Gamescape North is a really interesting store with a lot to offer. Toward the front, you'll find more casual and accessible games, and as you move toward the back, the selection opens up into a wider variety of games with more depth and complexity. It truly feels like a store with something for all ages and experience levels. As a fan of D&D and other TTRPGs, I was happy to see plenty of resources available. Warhammer fans will also find a massive selection of miniatures one of the largest I've personally seen along with a staff that clearly cares about the hobby. There's also a strong selection of card games, including Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, and Riftbound. Overall, the selection is excellent, and the staff is knowledgeable, kind, and welcoming. I had genuinely great experiences with the team there. They were helpful, open, and willing to guide me through the store and explain events. The only reason I'm rating my experience a bit lower is because one of the events I attended felt less welcoming to newer players. It seemed like about half the group was made up of very experienced players who were playing to win at a pretty intense level, while the other half included younger players who were just excited to participate, along with people like myself who were still learning and trying to navigate the hobby. As a newer player, the environment felt a little intimidating and discouraging at times. That said, I would still recommend Gamescape North to anyone in the area looking to shop, explore the hobby, or connect with a great staff. I'd just advise newer players to ask questions before jumping into an event blindly, so they can better understand the tone and experience level of the group. I hope to try again in the future and have a better experience. read more

I went by Gamescape last night to grab Mahjong and other small last-minute Christmas gifts. The staff are all helpful and friendly whenever I stop by, and they aren't pushy with sales and upselling, which is much appreciated. Staff members are knowledgeable about the products and rules of various games and are happy to take the time to answer any questions you may have. They can also give you good recommendations if you're looking for gifts for others. They pack a surprisingly large inventory into the shop. I love walking by and checking out their cute window displays- they had some beautiful Aura editions of Monopoly and Scrabble in the window last night. They also have a great selection of D&D books, minis, paints, and more. Between the product selection and customer service, I highly recommend stopping by Gamescape for a pleasant shopping experience. read more

Go back in time when stores were just stores there to help and defy imagination! A place to astound you, and Officially and Phenomenally fun for all ages! They host the community well after closing. Find your true love! in games. They have everything- super natural & knowledgable. They are patient with people who don't know all games- they are simply the best! read more

Friendly employees that seem to mind their own business and not pushy. A small dog of theirs was walking around the store unleashed - we were told that she's cute but not friendly. Great selection of items here including board games, figurines including Warframe and Gundams, jigsaw puzzles, etc. Items are neatly displayed. read more

An incredible store. They are so generous to me and my whole family. Highly welcoming community too.

Listen, this place has a great selection of games and products for the community. The issue I have is with an employee. A woman came in, bought product, and left. The employee then immediately started to discuss how hot the woman was with a customer! So unprofessional, and really feeds into the stereotype of people who enjoy these games. We need to be more inclusive, and that means making people feel like they can shop for something they enjoy without being looked at as a piece of meat. I've recently told a couple of female friends to check out this store. This morning I sent them a text telling them to avoid. read more

This place and the staff are fantastic. I come here for all my kids friend's birthday presents, for Christmas and of course Pokémon cards. Every staff member I've encountered offers help and suggestions with pride and knowledge. The selection of board games is huge. A true staple of downtown San Rafael. Please support them read more

This place is an absolute gem. They've really set up a community space here which is so rare in this day and age. My 6yo had a great time with some older kids helping him organize his cards and trading with him, the people who work here are always ready to spend time answering question, digging around the crates to find the one specific card to make a kid smile. Really happy to have found this place. read more

Incredible selection, lots of games and expansions to games I never heard of. Service was great, all the store clerks were helpful and courteous. Great value, considering how uncommon some of their selection is. read more

This is a great local shop to pick up some games and to play games with like minded people. The staff here host an event almost every week night for board games, trading card, games, D&D, and Warhammer. They love this stuff and know their games. I get along fine with Jordan and the other guys who work at the store. There's a semi-regular gaming group that shows up for table top night and usually a few random folks. Shopping local is always a little more expensive than the big box, but it comes with the benefit of having real people to talk to and a local community. read more

Love this place! Friendly, knowledgeable staff, and great products! Definitely coming back!

