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Father’s Day is on Sunday, June 21, and while social distancing may be keeping you away from your dad (or other father figures in your life) this year, that doesn’t mean you can’t show him how much you appreciate him with a thoughtful Father’s Day gift.
Of course, no two dads are the same. There are golf dads and history dads, dog dads and grill dads. But we here at Polygon are most familiar with the nerd dads. The dads who love arcades and Dungeons & Dragons. The dads who are constantly quoting Star Trek or Star Wars. The dads whose ideal Sunday is spent building a Lego set. If you’re searching for a Father’s Day gift for one of those sweet, nerdy father figures, we rounded up some options below.
For the retro gamer dad: Sega Genesis Mini
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Sega Genesis Mini
- $50
Prices taken at time of publishing.
The iconic Sega Genesis console that defined a generation of gaming returns in a slick, miniaturized unit.
For the competitive dad: Klask
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Klask
- $50
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Invented by a Danish dad, Klask is a tabletop bar game that’s cheaper, more convenient, and more fun than air hockey. It’s easily played with a beer in hand, and fodder for plenty of trash talk.
For the NASA dad: Lego International Space Station
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International Space Station
- $70
Prices taken at time of publishing.
One of the latest additions to the user-submitted Lego Ideas line, the 864-piece International Space Station set comes with dockable space shuttle and satellites, plus an astronaut minifigure.
For the puzzle-loving dad: Crossword jigsaw puzzle
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Crossword Jigsaw
- $20
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Fans of both crossword and jigsaw puzzles get a two for one deal: solve the crossword first, then use the finished crossword to complete the jigsaw puzzle.
For the goofball dad: The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
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The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
- $84
Prices taken at time of publishing.
This four-volume collection includes every Calvin and Hobbes comic strip in syndication.
For the dad with a bad back: Secretlab Gaming Chair
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Secretlab Omega
- $349
Prices taken at time of publishing.
The Secretlab Omega gaming chair is super customizable, with several upholstery and color options. There’s even special editions with esports logos or Game of Thrones house sigils.
For the tabletop gamer dad: Gloomhaven
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Gloomhaven
- $140
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Gloomhaven is just about the closest you can get to playing D&D without actually playing D&D. The huge tactical strategy board game can even be played solo.
For the arcade-loving dad: Arcade 1Up cabinet
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Arcade1Up Street Fighter Cabinet
- $400
Prices taken at time of publishing.
The three-quarter-size arcade cabinets fit perfectly in a basement game room, and make a great gift for dads who used to spend all of their allowance at the arcade after school.
For the movie night dad: Nebula Capsule
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Anker Nebula Capsule
- $280
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Lots of families have been building makeshift movie theaters in their backyards as social distancing has forced us all indoors. Anker’s Nebula Capsule projector is the size of a soda can, and projects streaming content up to 100 inches.
For the Disney dad: Disney Plus
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Disney Plus gift subscription
- $79
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Disney Plus isn’t just for Baby Yoda — Disney’s streaming service has an impressive back catalogue of Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel films, both old and new.
