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Christmas 2015: 18 best Star Wars gifts

Ahead of the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, here are the presents to delight any superfan

Wednesday 09 December 2015 13:21 GMT

Star Wars: The Force Awakens launches on December 17 and is set to break box office records worldwide. Set 30 years after the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi, the Empire have become the First Order and the Rebel Alliance has evolved into the Resistance.

The film, directed by J. J. Abrams and starring Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver and newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, sees new heroes rise in the wake of Darth Vader's demise.

We thought it would be a great time to round up some gifts that are sure to make any Star Wars superfan's Christmas. There's quite a variety here – from a mobile-phone-operated droid to an array of Lego kits that will keep them occupied for hours on end, to William Shakespeare’s take on the saga, we tried and tested an array of different gifts so you don’t have to.

1. Chewbacca Onesie: £39.95, Prezzybox

We’ve had lots of fun snuggled up in this surprisingly soft onesie pretending to be Chewbacca, noises and all. Not only is it super warm, it’s also machine washable so you don’t have to worry about spilling cranberry sauce down it on the big day.

2. Darth Vader Lamp: £12.95 (small), £30.95 (large), Genie Gadgets

This mood lamp comes in two different sizes and is ideal for the younger fans of the series. It’s also battery-powered, so it can be carried around the house no matter where the young Sith Lord ends up asleep.

3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon RC Quad: £99.99, Argos

Light up any fan’s Christmas with this Quadcopter so they too can fly the “piece of junk” point-five past lightspeed with this incredibly fun kit. Fly it using the remote, which has dual joysticks and six trim buttons to do tricks.

4. Captain Phasma Voice Changing Mask: £20.95, Disney Store

Slip on this mask and sound like Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma, aka the Chrome Trooper. It has an adjustable strap so should fit most people’s heads and even spews out Captain Phasma phrases.

5. Star Wars The Black Series 6-Inch Kylo Ren: £21.06, Amazon

This articulated figure of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ antagonist, Kylo Ren, is six inches tall and includes his crossguard lightsaber. We love the Black Series collection, which features especially good quality sculptures for the price point.

6. Lego Star Wars Jango Fett: £14.97, John Lewis

You can build everyone’s favourite Mandalorian bounty hunter with this Lego kit. Suitable for ages seven to 12, it’s a surprisingly tough build, and one that will look good on anyone’s shelf. They also have other characters from Darth Vader and General Grievous to Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan.

7. Star Wars Battlefront, PS4: £49.99, Game

An action game based on the Star Wars films, Battlefront is one for the hardcore fans featuring shoot-em-up style multiplayer maps to battle it out online. It’s not a completely solid experience, and lacks a campaign mode, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had as you battle across Hoth and Endor.

8. Sphero BB-8 Droid: £129.99, Firebox

Set to be the R2-D2 of the new films, this toy version is an app-enabled gyroscopic ball from the makers of Sphero. You control it with your phone or your tablet and you can make holographic recordings to amuse your mates. Using some magnetic wizardry its separate 'head' manages to defy gravity and stay upright at all times.

9. William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher: £11.99, Firebox

This is Star Wars, but not as you know it. Told through the words of Shakespeare (AKA writer Ian Doescher) you can now experience the trilogy in a whole new way. ‘Verily, a New Hope’, indeed.

10. Star Wars X-Wing Knife Block: £79.99, Very

This X-Wing-modelled knife block comes with five quality knives – a cook’s knife, bread knife, carving knife, utility knife and paring knife. Just be aware the X-Wing itself is made of plastic and isn't so sturdy.

11. Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars Starter Pack, PS4: £42.99, Game

This is another game in the lucrative toys-to-life genre, in which physical toys can be transported into the gaming realm by interacting with the console. This one features the base game as well as the Star Wars Twilight of the Republic Play Set piece, which sees players fight as Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker during the latter years of the Clone Wars.

12. Star Wars Kylo Ren Suitcase: £149.00, American Tourister

This huge 87.4-litre spinner suitcase is made from 100 per cent polycarbonate with four multidirectional wheels for quick and easy manoeuvring. The insides feature a star pattern and it comes with a TSA combination lock. Perfect for taking all those presents home after Christmas.

13. Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar: £14.99, Argos

It’s not too late to get the kids (or yourself) an advent calendar for December - all it needs is a bit of catch-up. But instead of chocolate why not give them Lego this year, instead? Each of the 24 windows has either a starship, a vehicle or a minifigure inside, which you then have to put together. Great to do over a morning coffee.

14. Star Wars Plates: £19.95, Prezzybox

These fun plates feature black and white pictures of C-3PO, Darth Vader, the Death Star and Stormtroopers on their surface. Great for kids’ meals or the Star Wars fan who has it all.

15. Lego Millennium Falcon: £129.99, Lego

We’ve had so much fun with this Lego set for ages nine to 14, which includes six minifigures (Rey, Finn, Han Solo and more) as well as their iconic weapons. It measures 14cm high, 47cm long and 32cm wide and has a richly detailed interior.

16. Lego First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter: £59.99, Lego

At 23cm high, 20cm long and 18cm wide this TIE fighter will make an imposing addition to the Christmas table. It features four minifigures, three blaster pistols, two helmets, spring-loaded shooters and a cockpit that can be opened to load in the crew.

17. R2-D2 Bop it!: £19.99, Toys R Us

Twist, pull and bop R2-D2 in this latest version of the popular game from Hasbro. In this new spin on the classic concept, C-3PO commands you to do the titular actions as quick as you can.

18. Jedi Bladebuilder: £44.99, Argos

You can create hundreds of different combinations of blades with this set from Hasbro. This one comes with a lightsaber, two light daggers and various connectors that mimic the lights and sounds of the movies. Requires three AAA batteries.

Verdict

Sphero's BB-8 droid is hands-down the most novel of gifts this Christmas, though we wonder how long it will keep you satisfied. For a more cerebral time buy the larger Lego kits.