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gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Games by James
@gamesbyjames.bsky.social
83 followers 71 following 190 posts
We're a small family-owned retail company specializing in curating a selection of table top games for all people. Everyone is welcome here.
We're based in Minnesota, and we have 6 locations.
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gamesbyjames.bsky.social
The results are in: Spirit Island, Magical Kitties Save the Day!, and Secret Identity have won our prestigious game of the year awards for 2025. As voted by you, our customers!

Spirit Island - Best Strategy Game
Magical Kitties Save the Day! - Best Family Game
Secret Identity - Best Party Game
Our window display, showcasing the game of the year winners for this year. Secret Identity, Magical Kitties Save the Day!, and Spirit Island.
November 28, 2025 at 2:54 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Doing some Holiday shopping early this year? Stop by any of our Games By James or Air Traffic locations from today through Sunday, 11/30/25, and receive a free gift from us with a qualifying purchase, while supplies last.
Sign stating: "Free gift with any purchase of $50 or more, while supplies last. When you make a qualifying purchase, you may choose a free gift. Your gift may come from either of the Gift Tiers for which your purchase qualifies. Promotion valid for limited time only, while supplies last. Not valid on previous purchases. Balances paid using gift card(s) and/or Victory Points do not contribute to the spending threshold when qualifying for a free gift. This promotion cannot be combined with other coupons or discounts. If an item that qualified the purchaser to receive a free gift is returned without also returning the gift, the value of the gift will be deducted from the return amount."
November 21, 2025 at 6:38 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Don't forget, our casual Ticket to Ride tournament tomorrow, 11/18, at 6:00pm at our Southdale store location in Edina. For this free event, everyone will take home a fun package of alternate color promotional trains for their personal game. Winner receives all four!

Hope to see you there!
A display of Ticket to Ride board games along with the promotional pieces players can receive at this event. Promotional train sets come in black, blue, orange, and pink. We also have some alternate score track pieces that may be used as prize support.
November 18, 2025 at 12:03 AM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Fan of Ticket to Ride? Join us at our Southdale location's event space at 6:00pm on Tuesday 11/18/25 for a casual Ticket to Ride tournament and some Ticket to Ride goodies! Players will get a promotional train set to keep, with the winner receiving all four.

Players of all skill levels welcome!
A display of Ticket to Ride games and promotional prizes. A closer look at the four different promotional train sets, as well as some replacement score tracker tokens that may be used as prize support.
November 7, 2025 at 9:43 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
We just got in Queen Swarm from MindWare! It's a family-friendly 2-player abstract strategy game about controlling the beehive. Stop by and play a demo game, then pick up your copy!
Queen Swarm by Mindware Games is on demo at the Games by James at Southdale Center.
October 23, 2025 at 11:50 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Trick or Treat! This October, stop into your favorite Games by James and pull a spinner for your chance at up to 250 Victory Points! Find more information in our newsletter: gamesbyjames.com/newsletter.p...
Trick or Treat in spooky font Image of a black fidget spinner Games by James logo Air Traffic Kites & Games logo "Games" and "Kites & Games" in the logos have been replaced with the same spooky font.
October 11, 2025 at 7:57 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Just confirmed! Dave Beck and Abe Burson, co-designers of @paverson.bsky.social's newest title, Luthier, will be at Games by James at the Mall of America THIS SATURDAY 10/11 to sign copies of their game! Dave will also sign copies of his 2023 game, Distilled. Hope to see you there!
Copies of Luthier and the Luthier Deluxe edition sit in the local games window at the Games by James at Mall of America. Distilled sits in the local games window at the Games by James at Mall of America.
October 7, 2025 at 9:23 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
It's time to vote! Now through Sunday, October 19, any walk-in customer can request a ballot and vote for the Games by James Top Games Awards. Stop by your local Games by James, and make your voice heard!
One each of the nominated top games sit along with a ballot box near the front of the store at the Games by James at Mall of America. The included games are: (back) Wroth, Spirit Island, Heat (middle) Secret Identity, Sky Team, Oh My Pigeons, Magical Kitties Save the Day, Landmarks (front) Superfight, Blind Jack, That's Not A Hat/That's Not A Hat Pop Culture Edition, A Gentle Rain A Stock Image of a Ballot Box with a hand inserting a ballot with the word "vote" on it sits in front of a green background. The front of the ballot box shows the logos for the Games by James Top Strategy Game, Top Party Game and Top Family Game Awards, and the top of the ballot box says "Top Game Awards" near the slit. A picture of the "I Voted for the Games by James Top Game Awards" sticker is superimposed nearby. To the right of these images are the words "IT'S TIME TO VOTE!" and the Games by James & Air Traffic Toys logos.
October 4, 2025 at 5:40 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
It's sometimes hard to build up enough social battery to leave the house, whether it's to buy books or games. If you would prefer to spend your days in your apartment, organizing your books, venture out to Games by James for your copy of A Place for All My Books by @smirkanddagger.bsky.social !
A Place for All My Books sits in the New Arrivals Section at the Games by James in the Mall of America.
September 21, 2025 at 9:00 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
New from @theop.games: TACTA, a chaotic, connecting card game. Find out more from Woosung Games on TikTok and then stop in Games by James for your copy. www.tiktok.com/@woosung.boa...
TACTA by The OP sits on the shelf between Duck & Cover and Tranquility at the Games by James at Southdale Center.
September 20, 2025 at 7:31 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Have you participated in the Games by James & Air Traffic Tabletop Corn Hole Challenge yet? Show your coupon in this month's Victory Points newsletter and see what you've got! All participants earn at least 10 VP.

gamesbyjames.com/newsletter.p...
A stock image of a football on grass with text. "KICK THE SEASON OFF RIGHT Games by James & Air Traffic logo (Image of Tabletop Corn Hole Game by Schylling) CHALLENGE"
September 17, 2025 at 4:05 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
The new "Feel Well" puzzles from Ravensburger are awesome! These 100- or 200-piece large print puzzles, with images that appeal to adults, include a paper placemat with an outline of the pieces for a more stress-free puzzling experience. Plus, other new Ravensburger designs have arrived at GBJ too!
Three 200-piece styles of Feel Well puzzle and five 100-piece styles of Feel Well puzzle are arranged in a semi-circle on the demo table at Puzzles by James at Mall of America.
September 11, 2025 at 3:59 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Our September Buy 2 Get 1 FREE Sale is in full swing. Stop by our stores and look for the green stickers.

