I am a huge, huge, huge fan of board games. I love them all from Scrabble to Connect 4 to Catan to Trivial Pursuit and beyond. I even love playing games that are way too easy for me like Chutes and Ladders or Candyland. I like playing games where you use your brain,card games, games where you have to act, draw, think fast, or tell embarrassing facts about yourself. In fact for our wedding Sir Nicholas and I gave everyone a game in their welcome bag so that we could play them for the time we were away. And when I travel with Nick we always have 3 or 4 travel games in our carry-on bags to play and pass the time. Gamescape has been the place that I've bought countless games since moving to the city. I love it because they have such an interesting selection and I find games I've never heard of, games I have heard of and really want, and more travel versions of my favorite games than I've seen elsewhere. Plus the staff is friendly and the place is walking distance from my house. And lastly, Gamescape has 4 tables available for multi-purpose gaming and they are free for any customer to use. You have to check with staff before going to make sure they are free, but how awesome is it that they have space to encourage game playing right there in the store? Pretty, pretty awesome I say. read more

I used to be a big ol' gamer geek. And by "gamer geek", I mean that I role-played. There, I said it. Dice, magical talismans, giant robots, hit points and saving throws: I liked it. A lot. I've since completed a 12 step program (and they didn't even let me roll my d12 to see which step I'd start on!), and have become a functional, productive member of society. But as any addict will know, the addiction is still there. You may not like it, you may even despise it, but the devil still whispers in your ear. Thanks to places like Gamescape, I can get my game on in a responsible, adult manner. No more role-playing for me, but I can still satisfy that urge to "game". I can have a drink or two and get in a few hits of Apples To Apples or Trouble, and still walk home. Sadly, I didn't see any "CheapAss Games", for when you need a quick, crack-like fix. Perhaps somewhere in the dangerously full shelves, there's one of their five-dollar hits of goofy fun, but I didn't see any. Of course, the old upper and downer standards are here, Connect 4, Life, Risk, Chess, Backgammon, Battleship, etc., etc. If you just need to smoke away a few dollars, there's plenty of card-collecting games here. I was surprised to find that Magic The Gathering and Pokemon are still even in production, but I suppose that just shows that I haven't been on the wagon all that long. And yes, should you feel the need to chase the dragon, there are enough role-playing games here to keep you in a fuzzed out haze for months on end, only to wake up ghost-white from sunlight-deprivation, surrounded by cracked dice, burnt out Coca-Cola cans, and moldy pizza boxes, with roughly 27 character personalities running around in your deep-fried brain, wearing nothing but your mother's soiled underwear. Not that such has ever happened to me. read more

As promised, after a bad review in 2015, I gave Gamescape another try. It was a night and day difference. The employee who answered the call, Marty, was friendly and helpful. When he wasn't sure about a game, he took a moment to look it up. It wasn't in stock, but he took my info to reserve a copy. I was originally going to purchase the game (FFG's Genesys RPG system) on Amazon Prime, but Marty changed my mind. *** (Here's the original 2-star review from 2015 below) *** I almost always use Amazon when I buy games. No muss, no fuss. However, a friend reminded me that I really should support local businesses more. So I called the closest "Friendly" Local Game Store. I just wanted to find out whether an upcoming game would be arriving within the next few weeks. The guy who answered wasn't very friendly at all. If anything, his tone of voice was on the edge of sullen and I felt like I was intruding on his time. He said he would check on the item I requested, then left me on the line for 11 minutes. I only know because I looked at the call duration right before I hung up and called again. Not sure if it was the same guy who answered, but I was polite and simply said, "I was left on the line for 11 minutes, and I'm just trying to find out about a game that is coming out soon." There was no, "sorry you were on hold for so long," or any of the other Customer Service 101 replies that would've turned the lackluster experience around. Just an irritated, "what's the name of the game?" Look, I've been in customer service. I KNOW it is not an easy job. But it is your job and if you're not really feeling it some days, then you fake it. A friendly, approachable tone from a store clerk is the best weapon local businesses have against online giants like Amazon. However, no customer service is better than bad customer service. I'll stick with one-click shopping where I'm not made to feel like I'm bothering a business when I want to spend my money with them. I believe in second chances, though. If I check this place out again in the future and the experience is different, I'll definitely update this review. read more

