Calgary Alberta, and Gaming

Elimination

Ok i just moved to Calgary Alberta (In Canada.) i am orignally from Vancouver Island, in a small town. This place is soooo much bigger than what i am used to. I don't know anybody here except my roomates. I am used to having a whole mass of friends because back home i am fairly popular. I left behind a lot of people including a very awesome girl to start a new life over here.

Anyways the only place i really know how to get to is TD square (and the places its attached to.) and a few other places around 17th (The Red Mile.). I live on 11th ave very close to down town, i dont have a car anymore i left it back in BC and i havnt found a need for one, i've actually been enjoying my long walks around the city to be honest, and its a good exercise. What i want to know is does Calgary have any arcades or good gaming shops? The only place i have found so far is HMV in TD square, i know there has to be a bunch around here i just don't know where anything is in this city and the size of this place and everything packed into everything is a little daunting coming from a small town. Is there anyone here that lives around my area who can point me in the direction of some cool places? Mainly i wanted an arcade because i wanted to meet some other gamers since i have no friends here except the girls i live with.

But i also want to pick up some games too on the cheap from time to time and i'd like to know where to go. Help help??

Trus

The only arcade I can think of is in Eau Claire Market downtown, but I never actually went out looking for arcades.

Decius

If you want to check out an cool gaming event and are into PC gaming, check out Fragapalooza. It's the largest LAN gaming event in Canada. The only downside is it's 3 hours up the highway in Edmonton. If you can find someone to car pool with though, you're good to go.

Elimination

Decius wrote: »

If you want to check out an cool gaming event and are into PC gaming, check out Fragapalooza. It's the largest LAN gaming event in Canada. The only downside is it's 3 hours up the highway in Edmonton. If you can find someone to car pool with though, you're good to go.

That looks extremely cool. So there is an arcade down town? Is there an approximate location? I dont really know my way around that well yet. Gaming shops would be good suggestions as well

Sarcastro

Theres a major game shop there, or was one- Sentry Box- it's massive. Lots of clubs, heavy CCT tourneys, but all kinds of games as well. Used to pop in there every so often.

EDIT: Because 'Dragon's Den' wasnt even close to the right name, although there are always a few wherever you go.

For your basics, try Deerfoot Mall, just off Crowchild Trail I think. Other than that, hit the yellow pages. You wont find too many arcades, mostly all swallowed up by pubs and VLTS. But aside from your basic game stuff, y'know, Future Shop, Rogers, Superstore etc, the rest of it is mostly about card gaming and DnD stuff.

Not a lot in Cowtown though, hope you brought your shitkickers.

Nova_C

Century Box for all your non-video gaming needs (CCGs, tabletop, etc). It's downtown, although I don't remember exactly where it is.

Up center street (Gonna be 30 or 45 minute walk from downtown) is ... a game store I don't remember the name of. :P It's a big place with tons of used stuff (Last year they had a working Sega Master System with a bunch of games for sale). It's a few blocks south of 16th Avenue, north of downtown on center street and is on the east side of the street.

EDIT: That store on Center is called Game Traders (I'm retarded.)

Sceptre

Woh, glad to see so many Calgary based PA'ers coming out of the woodworks.

I live in Bonavista, which is as far away from you as possible, but I will listen attentively to your guys advice about downtown.

Descendant X

Nova_C wrote: »

Century Box for all your non-video gaming needs (CCGs, tabletop, etc). It's downtown, although I don't remember exactly where it is.

Up center street (Gonna be 30 or 45 minute walk from downtown) is ... a game store I don't remember the name of. :P It's a big place with tons of used stuff (Last year they had a working Sega Master System with a bunch of games for sale). It's a few blocks south of 16th Avenue, north of downtown on center street and is on the east side of the street.

EDIT: That store on Center is called Game Traders (I'm retarded.)

I don't live in Calgary, but I think I bought my PS2 from Game Traders back in the day. Did they have a couple of Virtual Boys in the shop on display with "do not touch" signs on them?

wunderbar

yea Fragapalooza is pretty freaking awesome. I've gone for 2 years, and plan to go again this year. Best 4 days of gaming I have in the year.

