Are you an avid board gamer? Do you love to defeat Inox in Gloomhaven, lay routes in Ticket to Ride, lay tiles in Carcassonne, or get your engine going in Wingspan? Perhaps you’re a dungeon crawl fanatic and enjoy nothing more than levelling up, slaying monsters and chucking fistfuls of dice? Or maybe you’re a hardcore Euro-head, and pushing cubes and moving up tracks is your jam? Whatever the flavour of gamer you are, if you live in Melbourne, you might be wondering where all the best board game shops are. Fear not, because this helpful article will help you find your next tabletop treasure as we explore the best board game shops in Melbourne. We’ll cover the city and outer suburbs, and you can visit each to snag the latest hotness in the board game world. Read on to learn more.

Melbourne Board Game Shops

There are several Melbourne CBD board game shops, all within the city centre. We’ll discuss a few of them in this article, but first, we should introduce Melbourne’s oldest board game shop, Mind Games.

Mind Games

Mind Games is a Melbourne board game shop institution that has operated in the city for decades. It is the oldest and biggest board game store in the city. Established in 1977, Mind Games has been the purveyor of tabletop games, board games, card games and puzzles ever since. You’ll find a wide range of games available here, from classic titles to rare and unique games. In addition to board and card games, Mind Games also stocks a range of hobby tabletop games, such as Warhammer, Battletech, A Song of Ice and Fire, Malifaux and more. 

You’ll also find TCG collections here, such as Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering and Disney Lorcana. While Mind Games doesn’t sell online, they do through a subsidiary called Gumnut, where you can find their entire range online with shipping across Australia. The store also stocks a wide range of RPG materials, such as books, starter kits and other resources. 

There is one downside to Mind Games, despite their wide range, and that is that they are priced a touch higher than some of the other stores listed in this article. 

As well as their CBD location, Mind Games also has stores in the following suburbs:

• Northcote
• Moonee Ponds
• Hawthorn
• Malvern

Gameology

Another Melbourne board game shop is Gameology, which has fast become a fan favourite in the city. Gameology has two retail stores in Clayton and Brunswick. Still, they also operate an online warehouse stocking a wider range of games than can be found in their store. Gameology stocks all the latest and greatest in hobby tabletop board games. You can find a wide range within their stores. You can pick up the classics like Catan, Carcassonne, Pandemic, Azul, Gloomhaven, andFrosthaven, as well as smaller and niche titles. Whether it’s party games, social deduction or dungeon crawls, Gameology has what you’re looking for. In addition to selling popular board game titles, Gameology also stocks a wide range of TCGs, such as Pokemon Trading Card Game, Magic The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh and more. You can also pick up a variety of hobby products, such as rattle can primers, Citadel paints, brushes, clippers and other hobby tools at a Gameology store. The store also stocks RPG products, such as Dungeons and Dragons starter kits, books, miniatures and more. 

At both locations, Gameology hosts game events, and games such as Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering are regularly played. 

Gameology might be the best board game shop in Melbourne due to its wide range and competitive pricing. 

Spieledeluxe

If you’re looking for a board game shop in North Melbourne, look no further than Spieledeluxe. This is the best place for a bargain hunter looking for second-hand and used board games. The store almost exclusively stocks second-hand board games and buys board games from those looking to move on rare or out-of-print titles. If you’re looking for an older game that is no longer in print, then this is the place to visit.

Whether it’s an older Fantasy Flight Games item, Asmodee, Rio Grande Games, or Hasbro title, Spieledeluxe may stock it. The store also stocks card games and some hobby items, such as Warhammer and Bloodbowl.

Milsims Games

As we continue our search for the best board game shops in Melbourne, no list would be complete without a mention of Milsims. Located in Mont Albert, Melbourne, Milsims Games has 50 years of experience in the industry and stocks an incredible range with decent prices. You’ll find a range of different board games available for sale here, as well as some niche wargames and tabletop hobby games. 