To clarify, Gamescape North is not affiliated with Gamescape in SF. Two completely different owners and businesses. Don't expect Gamescape North to be anything like the Gamescape in SF. I'm all for supporting local businesses, especially game stores. Unfortunately, Gamescape North is my local store that I occasionally and begrudgingly shop at if I'm desperate. The inventory selection is decent, and they will probably have what you are looking for. The staff is generally nice and helpful if you ask for it. However, the owner, Jordan, is very condescending and is a pain to talk to. He is patronizing, offers unsolicited advice, and exudes intellectual arrogance. I've experienced it and I've seen it happen to other customers. I think he means well but he doesn't realize he comes off as rude. The store is alright, but just be warned that your experience might not be the most pleasant, especially if you interact with the owner. Also, their carpet is disgusting. Carpet inside a store is disgusting in general, but it's especially disgusting when you witness the owner's dog scooting its butt all over it. Please invest in new flooring for everyone's sake. read more

Amazing service! We love Pokémon, so we bought a small pack of cards, the man working there gave us a complimentary card worth $10 Amazing!!!!!! This is one of our favorite places to go for games as well as birthday gifts read more

Gamescape came to the rescue during these trying times while we shelter at home due to the Coronavirus. Puzzles are in high demand and we wanted get a couple to pass the time. Every place we checked was sold out or had a limited selection. When I found out they were still selling games and puzzles on their website and their employees were personally delivering them, we ordered a couple 1,000 piece puzzles right away. I paid for my order over the phone and they were delivered at the end of the same day. The employee I spoke with and the one who made the delivery provided exceptional and friendly service. I am more than happy I was able to support a local business. read more

I've always enjoyed this store because it's so fun to walk around and check out the games. For Christmas last year I was looking for games for some younger members of the family that want to play with the older kids and adults, but aren't able to play the more complicated or in-depth ones. I wanted to find something that the older kids would enjoy playing as well. The guy at the store walked me around and pulled out a selection of games, telling me what each one was about and why it might be a good fit for the family. I went with his suggestions and they were big hits! During quarantine they have upped their online store and you can do curbside pickup. Support your local game store! :) read more

The D&D on Monday nights are really fun. My 14 year old loves to play. Jacob knows how to run a fun game.

This super cool game store is located right on 4th street in downtown San Rafael. It's easy to find, though parking can be a bit of a chore. We lucked out and got a spot on the street literally in front of the shop. They have a wide selection of board games, jig saw puzzles, puzzles/tricks, dice, miniatures, RPGs, Magic the Gathering (and other card games) and tables in the back to actually play at. They also have fun and high quality accessories like plushies, dice bags, hobby paints, brushes and set-design stuff. My husband and I stopped in and bought a new gaming mat that's much bigger and more awesome than our previous one. I especially loved the beautiful wooden jig saw puzzles, the cool 3D puzzles and the gorgeous displays of miniatures that had been painted (by local artists?) I love stopping here when I'm in town. On the Saturday we came in, the back area was FULL of gamers playing at the tables and I was offered assistance by numerous friendly employees. Keep up the great work, Gamescape! read more

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Gamescape North is a great place to find a board game; to hunt for dice, dry-erase maps, minis and modules for your favorite tabletop role-playing game; get everything you'd need for your tabletop miniatures game; to pick up a great puzzle; and just to hang out for a bit and talk games with the staff when they have time to chat. They also host D&D nights, evenings when you can try out their board games, Pokemon events -- my family's done all of these! -- and Warhammer & Magic the Gathering nights. I've also gotten great gift recommendations from them -- recipients have been quite pleased -- and they are so gracious about helping you find something that is in your budget. Really good folks. A few year ago, I'd have said the store was a solid four stars. I'm adding a star because gamestores are even rarer now, and Gamescape North is still here. I hope they stick around for a long, long time. read more

I'll never forget our summer in the sewers. With all those traps & monsters & shz. And the time we were goblins. And the time we were those other things. The Halloween farm. Muhfuhs w deer antlers. Nope not Dungeons & Dragons bij. read more

i would give this 100 stars if i could. There's a new game that's super popular that has been going nuts. All the game stores around Norcal have banded together to gouge the community and rob players of a chance for affordable materials. This gem of a store has made it very clear they are a pillar for this community and they are for the PLAYERS. It's something the other LGS' don't understand because when you treat people as people and not a money printer it builds your brand and trust. you are not a metric to gamescape, youre a friend, family, person, and will be seen. save this lgs at all costs. thank you, 100% will be back!!!! read more

Great place to game and super friendly/ helpful staff. Also has a large selection of board games.