So I was perusing the shelves a while back when a young manchild approached me. Honey, he was mewling he was so young. Anyways, this sweet thing actually tried to spit game to me! Ok, yes, I like to think I'm a stone fox but I was old enough to be his very hip mama who had him when she was a teenager. He said, "I may be 16 on the streets but I'm 26 between the sheets, girl". And ya know what? He was*. Oh, I also like it here because they turned me on to Cranium, the best game I believe I've ever played. And, baby, I've played me some games. *For entertainment purposes only. I didn't touch him so don't call CPS on me, y'all. read more

The shop is run by a bunch of cool dudes. They are very helpful if you have any questions about the games in stock. I frequent the shop for MTG boosters and they have a decent selection. They also have drinks and snacks which are necessary for Magic Fridays at the shop. Pretty cool place to check out games and maybe learn a new one to play. read more

This place is expensive. I visited to pick up a few games for "Game Night" and was impressed and a little overwhelmed by the large number of items. I bought Pictionary and Apples to Apples, both $40+. I could have gone somewhere less expensive, however I didn't realize the large mark-up prior to heading in. I made myself feel better by telling myself that I was "giving back to my local neighborhood store/community", but truth be told, it was ridiculously expensive. I probably won't go back unless I'm in some sort of bind for a specialty game. Note: The people who work here aren't that friendly, they're nerdy game store employees (I noticed an employee's high school prom picture posted on the wall behind the counter.) Stereotypical D&D peeps. read more

I came here recently to purchase some games on a whim because we were having some friends over. We had nothing in mind and were browsing. The Good: Pretty large selection for a game store (I guess? I haven't been in a game shop since I was a kid.) Large open area for shopping. Friendly employees when you engage with them. The Bad: Dust. You need to dust. Are the games organized in any particular order? Genre? If so, can you make the signage a little clearer. The Ugly: The prices are definitely not bargain. Employees pretty much ignore customers unless directly addressed. Ended up buying a Sherlock Holmes game and another co-op game. Total damage? $90.00. read more

Needed to pick up some dice and the man at the counter was extremely helpful and funny. Was ready to just hang out here all day! Will be returning ASAP for Board Game Night. read more

I took my Son here last week. He was in need of a Magic the Gathering Fix, and I was happy to drive him into the City as part of a Father-Son day together. I didn't sit down and play with him, but he did have a nice time at one of the game tables near the back. My first hand experience was passing him a Twenty, taking a browsing trip around the store, and receiving some spot on recommendations from store employee on where to have Lunch. If Magic is not your thing, the Board Games selection is pretty darn impressive. read more

This shop is my favorite game store in sf! I was looking to buy a board game as a Christmas gift for a friend, and two guys who worked at the store were extremely helpful. They asked me questions about what kind of games my friend liked and gave me many suggestions on which game to choose based on my description of my friend's interests. They took their time to help me for maybe 20 minutes. I ended up choosing arboretum as recommended and my friend plays it all the time! I have bought many gifts for friends and family here, as well as board games for my house to play at game nights. Would highly recommend this place and 5 stars for the workers! read more

Wow. Holy God this place is crazy. When I come in here, my freakin' ADD kicks in, and I'm hyper-focusing on the amazing plethora of variety of profusion of game-dom in existence. Card games about zombies, and board games about pirates, and then the tabletop ones about ninjas fighting the zombie-pirates. Of course you can find all the classics in here, with some really expensive show versions fit for those with fireplaces and a bear skin rug. Incredible miniature collection on their walls as well. I start reminiscing of all the odd games my brother and I used to play, and lo and behold, you can still buy them here! Jesus, don't these old game companies ever die? And if they do, then who are the fans that keep shaking the corpses and propping them on chairs like Weekend at Bernie's? I believe I came in here to find a copy of Settlers of Catan. Surprise surprise, I soon was basking in my naivete as I realized they had five different versions, complete with add-ons. The settlers go to space....wha?? It's a pity I don't play games much anymore; it's too hard to find people to play with, even though I've tried to coerce others with modified rules involving liquor and illicit acts. It was a great way to interact with others, have an amusing time, and still use your head in an intelligent manner. Instead, it's all about the drugs, women, and rock 'n' roll these days. =P But if this place ever burnt down to the ground, I would be there with the rest, candle in hand mourning GameScape's passing. read more

