ends and the other begins! 

Puzzle-ish gifts

Here are some great gifts for that family member who will spend all day wrapped up in a blanket dedicated to a jigsaw puzzle.

Paint By Sticker! We all remember the paint-by-number sheets growing up, Paint By Sticker is the same concept but with a sticky twist! This activity book is for those who couldn't resist peeling a free sticker and slapping it onto their water bottle, computer, or notebook growing up. Now you can create aesthetically pleasing mosaics without the mess of traditional paint by numbers.

3D puzzles: For those who want something more similar to the traditional jigsaw puzzle, these 3D puzzles are great gifts! Robotime has a wide selection of 3D wooden puzzles, from marble runs to music boxes; this takes a puzzle day to a new level!

Adult lego sets: For those who are craving bigger build projects, return to your roots by investing in thematic adult lego sets! These lego sets bring out your inner child as you build structures from your childhood. From Home Alone to Hogwarts, the building options are endless. Just be careful not to lose any pieces in the process!

Brain teasers 

For those puzzlers who can solve Rubix cubes with their eyes closed, here are some brain teasers that might bring an extra challenge.

Hanayama Puzzles: Hanayama has some great small brain teasers that are portable and less of a commitment than other options. These are great gifts for those puzzlers who want something to keep them occupied in their daily life. Leave them on your desk, or bring them with you on your commute to work! Once you take it apart, are you sure you can put it back together again?

The Master Theorem: Are you worthy of becoming a member of the secret society of solvers? Show off your wit by solving these original puzzles and riddles created by M. The Master Theorem originally started as a weekly online society and is now in physical form! Or for the elite puzzlers, try TMT Elite! 

Puzzle Box: Again, this list wouldn't be complete without iDventure Cluebox’s Captain’s Nemo Nautilus. This puzzling brain teaser is essentially an escape room in a box! Can you unlock Davy Jone’s box? For an extra challenge, try timing yourself, can you complete the puzzles in under an hour?

And last but certainly not least, play one of our virtual escape rooms in the Jewel Palace Series! The Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire rooms are a great gift for those who want to play in an escape room but don't have the time or people to go to a physical room.