Used to visit this store all the time in middle school and high school. In those days I never had any money and so I never bought anything, I went in solely to look at the Warhammer models while my mom went shopping in the area. They had a glass case with well-painted WHFB minis and a guy with purple dreadlocks who would chat with customers about the hobby. Visited this weekend after more than a decade and things have changed. WHFB is dead and gone and the purple-dreadlocked dude was nowhere to be seen. The glass case full of painted minis remains, however. For the hobbyist this store is pretty legit with one caveat. They have a great selection of GW products but the pricing was tough. GW sells to local stores at a discount and this allows FLGS's to sell the products cheaper than you would find on GW's website or in their Warhammer stores. Not the case here, their prices are comparable if not a little higher than GW's. I get it, everybody's gotta make a buck, but it feels a little opportunistic. That being said: they get an automatic 5 stars just because they've got the full range of Vallejo game color paints. IYKYK. Solid retailers of these paints are difficult to find online, usually end up shipping from Europe and do not reliably arrive. I no longer live in the area but I'll definitely be taking advantage of their online store to get these acrylicos vallejos. read more

Rudest employees sitting in the back letting their dog run around abd nip at me, peopor sitting around eating and just talking down to people. I literally asked about TSR the company who stared making D&D and all the original re placing game and I was told that it wasn't true and I didn't know what I was talking about by sone snotty little girl. I actually came in and was very friendly and was glad to see them still in business after the pandemic. Your thing a new customer after all that would be made to feel read more

A favorite feature of the SF Chronicle is their year-end review of new games complete with the little-man ratings usually reserved for movies and plays. With or without that list in hand, Gamescape is the go to place to explore expansion of your gaming closet. Everyone who works here is a game geek, er... enthusiast, knowledgeable and excited about their offerings. After mentioning some of the games I currently enjoy (Mexican Train Dominoes, 10 Days in Asia, Rummikub, Ticket to Ride), the salesperson pointed me towards his favorite game and sold it with this line (which I fully believed): "This is the game we sit around and play after the store closes". Sold, and I now own Carcassone. They also offer free board game nights every Thursday (is that too nerdy?) and other stuff other nights of the week. I didn't pay much attention to those other days as I think they veered off into Warhammer territory. That holds no appeal to me, but a good board game, yes indeedy. read more

Great service, great prices. I drive from the east bay to here because it's a quality game store. Highly recommend

If I could give them more than five stars I would. They have something for everyone. Everyone who works there is highly knowledgeable of their inventory, sincerely kind and genuinely helpful whether you're an experienced gamer or just starting up. They help me, my wife and my kids all the same. It's always fun to go there and would recommend it to anyone looking for any game of any kind. read more

Sorry guys, but the place is very different since the ownership change. The dude could barely look up from his phone to say "hi". Or "thank you" or "have a nice day" or basically anything. It looked like a bomb had gone off inside the store. Boxes stacked everywhere and debris on the floor - the place was a mess. This used to be a really great place with a friendly community of gamers who wanted your business and wanted you to come to their game nights. There's still a great selection of games, but it seems the staff don't realize that customer service is key if you don't want folks to buy on Amazon for a much better price. read more

So grateful they are taking online orders and doing same day delivery to central Marin during the shelter in place. My husband and I are working hard to keep our three year old engaged, having fun, and happy during this difficult time. We ordered two great games that she loves and they arrived via contactless delivery within hours of our order! I have always appreciated that they stock high quality games for even very young children. They also have great recommendations for adults. We've never been disappointed. If you need new entertainment for anyone in your household, this is a great option! read more

We discovered that we could support one of our favorite local businesses AND get our addiction to puzzles fulfilled. We ordered late in the day....and we were hoping to get the puzzles the next day. When we headed out for our evening walk, a car drove aup and our dude Jordan walked towards me with something in his hands...our puzzles arrived the same day!! Such a lovely business. So happy they are in our world!! read more

I love visiting Gamescape. So fun to browse, and also one of my go- tos when I'm looking for a gift. The staff are really knowledgeable and happy to help-- I always get great gift recommendations tailored to people of all ages and interests. read more

I ordered 3 puzzles on line at 4 pm on a Sunday afternoon. The doorbell rang at 7:30 pm and there they were!! Well done!

