Wolf Pack Games brings tabletop gaming to Livermore

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when somebody says “board games?” If you answered, “Monopoly”, “Sorry”, or, “more like bored games”, then welcome to a brave new world, which includes answers like “Catan”, “Carcassonne”, and “Dominion”. (If these words are already in your vocabulary, then I’m likely preaching to the choir, and you should skip ahead.)

Board gaming, or tabletop gaming, is in the midst of an ongoing renaissance, with an increase in both the quantity and quality of different games. Modern “European style” games generally favor strategy over luck, have multiple possible ways to win, and eschew player elimination, keeping everybody involved until the end. If you have traumatic memories of losing in an “American-style” game like Risk due to a string of unlucky dice rolls, then waiting hours for the other players to finish, you’ll understand why these changes are so popular.

With increasing exposure due to things like Wil Wheaton’s Tabletop web series and smartphone apps, these games are gaining widespread appeal. For less than the cost of taking a couple of people to a two-hour movie, you can buy a game that will be far more social and interactive, which will entertain you for weeks, months, or even years to come.

For the past few years, Target has sold popular Euro games, such as the ones listed above, Pandemic, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Munchkin, and King of Tokyo. Specialty game stores, gaming cafes, and even gaming libraries are popping up around the country, and offer a wider selection of games, helpful and knowledgeable staff, demonstrations and events and gaming space.

Until recently, the closest game stores were in Fremont, Oakland, and Berkeley, though Fantasy Books & Games downtown offers a small selection, but no gaming space. As of June, however, Livermore has a game store to call its own!

Wolf Pack Games (https://www.facebook.com/wolfpackgamestore/) is located at 1569 Olivina Ave (near McDonald’s). It is open Wednesday through Sunday, from noon until 9 pm (or 10 pm Friday, 8 pm Sunday). While Wolf Pack’s selection isn’t as large as some game stores (and looks even smaller, as they typically only have one copy of each game in stock at a time), the 4 dozen or so games they have are all excellent and have a good variety of game genres and styles (cooperative, hidden traitor, miniatures, kids’, etc.). Working with a distributor in San Jose, they can restock or get special orders within a day or two.

Owner Philip Filippi is friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about games, and is happy to help you find a game you enjoy, such as Tsuro, Hanabi, The Resistance, or Kittens in a Blender, and teach you to play. Other customers in the store are also likely to offer their own suggestions. For more experienced gamers, they offer supplies such as miniatures and paints, and will even paint your miniatures for a reasonable price.

Wolf Pack holds regular events -- during a recent visit, a handful of people were playing Magic: The Gathering, and a Dungeons & Dragons group typically meets on Wednesdays. There are first-come tables for open gaming at no cost (though buying an occasional snack or drink is good manners and helps keep the doors open).

Through Black Friday, the store is selling in-stock board games at up to 25% off, plus discounts on special orders, so you can start your Christmas shopping or pick up something to play on Thanksgiving. They are also planning a crowdfunding campaign (another boon to the gaming renaissance) through Kickstarter or Indiegogo in the near future. Livermore is fortunate to have a game store, so go visit them soon!