Any place that carriers the hand-carved, $400 dollar version of Settlers is alright by me. Although they didn't have it out on display like some awesomer game stores will. They did have some expansions and stuff for Settlers of Catan that I haven't seen anywhere else, so kudos for that. Seemed like any type of game ever made is available here. Even some disc golf discs. The guys were working were talking about the dorkiest sounding stuff ever....perfect! I wouldn't want anyone else recommending my nerd purchases. read more

A nice hobby shop to pickup a wide variety of interests - puzzles, board games, card games, puzzles, etc. Big store. The reason I give it a low review is 1.) The absolutely TERRIBLE customer service - the people who work here are so rude its hilarious. They won't even look you in the eye in the counter, and don't bother asking them questions. 2.) The lack of replenishing inventory. Once something is gone - its gone. I am a regular Yugioh card buyer, and they do not restock. read more

When I was in high school and college, GOB was the place for your gaming needs. In their previous location on Shattuck on the same block as the Kress building, they had everything and I mean everything for Roleplaying, wargames, miniatures, etc. They had a complete set of these obscure miniatures for an obscure game that I played. Racks and racks of treasures. I wax nostaligic. Heck, I even went shopping at their Addison St. location that was really small but cozy. Where oh where did GOB go? Its new location is smaller than the big store in its last incarnation. The staff has been replaced by a STAPH member who shall remain nameless that is in deep need of Dale Carnegie. You get served a rolling of the eyes and dirty looks along with your D&D module. I really welcome being treated as an annoyance when my purchases go to fund whatever it she does in her spare time. I'd live with her bitterness to make a purchase, plus I could go to Top Dog for a bock or a cal. Now we are going into "this is the last straw" territory. There is an antiAmerican display in their window that is infuriating to me but in keeping with the Berkeley ethos. They have the right to hold such views and I have the right to not shop there. Its a shame, Games of Berkeley was an institution. read more

Nerd out, people, nerd out. Any game you can imagine, you will find here. Pokemon? Check. Yu-Gi-Oh? Go for it. Magic? Hell yeah. Settlers? Don't even question it. War Hammer? Whatever floats your boat. Honestly, if you can think of that game (board, cards, whatever), you will find it here. The prices aren't all steep, and the people here are super knowledgeable. I definitely recommend this place for any of your gaming needs. They also sell hilarious stuffed animals and figurines. read more

I can spend hours just browsing! The store is kind of like the Tardis - it's bigger inside that it seems outside. They always have just what I'm looking for. I'm not much of a gamer, but I enjoy coming in here. I'm quite impressed with their puzzle variety. I've started to do more puzzles because they have fun ones I want to try. What I like best is that they have more than just games. There are also toys, for kids and adults. I can find something educational for my two-year old niece, something juvenile for my adult brother (like a marshmallow gun, which I'm glad he didn't have when we were kids), or a kite to take on a picnic date to the park. The location is super convenient, pretty much right off of BART and down the street from the UC. It's also a good place to wander around. Or bad because it's hard to walk out empty-handed. read more

Who knew it could be so impossible to find dice cups so you can actually play Liars Dice in the comfort of your own home. I searched high and low, then finally remembered this place when I used to browse around Shattuck Avenue. So then who knew how expensive dice cups could be???? At least I could buy them at some price here! Oh, and they have a ton of other fun stuff too. read more

Love this store. Amazing stock and amazing staff. Whether I need to buy games and accessories, want to play an RPG in-store, or need advice on what games to buy or how best to run my TTRPG, this place is my one-stop-shop! read more

Games of Berkeley has a great location by BART and keeps the boardgame section well stocked, second only to Gamescape in the City. They also have a good puzzle and mass-market section which can help around the holiday shopping periods. Just be prepared that due to the campus location they have weird security requirements like bag checks. The staff is hit or miss. Most of them are just fine, but once in a while there will be a cashier who is not only won't answer questions, she has to be prodded to get off the phone and ring up purchases. read more

Okay, so it's still more expensive than Amazon, but cut this place some slack. You don't find stores like this anywhere, anymore. So D and I came here after raving about it for months. He and his roommates came the first time a couple months ago, and being the huge board game fanatics we were, he insisted that we visited. We walked in and walked out with both Dominion and Munchkins. Definitely wanted to get a lot more, but we had to hold back a bit, these games kinda add up. But anyways, I'm kinda in love with Game of Berkeley. They have a selection that Target cannot compare. Not to mention, they have walls and walls of fun. Is it too early to go back and buy another game? read more