I love going to local stores to get gifts when possible. The employees are super friendly and helpful in finding the best game for your needs (age, gender, etc). read more

I ran into this game store having left my Settlers of Catan at home on my way to a game night. The owner of the store spend almost an hour with me going over different games he loved, what would best fit my mood and my group, and invited me to come try new games at the store on Thursday game nights. Best store ever. I will be back. read more

This isn't just great for a game store, it's a great store! The staff know a lot about their products. They have a great selection, and they're happy to order anything they don't have in stock. They open the store up for players to play various types of games pretty much every night of the week. It's clear that this isn't just a job for these folks, and it shows in the best of ways that they enjoy doing what they do. I've been coming here for about 20 years and I hope to continue shopping here for another 20. read more

Tucked between a Tibetan goods shop and a clothing boutique, this larger-than-it-looks games emporium is a goldmine. Be sure to check out the custom paint jobs on the miniatures, most of which were done by the shop's staff. They are always ready with gaming advice whether you're shopping for a child or looking to add an expansion pack to your RPG. They seem to have everything a thinking person could want, from the latest award-winning board games like Blokus to travel versions of classics to insider info about now out-of-print oddities. Come in and browse, get supplies to paint your own miniatures, and learn with some well-informed, cool people. You probably won't leave empty-handed. In addition to being crammed with great games and run by friendly and knowledgable gamers, Gamescape also helps small businesses and organizations run their own game-based special events. For instance, this February Darren went all out to help the Mill Valley Public Library put on its first (but hopefully at least biannual) Scrabble Tournament. Gamescape provided a structured format, gameboards, timekeeping, score verification and prizes for the winners in several categories. The team is very community-oriented and is happy to provide advice and support for this type of undertaking. For all ages and interests, Gamescape North is an awesome local resource. read more

I walked in and asked the guy at the counter for a recommendation for a board game. I wasn't terribly specific because I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted. I gave him a few ideas about what kinds of games I liked. He immediately suggested several interesting looking games, and found all of the games I knew the names of. With the exception of one game he hadn't played, he was able to tell me about each game. I didn't catch his name, but he was very helpful and attentive. I was holding a game I had picked out that was pricey, and he even suggested several games that were less expensive. That's a true sign that he's not just trying to make a sale. I will definitely go back. read more

Beautiful board game store, with a wide selection of good games, very reasonable prices, and friendly staff. As a French tourist, I wanted some classic American games to bring home with me. Staff was very helpful, they took their time to go over the isles and help me make a selection. I asked about the rules of one of the games I was interested in and the guy said he wasn't sure, so he actually opened the box (and blister) to read the rules with me. He then offered to rewrap the game in a new blister, so I could give it as a present. I ended up purchasing 3 games and they're all great! Prices here in France are easily 30% higher, so I was happily surprised by that as well. Good products, very reasonable prices, great service. read more

Great game store! Gamescape is well stocked with classic games, boardgames, card games, puzzles, darts, miniatures, and RPG's. The staff is friendly and always willing to help you find the perfect game you're looking for. Which is why this is my favorite game store. The layout of the store is clean and shows off all their games nicely. If you're looking for entertainment where you get to play face to face rather than staring at a screen I highly recommend Gamescape. read more

This is the very paragon of what a local game store should be. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable about their products (not to mention enthusiastic which is very clear when you talk about it with them). They host wonderful organized play events and even the regulars who come in are just as friendly as the staff. If you're in the area, definitely check this place out. There's bound to be something that you'll see in there that you'll like. read more

The people behind the counter were very informative and helpful with recommendations. We bought a kids game about dinosaurs and a wargame. Such a great selection of board games, d and d type games, wargames, all kinds of stuff. read more