Seriously?!?! You yelpers like this place?!?! Its way way way over priced!!! Let me repeat again- way way way over priced!! A good store- nice collection- ridiculous prices. I can find the same board games at least 40% (yes 40%) cheaper online. Really surprised the store is still in business!! Guess because of yelpers like you! read more

Fifteen years ago, I would have given GameScape four stars because there were so many cool game stores that had standard board games, D&D games, tweener games, novelties, and gross tables in the back on which to play the D&D and tweener games. In 2008 there aren't that many places like this left. At least not to my knowledge. They have a lot of stuff here, and the people working know their stuff but don't make fun of you if all you're doing is buying 20 Q and some random card game for your overnight job. I really did want to buy my own Munchkin set, but I didn't think anyone at work would want to put up with learning how to play. Thursday nights used to be game nights when I was in grad school. This was in Indiana. I would love to have game night again, but I'm not dorky enough to understand full D&D-type games. So I stick with the tweeners like Munchkin and Wiz-War and even standard board games. Right, GameScape. The prices could be lower, but so could all of San Francisco's prices. read more

I didn't realize how dependent I'd become on having a game store in my neighborhood until I went to the East Coast for the holidays and really wanted to get specific games (Set & Jungle Speed) to make the time there a tad more bearable. But where-in-the-heck do you go to buy random games when you don't have a game store?!?!?!? I have not yet walked into GameScape and found them to be lacking in what I was looking for. I also enjoy that I'm not judged for the fact that although many folks may be in there to stock-up on their D&D needs, I'm usually just looking for a new cardgame. They also have a wonderful sense of humor about their main (D&D-loving) clientele and therefore create a welcoming environment for everyone. read more

Amazing collection! They don't over charge you like other board game stores. The guys are really nice and helpful. It's amazing how they usually have tons and tons of board games and such wonderful collection. We could literally spend hours in this amazing store. The guys here really help you out if you have any questions about the games. They also take pre orders, we have had a few games pre-ordered and it's amazing! 100% recommended! read more

This will be a quickie. Essentially, I was looking all over on Yelp and Google trying to find a store where I could find either a poker table or a Texas Hold 'Em/Blackjack table cover for a James Bond themed casino night. I even tried those casino gambling websites (way too expensive). It was much harder than I expected to find what I was looking for. Luckily, I was guided to GameScape. The day before the party I strolled into Gamescape and found exactly what I was looking for. They had poker tables and top quality poker sets and poker table coverings. The prices were reasonable and the man behind the counter was super helpful as well as super friendly. He also gave me a discount because one of the poker covers wasn't perfect and he gave me a pretty decent sized discount because of it. If you're looking for casino night props or real poker tables or covers, look no further than GameScape. They came through in the clutch for me. Oh, and all the board games and Star Wars memorabilia was pretty cool too... read more

I love wandering around this place. It's not so big so there isn't much room to wander, but their selection of games is probably unsurpassed in the city. They re-organize their main shelves fairly frequently as well, so they usually have the newest releases front and center. They have also let me/my wife in a couple of times after hours for gaming emergencies (she once convinced them to sell her some citadels glue while they were closing up). The good: Every game, ever some of the employees are very nice, super helpful, and top notch The neutral: Their games are all full MSRP The less than great: Other of their employees are less than helpful (describing 3 games in a row as 'worker placement games' to someone who has never stepped foot in a game store is not so good). They have miniature battle nights, but no game nights. They had set up game nights at the cafe down the street, but that place closed. read more