"Meh." That really sums up how I feel about Games of Berkeley. Its not terrible, but its not really great either. Their selection of RPGs and miniatures is alright but Endgame in Oakland seems to be a bit better. I do give GoB props for having a nice selection of Vallejo paints. Unfortunately, the staff at Games of Berkeley can be rude at times. For example, I was looking for a book published by Osprey. The woman at the counter dismissively told me she didn't know if they had it, didn't know how their books were organized, and would only look it up if I knew the *exact* title of the book. If you want the condescending attitude of the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons stuffed into the body of an overweight black lady, Games of Berkeley is the place for you! read more

Quick little review so this can get saved in my list of must return places in Berkeley. Happened to stumble upon this while walking around Berkeley and I must say that I'm glad I checked this out! I looooove board games so I felt like a kid in a candy shop in here. They had so many different varieties of card games, strategy games, table games, board games, puzzles, etc. What was nice that a few were set up so we could try them out. There even was a decently sized game room in the back where you can do a 5 for 5 type deal. $5 gets you entry into the game room where you can play a selection of games they have available and in turn the $5 you spent gets converted into store credit -- so you're basically playing for free. I saw a calendar on the back wall listing different game nights during the week too, so that was also pretty neat. All in all, pretty decent spot if you're interested in games as there is no shortage of options available here. read more

My review haiku: Board games for new nerds RPGs for seasoned nerds Basement for REAL nerds read more

Best Game store ever! I didn't think I would enjoy strategy games like Settlers or Carcassone, but I found out I love them! Games of Berkeley is the best place to get any kind of game and I mean ANY kind of game. I was amazed at their selection. They have everything from your classic chess to every imaginable extension pack for Settlers. They also sell the brand Cheep Ass Games which have some rather enjoyable games, my favorite being Kill Dr Lucky. Basically the reverse of Clue. They also carry a wide range of specialty nick-knacks like Plush Microbes! Which made me happy. :) This store is just a lot of fun to browse, but I have to go in only occasionally, because every time I go I spend waaayyy too much money. read more

Their selection is top notch for a game store in the bay area. I like to visit this place before I order the stuff from Amazon. HAHA just kidding...sorta. The owner guy is cool. He really understands the business. If he's around count yourself lucky. He's a great resource. The other 15 year olds who run the place are hit or miss. That one lady is ok, although she happens to be in a perpetual bad mood. If you're new to gaming you'll probably love this place though. read more

I don't think I've been here yet where I didn't walk out with a game. They have an incredibly large selection of games and toys. The prices seem pretty reasonable -- though online is still cheaper. But it's nice to be able to look at games in person. They carry all the good stuff from Rio Grande, Days of Wonder, etc. It's easy to lose an hour or more in here just looking around. read more

My group of friends and I decided that we were thinking about getting a board game, so we decided to come to Games of Berkeley to see what we could find. We didn't buy a game sadly, but still had a great experience at Games of Berkeley. This store is amazing in terms of its selection, cleanliness, and overall appearance. Upon walking in, you see everything clearly labeled and marked above so you know where to direct yourself. Also, I found that the variety of the games available was great from chess to jigsaw to strategy games to trivia. There is something here for everybody, so if you want a game, they are most likely going to carry it. Note, they also do a price match here at Games of Berkeley for any printed advertisement! (Not online prices, don't be ridiculous!) One thing I could see people complaining about this store is how all the games are expensive and could get it online cheaper. Yes, you can get the games cheaper online; however, with the spirit of the Bay Area, we should be supporting local businesses! read more

Games of Berkeley has a fantastic selection, and helpful, knowledgeable staff. Games are organized into categories and areas of the store, which is helpful--for example, if you like one logic game, you could look in that area to find something similar. It's also really fun to browse through their games--you never know what you'll find! I went in looking for a particular game, and the person helping me took the time to make sure I could find it, rather than just pointing me in a direction and saying "You'll find it over there." Now that Amazon is charging tax, I am making a very concerted effort to shop locally, and Games of Berkeley is one of those places that I want to support and keep in business. read more

