Halloween is almost here, and you are more than likely stocking up on some staples of the holiday like candy for trick or treaters, a top notch set of costumes for the family, and plenty of ghostly decorations. If you happen to be celebrating with some family and friends as well, all of those are going to come in handy, but what if you want to create the perfect spooky holiday? Well we’ve got you covered with a full guide to the toys, games, and collectibles that will make your Halloween holiday fun even better, so let’s get started with items for the whole family.
Family Fun
If you have a range of ages celebrating Halloween at your house this year, it’s important to make sure that you’ve got games and experiences that will be fun and approachable for younger players as well. The good news is there’s plenty to choose from this year, and for the smallest players, the top choices include Moose Games’ Bluey Hide and Seek, Ideal’s Tippy The Magic Dragon, and Basic Fun’s Lite Bright Pokémon.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Bluey Hide and Seek is beautifully in its simplicity, as you activate the little Bluey figure when you’re ready to play hide and seek. Then someone hides the figure and Bluey makes noises to give players hints as to where she’s located until someone finds her and activates dance mode to celebrate. LiteBright Pokémon Edition gives the beloved toy a Pikachu makeover, and Tippy the Magic Dragon is great for very young players who are looking for a challenge.
If you have a mix of ages playing, Scooby Doo The Board Game, Bananagrams, BOOoop!, Tee Turtle’s Casting Shadows, Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls, and Monopoly Wicked Edition will all be great picks for a fun time, and if you have someone who is wanting to learn Disney Lorcana, the Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway is the absolute best way to make that happen. If you want to pre-order something that will likely be perfect for next Halloween, you can check out the campaign for Twisted Cryptids right here. Here’s our full rundown of family games and toys.
Spooky Tabletop
Now if you are looking to create a spookier gaming experience for your family and friends, there are some amazing games you can add to the party list. If you happen to have some time and a crew of adventurers who want to really experience a spooky adventure, Edge Studio’s Arkham Horror RPG Starter Set is right up your alley. Up to five players and 1 Game Master can jump into an immersive horror adventure that is geared towards helping newcomers learn the system while still having considerable depth for experienced players, and ages 14 and up can jump in. You can also play a longer session or break things down into an individual scene, so while it won’t be 15 minutes or anything, you can adjust your Arkham Horror adventure so that it doesn’t take up the whole night.
Another great pick for the holiday is Smirk and Dagger’s The Night Cage, which clocks in at around 40 to 50 minutes and offers a cooperative experience. In the game you’ll need to work together to escape a dark maze with only a candle lighting your way, and since it’s easy to teach and get up and running, this could end up being the hit of your Halloween gathering.
Other highlights include the new Horrified: World of Monsters, the action-packed Zombicide 2nd Edition (which also offers a host of expansions to fit any occasion), and the new Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls Card Game from Avalon Hill, which plays super quickly in around 20 minutes and is cooperative to boot for ages 12 and up. Here’s the full rundown of Spooky Tabletop games.
For The Disney Fan
The Disney fan is in luck this season, as there are a number of offerings that will delight longtime fans. If you want to play something perfect for the season, Mixlore’s Nightmare Before Christmas Card Game accommodates 2 to 6 players for a 45 minute game where you’ll be playing as favorites like Jack, Sally, Santa Claus and more. The goal is to collect Holiday Tokens, and each character feels distinctly different in a still approachable way.
That said, you might want to just show up in style, and Loungefly’s Lilo & Stitch Candy Corn backpack is a brilliant way to do just that. I’m a sucker for candy corn in general, and once paired with Stitch, well, it’s a match made in heaven. Speaking of Stitch, you can also collect some candy in the adorable Stitch Skelton costume mug from BoxLunch, though frankly you could just pick it up for any season because it’s delightful.
If you’re looking for something that you could give to partygoers or trick or treaters, Disney Doorables’ Neon Glow figures are beyond cute, and they are good for ages 5 and up. Plus, there’s a Winnie The Pooh one, so that immediately makes it worthwhile. I’m a fan, what can I say. Here’s the full rundown of Disney items.
Threads, Care Bears, and Star Wars
If you want to make sure you really lean into the spirit of Halloween, you’ve got some great options this year, starting with rocking the BoxLunch IT House-themed Zip Sweatshirt, which is as stylish as it is spooky. On the other side of the equation is the Sanrio Hello Kitty Halloween Lace Mini Backpack, which is adorable but still perfect for the season.
For the collectibles fan, Pop Mart’s Star Wars Blind Box series is out and offers wonderfully animated figures of some of your favorites. While not directly Halloween-themed, you can’t tell me that Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and Chewbacca wouldn’t make brilliant additions to your Halloween decor.
On the other hand, you could go with the big Care Bears rollout this year, as the delightful bears are embracing the holiday all the way. Funko has their Pop Movies Universal Monsters x Care Bears line, which features standouts like Bedtime Bear as The Mummy, Cheer Bear as Bride of Frankenstein, and Tenderheart Bear as Dracula. If you’d prefer those characters in plush form, Think Fun has you covered, and they look just as great in plush. You can find the full rundown below.
Will you be picking any of these up? You can talk all things toys, games, and collectibles with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!