Avoid at all "costs". Your money is gonna be used as a temporary loan to pay off the suppliers and later on they will cancel whenever they feel like. Excuses after excuses, customer service just keep sending same email over and over(automated).They are 200% scalpers changing prices and cancelling orders on their favor all time. Had to call the bank today as it's been 25 days and still no refund.Wish i have read the reviews before.Do not say i did not warn you. read more

In addition to the usual ranges of Warhammer et al games, Rules of Play also carries a wide selection of board games, and some of the more esoteric games that may only have been previously available online. I thankfully didn't have the same customer service annoyances as Amanda, most likely because I came here with a boy, but I'm happy to report the staff were helpful and courteous in any case. Although I'm not interested in much this shop has to offer, I think Rules of Play is a welcomed communal haven for the gaming community. For those Cardiff residents looking to expand their playing circles, Rules of Play also has an oft-updated Facebook page, in addition to an interactive forum. Events like game-play evenings are often scheduled, with Magic night on Thursdays from 6pm (only £2 entry). For more information, check out their afore-mentioned social media pages. read more

This is a shop down an arcade that is fast becoming one of my favourites in Cardiff, particularly with the peculiar balcony and L-shaped structure, you just feel shut off from everywhere else in the city even though you are simultaneously in the heart of it. On the lower level you'll find Rules Of Play, a shop for gamers. Not in the sense of video games. We're talking proper, in the flesh, hold it in your hand, slay an evil wizard gaming. They have a fairly big range in this shop, and it's pretty, dare I use the word, swish which is probably partly due to it competing with the Warhammer Shop around the corner. There's a big variety, so while there are games everyone knows about and even ones with cult followings, there are also games that only two people have ever played, so it's worth a browse. On the upper level there is a table where they welcome gaming people, but the lower level is where it's soon going to get going. read more

If any of you don't believe in stereotypes, please visit Rules of Play, you'll rethink that opinion pretty quickly. I'm not having a dig, but hobby shops like this one do attract a certain kind of person. Imagine two people who look like they've stepped in from a Star-trek convention and have fountains of fantasy game knowledge to get off their chests. You're imagining the two people who entertained me for a full five minutes in front of Rules of Play this afternoon. Nasal voice boy 1: Of course they have the firepower 15 better than anyone else and have at least the strength of a bear. Nasal voice boy 2: (Nodding enthusiastically) Yeah, yeah. Nasal voice boy 1: Whoever doesn't know that is going to be in serious trouble. Much snorting and wheezing. This is the problem with hobby shops; you have to fight your way past the guardians of all that is geek. Once you have you'll find some good stuff. I was impressed to see the old board game of Diplomacy (amazing game, Churchill would have enjoyed it) amongst other favourites. Don't let the Warhammer faithful put you off, this shop offers more than that. read more

What a wonderful shop to stumble across. Normally when shopping for games, it feels like we have to trawl through the usual supermarket shelf-fillers to find the decent games. In contrast, this hidden gem is bursting at the seams with incredible games to appeal to fantasy and family gamers alike. Never before have I popped into the same shop three times in one afternoon to buy more items - but this place has a certain magnetism that kept me coming back. The owner was friendly and extremely knowledgeable, offering helpful advice when asked without any hint of agenda to up-sell etc. Next time I'm in Cardiff, I shall be visiting again! read more

I've not been to Cardiff for a while and I was disappointed to find that the old games shop had closed down. A new shop had opened up and I was keen to visit. The shop was clean and tidy and the guy working there was polite and friendly. All items I looked at were priced. However, the in store selection of games was really poor. Its a combination of quantity and the style of games. By browsing around the store it feels like it is run by people who know very little about games. It felt like walking into an off license which only sold Babycham as this was all the owner drank. Having been in boardgame shops all over the UK I can honestly say that without question, this is the worst of all of them. It really is a shame. read more

A fantastic little gem of a shop. Really friendly, knowledgeable staff, great choice and good prices. If you are into any form of tabletop gaming do yourselves a favour and call in. read more

The staff are very friendly, offer great advice and run great events. They stock a huge variety of games and the latest products at a great price. There's no better shop for games out there. read more

Rules of Play is, at the time of writing, Cardiff's only specialist board/card game shop. They have everything you'd expect in stock; from the traditional old school games such as Monopoly and Risk right up to some of the lesser known classic 'Eurogames' like The Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride. Oh, and if you want a game that's not on the shelves there's a pretty good chance they'll get it ordered in for you! During my first visit to the store I was amazed by how friendly, helpful and knowledgeable the staff were. I'd go as far as to say that it was their approachability that encouraged me to visit on a more regular basis and now I consider board gaming to be something of a hobby of mine (cheers guys!) I'd encourage anyone to visit the store whilst in Cardiff no matter what their knowledge of gaming may be. read more

I wrote a review before for "Rules of Play" and placed it on this website but it appears to have been deleted. This is a shame, so I have re-written my review based on my visit in the spring of 2011. In summary I found the member of staff working there to be friendly without being over bearing or intrusive. I felt that their knowledge on games was lacking which was a surprise due to their job. All items in the shop were priced and the shop was clean and tidy and well presented. The shop is located near Cardiff Castle in one of the arcades and thus has a central location although it is tucked away. I have only rated the store a 1 star. This is because I felt that the store completely fails at being a boardgame store which is their aim. Their range was way below what I would expect to see from such a specialised shop. Many of the items within were your run of the mill party games and games with a high luck basis. Whilst I appreciate that there is a place within the boardgame hobby for such a range, I found that this type of game had been allocated a substantial amount of shelf space. There were some games on the back wall that I was happy to see but these were games that I already owned. The newest release on the shelf was Mansion of Madness from Fantasy Flight which had come out at least a couple of months before my visit. Whilst my visit was a while ago I don't recall seeing any other Fantasy Flight games in the very small shop. Days of Wonder games were severly lacking too. There were no Mayfair games or any from Valley Games. Most game shops try to stand out by bringing in games from small publishers from Europe, Japan and the US. Rules of Play appear to have created a situation where Zombie Dice and Flux are their key push lines. If this is their business model and they are making money from selling this type of product then I am happy for them. As a fan of medium weight boardgames I just found the store severely lacking. Whilst travelling the UK I try to visit as many boardgame shops as possible and I had high hopes for my time in the Welsh Capital. It is due to my knowledge of other specialist boardgame stores that I feel confident in rating this store so poorly - in fact, Rule of Play is in my opinion the worst boardgame shop in the UK. I had money in my pocket which I was eager to spend on a new game. However, I left the store with money untouched and hands empty. There was literally nothing in the store that I wanted. On reflection, the store felt like it was owned by someone who knows little about boardgames. It's like opening a specialist cheese shop but only selling supermarket cheddar. Sadly, I won't be returning to Rules of Play. read more