Those in the know simply say GoB (you can pronounce it "G. O. B." or "gob" with equal relevance). GoB has a great selection of the typical gamer foo but what makes it UBER is the great collection of general play stuff that exists slightly off of what is considered "gaming" but cleverly ducktails into the gamers' realm. You read that right, ducktail not dovetail because they have a great selection of rubber ducks. They also offer various flying disk objects, puppets, publications, darts, magnetic action figures, wind-up toys, zombies, and all sorts of other stuff too numerous to mention. What it all comes down to is the vast quantity of distractions makes this store a great place to go for anyone of any age between the crib and the grave. There have been times when I have told my wife I want to go to GoB and she will ask, "What are you looking for?" I typically answer, "Nothing, I just want to go and look at stuff." Translate look into look-play-buy because GoB not only has selection, they also offer it all at a better than average price. The accoutrements of GoB match the quality of the stock. It is refreshing to go into a game store that has knowledgeable and sufficiently nerdy employees who are not so far gone that they sound like the Simpson's Comic Book Guy. The store has a backroom gaming area for those who want to meet and socialize with fellow gamers outside their homes. The only downside is they no longer allow people to play in the store dungeon. I miss that dank stinking subterranean lair that created a hideously delicious atmosphere for huddling over tables to plot the demise of an opponent. UPDATE: I have been informed that the dungeon is still open for gaming. Good times... good times... stars for: selection, price, staff, and game rooms. read more

This is my favorite game store. It's huge and has a lot of variety and well as a super knowledgeable and friendly staff. We game here every Tuesday for D&D and the employees are super helpful when it comes to ordering games or helping you find something. Their Used Game trade in program is probably the best in the Bay Area. Love this place! read more

Interesting specialty store with a quirky selection of monopoly and other board games, Magik and other card collector games, chess sets, cribbage, playing cards, tarot cards, puzzles of all sorts, those old school realistic WWII war games using chits and maps, some strange toys (I got a snow globe) and oddly well informed game playing workers. This is an excellent place to buy a gift certificate for an engineering major. read more

Great selection so so prices You can find what you are looking for in this store. And as a game addict i really appreciate this. Games are just so expensive. I guess I can't blame it on games of berkeley but man, like 30 bucks for scatagories. There is no way it costs more than 5 dollars to make the game. Come on Milton, cut the common man some slack. read more

This store pretty much has every game - popular ones to not-so-mainstream ones. You see people of all ages wandering through this store looking for various board, card, puzzle games. The staff is helpful & quite knowledgeable. Parking is horrendous and expensive, but I guess that's expected in Berkeley (especially near campus) read more

Glad I found Scrabble Upwords. This play has every game imaginable. The only downside was the clerk who scolded me for accidentaly walking down the stairs. Apparently they had a D&D tourney going on. We were curious to see it, but the clerk made it clear we weren't allowed down there. Kind of bummer since there were no signs present. I was embarassed. Oh well. read more

Very clean, organized store with a little bit if everything in it! I loved walking around here! They have everything from puppets to card games to action figures to little nick nacks, etc! I feel like this would be a great places to buy a gift for someone! They have a bunch of cute novelty items! read more

See all

They have a huge selection of magic cards the best place to buy them too they also have a ton of games

Look, I get it, a business has to try to prevent shoplifting. But asking a woman to check her purse is asking for a lot of trust on the part of a customer. My purse has my wallet, phone, keys, mail, and a host of other important items in it. I'm not in the habit of entrusting it to people I don't know. Today, you managed to prevent a shopper (not a shoplifter) from entering your store. I went to Eudemonia instead. [any stars at all, because once upon a time I remember having a decent experience there.] read more

I bow to their geekiness! What a great store! Lots of games, toys and other fun stuff. Any store that encourages people to put down the electronics and interact with each other is a winner to me! Now if I could just figure out the real rules for Settlers of Catan.... read more

My husband needed a copy of Legends of Andor to play with our kids ( we are mostly still all home together all the time). Since we happened to be on a rare outing to the Eastbay a couple of weeks ago we stopped in to GOB and picked one up. The store was clean, safe, and the staff were respectful of me, my husband and our kids. We love this place and it's such a treat too get to visit in person. read more

I went to this store two days ago and I love it! They have a huge selection of games, puzzles, card sets and the largest selection of RPGs I have ever seen in one place. While I have seen stores with larger selections of tabletop miniatures, this store has one of the better collections, if only because they aren't coming across as mainly a wargaming store. I also liked how the cashiers interacted with the customers in line instead of just keeping it a strictly business transaction. I would definitely be back, sooner than my wallet and budget would like I imagine, lol. I took the BART in, so I can't really say how parking would be, but the prices were about average, and they did have an awesome clearance section in the RPGs, which I haven't ever seen anywhere. I see some people have complained about the poor customer service, but I think the workers were really too busy to be right with everyone. There were just too many people there, and they had someone watching and checking bags and I think 2 others at the registers. They were nice and they kinda reminded me of puppies, they were very excited about everything people were bringing up, lol. All in All, I am giving it a full 5 stars, because even now, I am wanting to go back and buy a few more things. read more

Excellent store with a great selection, awesome staff, and a growing community! (Especially in recent years)