Looking for games for kids, adults, serious gamers and neophytes, this is the place to go in San Francisco. I have been a customer of GameScape since the early 1980's. They stock almost everything in circulation by the major game manufacturers like Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers like Monopoly, Clue, Candyland, and Scrabble. The store also stocks most RPG games from the major producers and miniature games. Hard to find items maybe special ordered if the item is available from the distributors. I miss the war gaming section in the back that has been replaced by miniatures gaming tables but they are just as fun to participate in when the space is available. You should call ahead to see when the gaming tables are open. The puzzle selection is pretty huge for a store their size. You can find anything from 100pieces or less for kids, 1000-2000 piece puzzles for a fun gift and 10,000 piece puzzles for the master puzzlers. They also carry puzzle carriers and puzzle glue. Although they do not sell single cards for CCG's, GameScape does carry MTG, Pokemon and almost every other popular game that involves collectible cards. I enjoy the foreign board games section the most. Many are from German and foreign design companies like Rio Grand, Kosmos, Reiner Knizia, and Hans im Gluck. All the games have instructions in English. I enjoy the foreign games the most because they create the best opportunities for players expand how to think as a gamer and socialize with others. read more

Pros: Ample selection of board games, magic, miniatures, and classics like chess and go. Helpful staff. Cons: Events and community aren't really fostered with much enthusiasm here, or perhaps they are but in a very one-sided kind of way. I think the employees enjoy table top wargaming (War Machine, Warhammer 40K etc) more so than most other types of games. A few months back, I asked them if I could host an open RPG event there (a single adventure of a little-known RPG) for one evening, and the employee brought up their events calendar. It literally had Warhammer 40k on every single day for the next 60 days, with no openings, no RPGs, no Magic, no board games. So, that's great if you're into wargaming, but it felt like getting the cold shoulder. I just checked their calendar, and see that they now have 1 night for D&D Encounter, 1 night for Magic, 1 night for Boardgames, and 1 night for tabletop wargaming, so I guess something must have changed. Anyway, I do enjoy the place a lot as an avid gamer. I also think that non-gamers would have luck coming in here and just asking for advice on what to try to get into the hobby or what gift to buy for their friends / kids / co-workers, etc. read more

Purchased here: Risk Axis and Allies Chess MTG Close to my house, friendly staff that helps clarify rules, mega-selection. It makes me feel good about indulging my nerdy side. read more

With a wide selection of CCGs and imported games, in addition to the more mainstream selections, Gamescape is a gamer's paradise. My only complaint about Gamescape is that they don't have rooms for rent because I would like to live there. For true gamers (unfortunately more video than board these days for me) there is no better browsing experience in the city. There is something about the place that hearkens back to my youth when I couldn't afford to buy a Monster Manual and had to browse in the store and try to memorize all the stats for a mind flayer. Luckily these days I'm making more than $5 a week (I have a much larger paper route now) and can finally afford some of the cool games and manuals that Gamescape has to offer. The staff is very, very, knowledgable and seem to be able to identify practically any board game ever made with the smallest of details. The tables in the back for Warhammer sessions and such only add to the ambience of this absolutely must-visit store for both hard-core and more casual gamers. read more

Not wanting to corrupt our nephew's mind with video games or disappoint him with clothes for his birthday, we came here in order to find some brain stimulating fun. I almost forgot I was shopping for my nephew and wanted to buy stuff for myself. There seemed to be a lot of role playing games and miniature model sets but there was also a vast assortment of board games and puzzles, darts, dice, and more. Our favorite was "Puerto Rico" the board game. There was also a San Juan expansion pack to add to the fun. Don't be jealous because they don't have a game for where you're from. Unless you're from Cuba. We saw that one too. Anyway, I know what I getting as my Secret Santa gift this year. read more

Always my go-to for new board/card games. Their miniature selection is a little unorganized and their dice selection is a little unwelcoming to peruse. Otherwise pretty cool place. The workers here a usually very helpful and friendly. read more

Closest place to my house that has mtg events. The staff seems pretty good, the events have a lot of kids. Store has a decent selection. read more