Some titles they stock include Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps, a wide Shadows of Brimstone selection including many expansions, Star Realms, Gwent and much more. In addition to a wide range of board and card games, Milsims also stocks an incredible range of tabletop miniatures games, from Warhammer to Star Wars Shatterpoint, Armada and Legion, and Flames of War. They also stock scenery, battle mats, and hobby tools and paints. The store also has a wide range of wargames in various settings, such as Napoleonic and World War 2. 

Finally, Milsims also stocks RPG items, such as starter kits, books and more. You’ll also find a range of puzzles and dice available, as this store has something for everyone. Milsims also stocks a wide range of board game sleeves, perfect for those looking to protect their investment. 

Top Deck Games

While there isn’t a board game shop in West Melbourne, Top Deck Games is located in the western suburb of Braybrook. Operating since 2017, Top Deck Games has a range of different games to suit all types of tabletop gamers. They sell a range of TCGs, such as Pokemon, Magic, One Piece, Lorcana and Yu-Gi-Oh. Arkham Horror Card Game is well stocked here, with core sets and expansions. They also stock a range of popular board games, such as Azul, Brass, Catan, Century Golem and Chronicles of Crime.

Top Deck Games also has a play space that can seat 48 people and regularly holds TCG events at their store. You can play Magic, Pokemon, Digimon, Lorcana and Dragonball Z here all regularly. 

Good Games Melbourne

Sadly, Good Games has closed its stores in Melbourne’s city centre, but if you’re looking for a board game store in Melbourne’s outer north-east, Good Games in Greensborough is a must-visit. 

The store stocks a wide range of board games, such as Wingspan, Land vs Sea, Stardew Valley, Exploding Kittens and much more. You’ll find light and family-weight games here, such as Codenames, Sushi Go and Dungeon Mayhem. Good Games also stocks a wide range of TCG products, with the most popular titles represented. They also run card game events, such as Star Wars Deckbuilding game, Yu-Gi-Oh, One Piece, Magic and Pokemon. 

Good Games also has stores in Box Hill and Ballarat, if you find yourself nearby and in need of a game fix. 

Plenty of Games

If you’re looking for a board game shop in Melbourne CBD, then you need to visit Plenty of Games. While primarily focused on TCGs and singles, you can also find tabletop miniatures games here, such as Marvel Crisis Protocol, Warhammer, Kill Team, Age of Sigmar and more. 

The store also runs card game events, such as Magic, Star Wars, FAB Armory, Yu-Gi-Oh and more.

Guf

An interesting bit of Melbourne geek history trivia for you here – Guf stores were large internet & Xbox cafes before COVID that also covered various TCG events and tournaments. In 2020 their regular PC fan base all bought gaming PCs to play at home, and now Guf focuses a lot more on tabletop games such as Warhammer 40k and continue with their TCG stock and events. There are Guf stores in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Werribee. 

Guf stocks a range of popular board games such as Zombicide, Earth, Mini Crimes games series, Arkham Horror, Splendor, Arcs and Sea Salt and Paper. You’ll also find a range of TCGs available here, such as Pokemon, Magic, One Piece, Star Wars and more. They also have a range of TCG singles for sale, perfect for those on the hunt for that special card. 

Zing and JB-HiFi

Worth an honourable mention here are EB Games/Zing and JB-Hifi. These stores are located at most major shopping centres and stock a small range of popular board and card games, such as Catan, Codenames, Monopoly, Azul, Wingspan and Hues and Cues. Zing sometimes stocks some more niche games, such as Abandon All Artichokes and Heroquest, as well as the more popular games. It’s important to note that mainstream stores can function as a great introduction to the tabletop gaming hobby, so while serious gamers may turn up their noses at these popular stores, they can actually introduce people to the wonderful world of board games, card games and other tabletop gaming. 

Melbourne Game Store Summary

You started this article looking for the best board game shops in Melbourne, and we certainly hope you found what you’re looking for here. This list has shared all the best places in Melbourne to get your game on. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer looking for a second-hand bargain at Spieledeluxe, or you’re a novice about to buy your first Catan at Gamelogy, or you’re a wargame veteran looking for a crunchy hex-based game at Milsims, you should have found what you’re looking for in this helpful article.