WZKD Games — Local services in Santa Fe

My first time visiting I was shocked. Myself and some friends went up there for the first Old World Tournament in NM we came from ABQ. I usually have hesitations when visiting stores like these. Stores where they are the only one in town or cater to a loyal base can some times suffer from a pretentious vibe that can make new faces feel unwelcome. This was not the case. The store owner (Craig) greeted us with a friendly smile and almost instantly made us feel welcomed. He started breaking down where we could get food or drinks around the area, even though he sells drinks for consumption in his store. After a long day of gaming, I was lucky enough to play my last round against him. Which gave me a chance to have one on one time with the owner. This furthered my opinion of him. He is a family man, very knowledgeable, and like most of us trying to survive doing what we love as hobbyists. He understands the market and understands what some don't. If you smile and make people feel comfortable they will bring business in.

I highly recommend this store, not only is the inventory massive for the player base he has, he also puts you at ease when you walk in. He stocks a multitude of Armies in the store for almost every system he sells. This is for you the customer to borrow and test out before you have to commit to an expensive hobby. In a hobby that can become quite expensive it is refreshing to see someone who truly cares about nurturing a new generation of gamers, as well as putting the effort in to surprise even the most veteran hobbyist. While the distance from my city is an hour drive. I will be making routine stops in that area from time to time. The players I met and his store cemented in my mind a standard for hobby spaces that will be the rubric for my "LGS" standard. To that this review is moot, I am just preaching with everyone else in Santa Fe already knows about WZKD. However, if you are around the area, stop in, worse case you might have a nice talk with some...

Like other Play! Pokemon stores in Santa Fe (namely ones at the DeVargas Mall), this store is building a bad reputation for the local Pokemon community by using deceptive practices and displaying poor store management.

This store was set to host a League Challenge on Friday, September 19, 2025.

I noticed the official Play! Pokemon website had this event listed as a League Challenge, but, WZKD titled it as a “League Cup”.

I walked into the store on two different occasions to verify whether this was a Cup or a Challenge as they are two very different events, especially with point payout. Both times I was told it is a “Cup”. Their instagram page also falsely advertised this as a “Cup” when in reality, this was a Challenge.

It’s very disappointing to see how poor the local Pokemon community is in Santa Fe. One of the other stores (namely at the DeVargas Mall) was recently banned from league play due to these types of actions from store owners.

Going back to their supposed “Cup”, I showed up to play, only to find out that 1. The store employee didn’t even know there was a Pokemon event happening and 2. I was told I was the only one who showed up, so I ended up leaving after waiting about 5 minutes for others to show up, which no one did.

I also found out that the store scheduled this supposed “Cup” at the same time during a MTG prerelease event.

I have been playing Pokemon TCG competitively for the past 3 years and have found it very difficult to support any Santa Fe store with league play as they don’t support its players and use deceptive practices to draw them into their events.

I have been traveling from Santa Fe to Rio Rancho and Albuquerque for Challenges and Cups as their organizers have displayed a commitment to the community. Not every store is perfect, but as usual, I cannot support the Santa Fe stores, including WZKD.

Hopefully the store owner will clean things up. I wish them well in their...

An Absolute Gem of a Local Card & Game Store!

WZKDs is hands down one of my favorite places to play because of the incredible selection of games, cards, and collectibles, but mainly because of the people who make it special. From the moment you walk in, you’re welcomed like family. The owner and his amazing staff go above and beyond to make every customer feel seen, valued, and at home. It's more than a store, it's a community.

Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the scene, the staff at WZKDs is patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to help. They remember your name, your interests, and are always ready with a recommendation or a friendly conversation. Events are run smoothly, the atmosphere is always welcoming, and there's a strong sense of inclusivity that makes everyone feel like they belong.

This place has truly become a home away from home for me and so many others. It’s where friendships are built, laughter is shared, and the love of games brings people together. If you're even remotely into card games, tabletop, or just good company, do yourself a favor and stop by. You won’t...