It can be hard to get great card and board games for an entire family unit in Des Moines. Titles for different age groups or interests tend to be spread out among specialty stores, but if you put in the effort, you really can find something for everyone. Here are a few highly recommended stores at which you can begin your quest to fill the ultimate game closet:
Games by James -- 101 Jordan Creek Parkway
This Minnesota-based chain has a great variety of games in a compact and well-organized space. Check out their options for fancy chess boards. They're also good for finding prank items and brightly-colored role-playing dice.
Games and More -- inside Valley West Mall
At first glance, this family-friendly store looks more like it specializes in the "More" part of its name, with its large stock of stuffed animals, trikes, and kits taking up much of its front window space. Take a deeper look, though, and you'll find an impressive array of collectors' Monopolies, the entire Settlers of Catan series, Killer Bunnies, and much more. This is also one of the only places to find a large selection of single-player puzzles, many made by the popular ThinkFun company.
Toys 'R' Us -- 8801 University Avenue, or 1211 E Army Post Road
Naturally, you'll find games for every stage of your child's development here, from the super-simple (Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Life, Chutes and Ladders) to the logical and challenging (Clue, Pictionary). As this list implies, their selection is mostly of the classics, but who can have too many classic games?
Barnes and Noble -- 4550 University Avenue
This bookstore, like many, has a relatively small selection of games, but if you're on the go, you'll appreciate their travel versions of famous games like Boggle and Operation. For the home, their "onyx" versions of Scrabble and Monopoly are impressive, if you're willing to shell out some extra cash.
Mayhem Collectibles -- 7500 University Avenue
Got some vivid imaginations in your family? Mayhem has the largest selection of role-playing and fantasy-related fare to be found, from Dungeons and Dragons and Warcraft rulebooks to niche games like Lunch Money (where players simulate a schoolyard brawl via cards) and Nuclear War (where it's not uncommon to hear "Anyone have change for ten million people?"). Truly cool.
Have fun, and never lose that competitive spirit!
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