The Best Star Wars Gifts

If the Star Wars fan in your life also enjoys darts, you’ve just hit the mother lode. Target Darts has a Star Wars-themed line, and my top pick is this stylish set of Darth Vader darts. These tungsten steel-tipped beauties come in three weights with molded grippy barrels and black imperial flights. The zippy Darth case contains a spare set of red flights and tools. You can also get Darth Maul, Stormtrooper, and R2-D2-themed cases and flights, and Target Darts just released new themed sets of Mandalorian ($380) and AT-AT ($170) darts, and Grogu ($55) and Mandalorian ($55) cases. And don’t forget the Star Wars Millennium Falcon Surround and Dartboard ($200), which I tested with Target's Omni Auto Scoring System.

If you’re unfamiliar, Displates are metallic artworks with a clever magnetic mount system that makes it quick and easy to switch your prints when you want a change. The artwork is layered and textured with gloss varnish on the details, and this one, released for the 20th anniversary of Revenge of the Sith, depicts Darth, flanked by Clone Troopers, with Anakin and Obi-Wan duelling on Mustafar in the foreground. If you don’t like this particular print, Displate has an enormous Star Wars section to browse.

Any aspiring Jedi or Sith needs a lightsaber. If you want a high-quality replica that’s right for you, be prepared to research. I tried a Combat Saber from Padawan Outpost, Model Vader E6 (Xenopixel), inspired by Darth’s lightsaber from Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. There is a learning curve, but this lightsaber really looks and feels the part. You can change the color, trigger countless sound effects, and even play music. There’s also an app, so you can connect to the saber from your phone and tweak the settings. No worries if you’re not a fan of Vader, because the Outpost offers a wide range of realistic lightsabers (check here if you’re in the UK) based on those wielded in the movies and shows by everyone from Obi-Wan to Count Dooku.

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I spent an entire summer as a kid in an Atari Star Wars cockpit cabin at my local arcade, reliving the climax of the movie in wire-frame form as I blasted TIE Fighters, sped through the Death Star trench, and timed proton torpedoes to blow it up. That 1983 release is bundled with The Empire Strikes Back (1985) and Return of the Jedi (1984) games in this ROTJ-styled arcade cabinet. It takes some building and feels a little cheap, but it does include the original yoke flight controls, and it’s still very fun to play. Just make sure your giftee has room for it, as it’s 61.5 inches tall, 19 inches wide, and 24 inches deep.

A Darth Vader phone case will go down well with most Star Wars-loving dads, and this range from Casetify features some excellent Galactic Empire designs. My wife and kids have been using Casetify cases with a mix of iPhones and Pixels for over a year, and we find them durable and protective, if a little chunky. Unfortunately, it’s not just the Star Wars designs that are on the dark side; these cases are also pricey.

Of the many excellent books about Star Wars, this might be my favorite. It charts the rise of the franchise, offers countless nuggets of trivia, and acknowledges the role fans have played in making Star Wars so special. It's an entertaining peek behind the scenes that is affectionate but also dares to be critical. Perhaps mercifully, it ends with the new trilogy still on the horizon.

It’s way too easy to get messy when cooking, which is why aprons exist. Respected apron purveyor Hedley & Bennett makes some top-quality aprons, and it has a Star Wars line. I tried the Darth Vader Essential Apron (a great gift for dads), and my wife tried the Ahsoka Tano Crossback Apron. We love them. The thoughtful designs include lots of wee Star Wars character references (there are eight options). Mine has an adjustable neck strap, while the Crossback goes over your shoulders. Both are comfy, with lengthy straps to tie and three pockets. Made from protective cotton canvas, these aprons can be machine-washed cold.

This beautifully themed spin-off of the Villainous series challenges players to take on the role of a Star Wars baddie. You can play as Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, or Moff Gideon. Each has unique abilities and a specific set of victory conditions, and there are chances to meddle with your foes as the game unfolds. One of the best family board games, it works best with four players aged 10 years and up.

Kenner sold over 300 million Star Wars action figures in the late ’70s and early ’80s. I spent every penny of my pocket money on them for years, and there’s a roaring trade in secondhand figures. When Hasbro realized its potential, it started making new figures under the Kenner brand, and there are three main lines today. The Retro Collection is all 3.75-inch figures like the originals Kenner sold, with a peg hole in the bottom of their feet and legs that don’t bend. The Vintage Collection figures are the same size but with more detail and bendable limbs. The Black Series figures are larger, at around 6 inches tall, and tend to be much more detailed.

Based on the three wise monkeys and the Confucian maxim “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” this trio of ornamental stormtroopers is a great gift for Star Wars fans. One of mine took a tumble and broke both his legs, but after a quick superglue treatment, he made a full recovery. I advise putting them out of reach of young kids and cats.

Building on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, this game is bigger and better, with more side quests, fresh environments to explore, and a whole host of new skills and lightsaber stances. Now a Jedi knight, Cal Kestis continues to defy the Empire in this third-person action platformer with an expanded cast of characters. It is one of the best PS5 games currently available.

This authentic-looking Stormtrooper offers a pair of hands to hold your gamepad (or maybe your smartphone). Mine is slightly squinty and a little short for a Stormtrooper at 8.5 inches, but it has no issues guarding my PS5 DualSense controller. The Stormtrooper torso, head, and arms sit atop a circular plinth molded from PVC, and it seems reasonably steady. Other versions include Darth Vader and the Mandalorian.