Home Collections

Nikki and Chuck Olson Go Over the Board for Chess Sets

This travel-loving Seattle family has turned collecting pieces and chessboards into a tradition.

12/21/2022 By Angela Cabotaje Photography by Chona Kasinger

Home Collections

Polaris Altares Chooses Pikachu

The 12-year-old Pokémon Tabletop Card Game contender tries to collect 'em all while helping his family at their Seattle store Tabletop Village.

12/21/2022 By Angela Cabotaje Photography by Chona Kasinger

Made in WA

The Toys “R” Hers

Helen Malsed of Magnolia invented the Slinky Dog and Snap-Lock Beads.

08/23/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

Made in WA

11 Games, Toys, and Tools Invented in Washington

Pickleball, Pictionary, and Magic: The Gathering all started here.

08/23/2022 Edited by Benjamin Cassidy By Seattle Met Staff

Ready, Players?

GameWorks Reboots in Downtown Seattle

The Seattle arcade, just off the corner of Seventh and Pike, reboots under new ownership after a Covid closure.

08/03/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

Tee It Up

Three Northwest Golf Resorts Are Reinventing the Game

A traditional sport reemerges in shorter, wilder, and varied forms across the Pacific Northwest, at the Skamania Lodge, Silvies Valley Ranch, and beyond.

04/07/2022 By Allison Williams

BOARD IN THE HOUSE

Board Games That Make Family Time More Fun

From family-friendly board games for large groups to adult-targeted card games that'll help you learn more about the ones you love.

04/04/2022 By Zoe Sayler

This Month in Seattle Tech

Why Microsoft Acquiring Activision Blizzard Is Such a Big Deal

The Seattle-based tech behemoth now owns the makers of Candy Crush and World of Warcraft—but the gaming company is embroiled in harassment allegations.

01/26/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

State of Play

What’s Driving Seattle’s Tabletop Gaming Renaissance?

Decades after Magic: The Gathering put this region on the map, the game scene is in bloom.

09/03/2021 By Stefan Milne

From Horror to Hygge

Why Cozy Games Triumphed During the Pandemic

'Animal Crossing', 'Spiritfarer,' and 'Cozy Grove' brought us together (and helped hold us together).

08/24/2021 By Sophie Grossman

State of Play

5 Seattle Board and Card Game Stores Pick Local Favorites

From Pokémon to an anti-artichoke card game, check out picks from staff at Ballard's Mox Boarding House, Queen Anne's Blue Highway Games, and more.

08/20/2021 By Stefan Milne

Game On

Fighting Boredom During Coronavirus Quarantine

Here are some local video game, board game, and movie recommendations to keep you entertained indoors.

03/18/2020 By Marisa Comeau-Kerege

How to Score

Quirky Seattle Team Sports to Play in Summer

From boozy mini golf to bike polo, the season starts now.

05/29/2019 By Jaime Archer

Brain Teasers

This Robot Is a Mind Reader

The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence has transformed Pictionary into a training ground for human-compatible AI.

04/23/2019 By Aly Brady

The Sporting Life

The Making of a Duffleboard

Drew Fletcher of Function Foundry and Sam Largent, cofounder of Flatstick Pubs and inventor of Duffleboard, talk about what goes into building the locally ha...

09/11/2018 By Rosin Saez

Two In One

What the Heck Is Duffleboard?

A hybrid, locally hatched invention revives an analog approach to fun and games.

09/11/2018 By Rosin Saez

Feature

Spell Casters, a ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Origin Story

A Boeing employee and a mathematician dreamed up a new kind of collectible card game in a Seattle parking lot 25 years ago. They couldn’t have known Magic: The Gathering would change the gaming world forever.

12/18/2017 By Darren Davis