I am swearing off online game buying FOREVER. I can give you several reasons, among which include: 1) The internet isn't going to give me great customer service, ever. 2) I enjoy looking at a game and seeing what I am buying, before I buy it. 3) I like asking someone for recommendations and getting my questions answered 4) Local stores pay rent and keep our downtowns alive and vibrant 5) Local stores employ local people, online stores don't even pay taxes to the state of California So this is why I shop at Gamescape. They have a great selection of games, wonderful service, are located on a block that keeps it real with unique shops and cafes. It's clean, it's well organized. I am paying a real price for it, yes it may cost a bit more than if I "bought it online" but well I like having a downtown and employing people so I'm willing to pay extra for that. Games I have bought so far, Settlers of Catan, extension of Catan, Master Mind, Chutes and Ladders, and a few others I can't even remember now. Great selection for both adults and children. Ask the staff for recommendations if you don't know where to start. This a great local store, and it's near a cool comic book store too. What's not to love? read more

I had a cheap travelling scrabble and oh how I hate that thing! The letters never stayed right cause the board wouldn't lay flat. Letters just kept popping out like popcorns. So one day I decided to stop by at this place. Wow, did they have board games or what. I'm just impressed of how many different board games that they have. The Trivia pop culture DVD is soooo tempting but it's like $50. Games...or....a pair of new shoes. Yeah, tough call. read more

Today was the second time I've had to come here to replace a lost game piece. The first (years ago) was for a couple Scrabble tiles that had gone missing; they gave me replacements for free - so awesome! I haven't had occasion to go back until yesterday, after the unfortunate loss of a friend's Taboo timer during a Das Boot beer drinking competition. Yeah, that's another story... Anyway, popped in, asked for help, and was offered a 3 minute sand timer; after a quick google, we realized the 1 minute timer was what I needed. It was super cheap, and the friendly nerdy boys behind the counter humored us while we wandered around aimlessly for a bit. I probably won't be stopping by to play D&D or anything, but I'll gladly make any future game purchases here! read more

Gamescape has the best selection of any boardgame store on the peninsula. They always have the latest games and I can't walk out of there without one or two new acquisitions. The staff knows their stock backwards and forwards, both what is on the shelf and what can be ordered. The only real drawback is that parking near the location is just miserable. It's so bad that I've actually had my wife drop me off at the store while she went to shop elsewhere then swing by to pick me up after. The only problem with that plan is that I found WAY too many things to buy with all the extra time. read more

Really nice selection of computer games in this store. I bought the Might & Magic series and later on, Doom, for my Apple Macintosh computer at the time. You'll be hard pressed to find some of the computer games they carry at computer retail chain stores. read more

Okay, so way way way back in the day, my brother and I used to beg our mother to take us here after school so we could buy pokemon cards, and then in the car we'd already be unwrapping and trading. Now that I've moved on from money wasters like that, I come here to get unique puzzles. My roommates and I started doing copious amounts of puzzles starting freshman year, when we were too cold to go outside, or too drunk to move around anywhere. We prided ourselves on the where's waldo puzzle, and the all blue dali. We'd glue them all to cardboard and use them instead of posters. Okay, so maybe we were geeks in our own way. But GameSpace had tons of hard puzzles but they can be pricey. Ive never bought any other games here, but they do have a large collection, and have offered to buy things that I asked about but they did not have. All in all, despite being out of the way for me, I still come back here for any puzzle or gaming needs. read more

Settlers of Catan. Trivial Pursuit. Zombies!! Scrabble. (thanks mom) Great games, good variety (what they didn't have they offered to order), and a little on the $ side, but it's worth it IMHO. Friendly staff willing to help with any of my gaming questions and not an ounce of judgement in their eyes (prolly cause their eyes were glued to my friends chest, to be fair she does look exactly like Tank Girl so bonus +1 points for good taste on their part). Don't like D&D? Hate "nerds"? That's ok they have darts for you, sport-o. Anyone who likes any of the above mentioned games is welcome to contact me to set up a play date. I've spent some of the best afternoons in my life playing Settlers in GG park getting faded with friends. read more

