Father's Day on a Budget -- Gifts for the Video Game Enthusiast

Finding an affordable Father's Day gift for a video game enthusiast can be pretty tough--after all, most video games are rather expensive. Besides that, though, it can be a rather headache-inducing task trying to choose a video game for someone else...a person's taste in video games is very personal, and trying to select a game that your father, uncle, grandfather, or other guy in your life will play and enjoy is bound to be a rather unpleasant and problematic endeavor (trust me on this--I've tried).

But if you need to buy a Father's Day gift for a guy who is a video game fanatic, chances are you want to buy something that is related to gaming in some way--or at least something that is playful and fun. Any other type of gift wouldn't really be right for this type of guy--after all, you want to give a gift that he will appreciate and enjoy, right? And I'm sure you have a budget--most of us aren't blessed with bottomless wallets. So, what gifts can you get for your video game fiend? Is there anything out on the market that he will like that you can afford to buy?

Actually, there are quite a few items that would make perfect Father's Day gifts for any guy who loves gaming. Here is a listing of several that I found--and don't worry about your budget, because all of them cost less than $25.

--Nintendo Controller Universal Remote: Your video game fan will be the envy of all of his friends if you get him this remote! It functions like any other universal remote (controlling televisions only), but it looks just like a retro NES Controller. This is an officially licensed Nintendo product imported from Japan--and, since it is from Japan, the directions for it are in Japanese. Luckily, the website where this is sold has the instructions in English, so be sure to take note of them if you purchase this remote. The cost of this is only $12.99.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/japanfan/87af/

--Airzooka: Indulge any guy's playful side by getting him this Airzooka. These are so much fun--simply pull back on the launcher, aim at your target, and release. Your target will get hit with a powerful blast of air--strong enough to knock papers off of a desk or mess up a person's hair! It has a range of 20 feet and, best of all, only costs $14.95!
http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3060466

--Dot-S Puzzle: Balloon Fight: If you are getting a Father's Day gift for a guy who is into retro video games, he might really enjoy this. A Dot-S puzzle is a 3-dimensional puzzle with 650 dot matrix pieces that you snap onto a vertical grid, and you can shape them to make a variety of pictures--this particular Dot-S puzzle is made to enable you to make pictures from the arcade game ��"Balloon Fight.' The price of this is rather reasonable, I think--it is $14.90.
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-7g-49-en-70-1fqq.html

--Nintendo Super Mario Bros. Goomba Mouse: Why have your guy use the mouse that came with his desktop computer when you can get him one that surely no one else he knows owns? This mouse looks just like the Goomba character from the Nintendo Super Mario Bros. Game (the character is in several other Nintendo games as well). It is an officially licensed mouse, imported from Japan, designed for use with a PC, and it only costs $19.95.
http://www.gkworld.com/product/GKW11024

--Gundam Mini LCD Clock: This Father's Day gift would be a fun addition to any guy's office desk! Shaped like one of the robots from the Gundam anime and video game series, this digital clock is only about 2 inches tall. The eyes light up at the push of a button and the head swivels. This costs $13.99.
http://japanimation.com/index.php?url=Inventory_GeneralsDetail.jsp?arg=dt%253DInventory_Generals%2526mid%253D9855682130%2526usr%253D%2526cid%253D%2526id%253D1925%2526typ%253Dcl%2526aff%253D

--Remote Control Light Up Flying Saucer: Most guys grew up loving remote control cars--so I'm sure that pretty much any guy would enjoy trying out a remote control flying toy! This can fly up to 90 feet in the air, and it has multicolor LED lights on the inside and on top to make it really stand out in the sky (though the product cautions to use it indoors only...I doubt most men would really pay attention to that). It has an AC power adapter which you use to charge the flying saucer, and the trigger remote operates with an included 9 volt battery. This really cool Father's Day gift will only set you back $10.99.
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=UFO-0033-BLU-27&cat=TOO

--Marshmallow Shooter: This is another gift that appeals to your guy's fun-loving side. It is exactly what it sounds like--a shooter that uses mini marshmallows as its ammunition. It does come with a few tiny foam pellets (that are about marshmallow-sized), but the fun lies in blasting friends, family, or co-workers with the mini marshmallows. The shooter can hold up to 20 marshmallows at a time, and it is capable of rapid-fire action--and it makes a great Father's Day gift at only $22.99.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/warfare/753d/

--Video Game Console Skin: A skin for a video game console is basically a set of vinyl clings that are shaped to fit perfectly on the system. Skins are available for any of the current systems, and there are lots of different graphics from which to choose. You can get a skin from one of your guy's favorite video games, his favorite sports team, or just one that looks really cool. Here are some examples:

--PS2 Skin--NFL Seattle Seahawks $9.99
http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802417

--Xbox 360 Skin--Hellfire $9.99
http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802213

--Gamecube Skin--Zelda Style $9.75
http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?page=proframe&prod_id=1713168&IID=prod1713168

--PSP Skin-- Scarface Standoff $9.92
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5651721

--Xbox Skin--Chrome (brushed chrome, chrome mirror, or in chrome colors) $12.95
http://store.richspsxparts.com/chromexboxskin.html

--Nintendo DS Lite Skin--Bones $9.99
http://www.handhelditems.com/nintendo-lite-graphic-skin-bones-p-5045.html

--Nintendo Wii Skin--Chunky (looks really cool!) $14.99
http://www.decalgirl.com/browse.cfm/4,6434.htm

--PS3 Skin--Digital Woodland Camo $14.99
http://www.istyles.com/digital-woodland-camo-skin-p-3484.html

--Gameboy Advance SP Skin--Hot Lava $5.29
http://www.gameconsoleskins.com/skins/gameboy/advancesp/gbasp-skin-detail/124/8.htm

--Gameboy Micro Skin--Code Green (reminds me of that code from The Matrix) $4.99
http://www.vinzdecals.com/colorskin-micro-31.html

You can also find skins for the video game controllers--check any of the above sites. A skin would make a great Father's Day gift!

--Mario Kart Mini Remote Control Car: Any video game fanatic probably owns or has played a version of Mario Kart--there are Mario Kart games out on the Nintendo DS and the Gamecube, for example. And guys seem to get a kick out of playing around with remote control cars, so this would be a perfect Father's Day gift for any video game lover. The car is just like the race kart from the game, and it has Mario as the driver. It is really small--fits in a pocket--and runs on 2 AA batteries. And, this gift has a great price, too--only $8.45!
http://www.zhobby.com/mircmakara.html

I'm sure that one of these ideas will make a great Father's Day gift for any video game enthusiast in your life. Or, if not these exact gifts, perhaps they will spark an idea in your mind for another gift that would be just right. You can also surf around on the websites from which I found these gift ideas--many other really cool gift ideas can be found on all of them I'm sure that any guy will appreciate that you took the time to try to find a Father's Day gift that he will enjoy.

Be sure to check out my other articles for other ideas on Father's Day gifts!