Least expensive items is free. While Supplies last. Deal goes through September 30, 2025.
GREEN TAG SALE: Buy 2 Get 1 FREE on over 100 items! Look for the Green price stickers While supplies last Through September 30th, 2025
September 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Are you a fan of the Kinfire Delve series from @incredibledream.bsky.social? Kinfire Council is a new, multiplayer worker placement experience set in the same universe, designed by Minnesotan Kevin Wilson! Stop by your local Games by James for your copy today!
Kinfire Council sits on the shelf near other strategy games at Games by James Mall of America.
September 3, 2025 at 10:38 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Have you used this month's double victory points coupon on pet-themed games yet? Find your coupon at gamesbyjames.com/newsletter.php - expiring August 31!

*Not all items in window display featured in deal, please check newsletter link for details about included items.
A window display at the Games by James at Mall of America, depicting games with themes around pets. Featured are the Puzzle Twist Puzzle: Doggonne Crazy, Boop, Cats & Boxes, Cat Crimes, Catastrophe, Tongues Out, The Isle of Cats, and Abducktion. Games are displayed facing out on three glass shelves.
August 21, 2025 at 3:21 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Have you played Zenith yet? If you haven't, this 2- or 4- player tug-of-war card game is full of fun, interesting strategies.
Zenith sits in the New Arrivals section at Games by James at Southdale Center.
August 16, 2025 at 3:09 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
How cool! Over the weekend local artist Thomas Anderson came into the Games by James and Air Traffic combo store in Ridgedale Center to find copies of his @puzzletwist.bsky.social Puzzle: Fish Tales. He even signed a few copies of his puzzle for us!
Local artist Thomas Anderson signs a copy of his puzzle "Fish Tales" in the play space at the Games by James and Air Traffic combo store at Ridgedale Center.
August 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Have you played Fishing yet? This trick-taker with a twist is exciting the whole game! Cards you take will end up in your hand in future rounds. Don't take enough tricks, and draw new cards from a central pile of upgrade cards - trumps, high numbers and more!
Friedemann Friese's "Fishing" sits on the New Arrivals shelf at the Games by James at Southdale Center.
August 3, 2025 at 10:58 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Have you gotten the latest from @chiptheorygames.bsky.social - Wroth? This area control game is fast-paced and fun, and full of durable, weighty components that feel nice as you play.

And don't forget expansions - the box for the base game is designed with extra room in mind.
Wroth and its two expansions sit on the new arrivals shelf at the Games by James at Southdale Center.
July 30, 2025 at 10:50 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
We also managed to get a picture of Erin Buell and her sister with Golf Match during their demo at Games by James Mall of America earlier today! Thanks Golf Match!
Erin Buell and her sister demo Golf Match at the Games by James at Mall of America.
July 20, 2025 at 2:28 AM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Thanks so much to Ben at Floodgate Games and to all the other local publishers that came out to demo their games this weekend! We also saw Body Be Gone, Golf Match, Last Call: An Imaginary Drinking Game and Lef Justified Studio in our stores.
Ben with Floodgate Games demos Kites at the Games by James at Mall of America. Picture taken Friday, July 18.
July 20, 2025 at 1:54 AM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Thanks so much to Nicole with Tesseray Publishing for kicking off another weekend of local demos last night at Mall of America. Her game Body Be Gone is an absolute blast - if you missed it, she'll be doing several more demos this month, including a demo TONIGHT from 3:30-6:30 at Ridgedale Center. 🧵
Nicole demos her game Body Be Gone to guests at Games by James Mall of America, the evening of Friday, July 11.
July 12, 2025 at 3:01 PM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Did you know you can enjoy playing the #StarWarsUnlimitedTCG at our Southdale Center location too? Our next event is this Saturday, July 12 at 1pm. Stop by for another chaos draft experience with a special low price! Thanks Fantasy Flight Games for your support for these events.
A draft attendee splays the packs they picked at the Star Wars Unlimited Special Chaos Draft at Southdale Center on June 21. An event attendee learns to play Star Wars Unlimited during the Special Learn To Play event at Games by James Southdale Center on June 28.
July 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Happy Mochi demo at the Games by James in the Oakwood Mall (Eau Claire, WI) Happy Mochi demo (Picture 1/2) at the Games by James and Air Traffic Toys combo store at Crossroads Center in St. Cloud. Happy Mochi demo (Picture 2/2) at the Games by James and Air Traffic Toys combo store at Crossroads Center in St. Cloud.
July 11, 2025 at 12:12 AM
gamesbyjames.bsky.social
Have you played #HappyMochi yet? This new game is on demo now through the end of the week at all Games by James locations! Stop by to learn it and pick up your copy today!
Happy Mochi demo at Games by James Mall of America. Happy Mochi demo at the Games by James and Air Traffic combo store at Ridgedale Center. Happy Mochi demo at the Games by James and Air Traffic Toys combo store at Rosedale Center. Happy Mochi Demo at Games by James Southdale Center.
July 11, 2025 at 12:12 AM