As i walk in and take a quick look around during the first few steps, i expect to see a old Asian man with a Long white beard behind the old beat up counter. Like the ones you see in the 80s movies. The Store owner that gives the Hero some crazy spell or potion to destroy the evil that took his girlfriend. But Sadly no such luck. Looks like a little mom and pop shops that are still suck in the 80s. anyways if you need a game, they do have everything. I wouldn't go in for your stupid Milton Bradley game. That's what Target is for. But if you want a game where you get to kill Zombies or a game where your looking for some pirate booty and don't have a new fangled XBOX or PlayStation and you want to actually see and truly interact with the person you are playing with then Gamescape is for you. As for the So little modeling games like Warhammer and things like that, kinda disappointed. but maybe I'm spoiled by Games Workshop. But sadly GW closed down....DAMN YOU METREON!! If your into 40k i have a better table at my place to play on(One good thing that came from GW closing) i think that is all. read more

I'm not sure how else one could rate a game store besides: - Amazing selection - Helpful, nice and knowledgeable staff (they totally have social skills) - Reasonable hours - Open nights for games Gamescape has alll of these things. I'm happy to pay a bit more than the lowest worldwide/internet price and I'm proud to have it in my neighborhood. read more

Probably the best place in the city for games. Very helpful staff who are very very knowledgeable about the games they sell. Walk in and tell them roughly what type of experience you're looking for and they will most certainly be able to recommend some great options! And hey they are close to Comix Experience so you can get your full nerd geek out in one trip! read more

Come for the FNM, stay for the irreverence. It's yr friendly local place to buy board games, card games, puzzles, and those useless, magnetized, easy-to-gift executive toys. They carry esoterica as well as the usual offenders. Some store-hosted events (though you'd do well to look at the events on the site): FNM, Magic: The Gathering release/pre-release events, Heroclix, D&D, board game nights. I've been to the MtG stuff but not the other things, so as far as I know, they may or may not (exist / be awesome). It's crowded but I'm not sure I perceive this as a con. It feels like poring-exploring through a WIZARD'S TOWER stacked high with KNOWLEDGE TOMES. read more

A fine esoteric collection of board games plus a few sets of Cards Against Humanity are for sale here too (without too much of a markup from Amazon's infinitely backordered waitlist). Keeping the core authenticity up, there's a handful of paladins and druids gaming in the back. read more

Coolest game store ever.... and the young gents that work there transcend nerdiness. They are so hip nerdy they come off as way too cool, and someone I might like to have a beverage with... and then play a rousing game of something or rather. Anyhoo... it is an overwhelming place. They have everything you need... and even more crap you don't. Near the back of the store your get the pewter gaming pieces, and the guys playing games at the tables in the back. If you are frightened of people openly appreciating their dorkiness, you may not want to travel that far back. SOoooo much fun. Thanks! read more

I went here today for the first time. On a personal note, walking through a board game store in a tie (after a meeting) feels ridiculously awkward. But nonetheless, not living in the area I decided to check out the local BG store. This place is AMAZING. My family's collection borders on 125 to 140 games and my wish list is even bigger. Gamescape had every damn game on my wishlist and If I had more time, I could have spent 2 hours and several hundred $$$ there. The selection is by far the best I have seen, from classic cardboard to new releases. The game I bought was in fact a new release and not one I expected to see in stores for a while. I'm also not a miniatures guy but the paint and miniatures selection was double that of most stores, not to mention the row of open gaming tables in the back. For my money this is the best store board game shop in the Bay Area and I wish I lived closer. For me, at least once in a while, Gamescape would be worth a long drive and a longer visit. read more

The staff member that helped my friends and I recommended Mind which made our afternoon! He had a good feel for what we were looking for. I'm definitely coming back come gift time. read more

Gamescape is the only place I go to for my roleplaying/games needs. True I sometimes buy off the internet when I have less money, but I like to support the local businesses when I can. They have the best selection of small press release games and suppliments I've seen. They also carry traditional board games in astonishing variety, and jigsaw puzzles. Special event live games are held in the back, scheduals are listed. They have a board in the back where local gamers advertise to find a game or find other gamers. They also carry a very small selection of game related books, comics and magazine. They have a deal where you can get a discount on role playing products if you save your reciepts totaling 400$. Unfortunately I'm bad at saving reciepts otherwise I'd be getting a discount there already considering how often I visit. read more