Games Unlimited — Attraction in Pittsburgh

An incredible gem of a store! For a long time I felt that finding board games meant hunting on line, and reading reviews, but then having to weigh up whether I'd have the patience and attention to read through the instructions if I ordered it. Then I discovered Games Unlimited. Not only does this store house the most board games I've ever seen, they keep a selection of new, classic and popular games behind the counter and lay them out for customers to play. This gives customers the opportunity to have the rules explained to them visually and kinesthetically so they can decide if it's a game they'll really enjoy/ understand/ want to play.

My boyfriend and I agreed our date nights will revolve around board game nights so we purchase a game once a month. We have spent close to an hour each time we go to Games Unlimited before purchasing a game. The staff really know their stuff and give lots of good recommendations based on game preferences.

They also have a loyalty card scheme where you gain points towards money off a game.

Finally they host tournaments for different games for a variety of ages so kids getting into board games are catered for, right up through to big-kid adults.

IMPORTANT EDIT: You can also rent a range of games for $5 for 2 days. When you return the game you get that $5 back as store credit towards a game. You can also use multiple of these credits to purchase a game outright if you rent games regularly. A great way to keep date nights, get togethers and...

This store is truly amazing and I love it! Staff is the ultimate highlight. When you don’t want their help they will blend right in but as soon as you do, they have great suggestions (this is truly hard to do and I have never found another place that has staff that can pull off good suggestions).

I once doubted their recommendation of a game. Later on had the chance to play that game and then loved it!

Anyway, their selection is one of the best in the city, curated very well. One gripe I have is they stick to MSRP. For most games that’s great. No issues. But for some games like Lost ruins of Arnak, they’re asking 60 new 45 used while you can find it for $40 new at many other locations(target, amazon) ((also I totally get that’s it’s hard if not impossible to compete with the giants)). But, this has only happened a couple times. I love to support them but it’s hard to spend $20 more to do so.

Additionally don’t sleep on their sleeves and other games accessories. They stock it very well and everything is super high quality.

They have play areas coming ( eventually) to the upstairs area, which is an exciting prospect, and I hope they can find a way to make it free if bringing your own games, or at the very least, host some free game nights.

Overall, I love this store, it’s a fantastic part of the city and I refuse to go to...

I feel very justified in giving a five star rating to Games Unlimited. Here's some of the reasons why:

They are friendly and knowledgeable, able to offer their candid thoughts and in-context advice about nearly everything in the store. I have more than once bought items on their recommendation having visited to get something else.

Their used games selection is often a great place to find staple games (Dominion, Citadels, Carcassonne); I've gotten a number of used titles both for myself and others. I've traded in a few, too, for store credit.

They rent games! They update and change some of the titles every so often, but classics and "new hotness" are well represented. Additionally (at least as of my last rental), your rental fee can be used as in-store credit as long as the game is returned on time (you get them for a week). Talk to them for details.

PERSONAL NOTE: I get it that you can find games - or nearly anything - cheaper online. But let's be real: if you like something, then support it or else it won't be around for long. Games Unlimited is a physical place on earth that I hope to patronize for...