Oh my goodness. This store has everything! Puzzles, DND games, and practically every variation of a board game ever made! I went in just to look around, but couldn't help picking up a book from the OotS series. So. Much. Stuff. And it was the neat stuff. You know, like things you couldn't find at you local toy or department store. :D read more

First of all, as a game and hobby store, it is second to none. Heaping loads of board games (both US and International), puzzle games, RPGs (even crazy old ones that you KNOW you will never admit to playing but secretly covet), puzzles (even those frickin' 3D and murder mystery ones), poker related items (including high-end stuff like Kem cards and clay chips), and an insane amount of CCGs (Magic, Yu-Gi-Crack, PokeCrack, etc). They also have hobby items like stuff animals, toys, darts (like 42,000,000 different kinds), disc golf, juggling, origami books/paper, and "desk toys". They have demos nearly every day (call ahead to see what they might be demo'ing), large game rooms both upstairs and downstairs. Frequent tournaments (magic, mini's, board games and more) on just about every weekend. Prices are standard retail, but their "Walmart" level of products makes up for that. They are also willing to try and order old/discontinued items for you (for a price). As for staff, they are generally younger (many of them are gamers who just can't go home, so they went ahead and just gave them a job) and are pretty knowledgeable about the products they sell. I will warn you, they can be a bit "gamer snobby" at times and depending on how busy it is (Saturdays), they can seem a bit less friendly (re: rude). I'd say I've been there more times when they are nice/friendly than they have been rude/pushy, but it really depends on the person working. Parking can also be a bit tricky (its downtown Berkeley) and I would advise taking the Bart (Downtown Berkeley location). I will say the owner and his wife a REALLY nice and friendly. Certainly let them know how much you enjoy their store. read more

Great selection of games & quirky staffers are very knowledgeable. Great selection of children's toys (educational & fun based), books & stickers. read more

I love this store, I come here to find what ever weird RPG book I need or any kitchy gifts for almost any occasion. A fun store the employees are cool, a few became some of my best friends (they no longer work there) But I still have I warm fuzzy spot in my heart for this great place. Over all its gaming spaces and selection make it the best spot in the east bay for games of all types. read more

So, I did, in fact, give them another chance after I received a message from the manager, and WOW am I glad I did! Their service is fantastic, their employees know what they're talking about, and they are more than happy to assist you. I recently found that they have the small plastic hyena figures, and I asked if there were any more, as I'd like another. Instead of simply fetching another hyena for me, they brought all four of them out so I could pick the ones I liked the best (I instead purchased all four) They were fantastically helpful with the Magic Cards that I have begun purchasing, and my friend said they had an amazing selection of board games. Overall, I'm so very happy I gave them another shot, and will be making a weekly trip up there to purchase my Pokemon and M:tG cards! read more

Coming from Seattle and Blue Highway Games there, I didn't think I'd ever find another store as cool. This one lives up to the standard! What I really like about it is its size. It is by far the largest gaming store I've ever been to. Every type of game from party games to pure strategy games can be found here. There are rows of Magic Cards and Magic accessories. The staff was really nice and helpful, especially when giving us their opinion on certain games we weren't too sure about. My only con to this store, which I am not truly sure of, is that they didn't seem to have an area to test out games. While they did have a game or two out on display that you could theoretically play on, I didn't see a separate space with already opened games that would allow you to try one to see if you liked it. Overall though, this place is a must-go for any gaming aficionado! read more

Great selection of games, especially the many expansion sets for my favorite, Settlers of Catan. Grab a copy of the "Guide to the Good Life in Berkeley" which has a coupon good for 10% off any purchase. The only knock is that some employees have been rude or apathetic- or both. Overall, though, this is one awesome store! read more

I love this place! Whenever I am in Berkeley, I stop in to pick up something for the grandkids - but wait - look at this cool Scrabble with the little tiles that fit in the board so you can play in the car - or look at this one--- And of course, buy lots of stuff for moi. I get there by BART so there is no problem with parking. Some of the reviewers had problems with customer service - it must depend on who's at the cash register that day. The young men who have rung up my purchases have always been OK, but then I look like everyone's granny with lots of goodies to hand out. read more

This store literally has everything. You'll find the standard Milton Bradley games along with YuGiOh, Pokemon, Magic et al. More importantly though you will find games that you never knew existed, including some from around the world. There are also all kinds of toys and collectibles, jigsaw puzzles, books, and computer games abound. The only negative is that the staff basically stand behind the register the whole time and don't approach you, so you just sort of look around at the assortment without a real sense of what everything is. read more

They have tons of games, toys, hobby type products. They can also order games for you if they don't have something in store.