The Weazel

Been living in Calgary for 7 years now, actually moved out from BC as well.

As far as arcades go, nothing that I know of that's close to downtown. Eau Claire kinda has one, but nothing impressive. Most of the movie theaters have SOMETHING in the way of gaming, but nothing overly cool. there was a super rad place in this ghetto part of downtown, but they've packed up shop.

Video Game Trader is the best store I know of for Retro gaming and Indie titles, and they've hired people who actually play games. It's just out of downtown, north on center street and 12th ave.

NorthGuard

Hi there, I'm new to the forums and thought I'd chime in... First off, welcome to Alberta! Calgary's an alright place, for a city. Buy a flames jersey and you'll be good to go

Seriously though, I'd recommend the Sentry Box for anything table-top related. Lots of space, massive inventory, there's always lots of games going on there. Also, probably the best selection of sci fi and fantasy books in the city. Google / Mapquest it for directions - I'd link you, but I'm not sure if that's allowed here.

I'm not a big arcade player, but the arcade at the IMAX / Cineplex on Macleod Trail seems pretty decent. Plus, there's an EB Games in the same mall, which is usually okay.

NorthGuard

Ah, I just forgot something - don't know if it's your thing, but Schanks (a sports bar NW Calgary) has some decent arcade games too, or at least it did the last time I was there - also has beer, a bowling alley, mini golf, and nice looking waitresses . The Stampede Fairway usually features an arcade when it's in town as well.

Raziel

Damn, Elimination, you live just a few blocks from my house! That's crazy.

Mokay, so for tabletop games/card games/whatever, the Sentry Box is the place to be. It's seriously West down 12th ave. Keep walking, follow the road where it turns, and you're basically there. It's the geek hangout par excellence.

As for arcades, there aren't a whole lot in town. The one at Eau Claire has gotten pretty shitty in recent years - it's nowhere near on the scale of the one in West Edmonton Mall, for instance. But there is a really sketchy one on about 7th ave and 1st street, but I think that's a Triad hangout or something. I haven't been in because I'm white as snow and allergic to knife wounds.

Could also check out Chinook Centre. It's a straight shot south on the train, so yeah.

When I'm looking for cheap video games, I usually rent them. I live just off 17th ave and 8th street so I'm pretty much in the thick of the action. Video Game Trader has a lot of old and rare stuff, but they are expensive as hell. I know which one you're talking about, Weazel. That's the one with the display cabinet with a ROB in it, right?

Edit: actually, I just moved back here from living in Edmonton for a year, and I'm looking to make some new friends too. WANNA GO PLAY NINTENDOES SOME TIME?

cSpooge

Sarcastro wrote: »

Theres a major game shop there, or was one- Sentry Box- it's massive. Lots of clubs, heavy CCT tourneys, but all kinds of games as well. Used to pop in there every so often.

EDIT: Because 'Dragon's Den' wasnt even close to the right name, although there are always a few wherever you go.

For your basics, try Deerfoot Mall, just off Crowchild Trail I think. Other than that, hit the yellow pages. You wont find too many arcades, mostly all swallowed up by pubs and VLTS. But aside from your basic game stuff, y'know, Future Shop, Rogers, Superstore etc, the rest of it is mostly about card gaming and DnD stuff.

Not a lot in Cowtown though, hope you brought your shitkickers.

you're thinking of Market Mall which is on Shag and 32nd just west of the university. There are EB Games in Chinook, Market Mall and North Hill which would be the easiest to get to since they're on the C-Train route for the most part (Market you would have to take a bus from brentwood). Like everyone else said Sentry Box is the place to go for any tabletop/CCG/board game related things.

http://www.sentrybox.com/ is their site.

As for arcades... The UofC has a small one with some things in it the only other place I can think of other than movie theaters is Flippers in the airport but that isn't worth going to unless you're going on a plane somewhere or work there.

Interpreter

There are EB games in the majority of the malls in Calgary now. But lately, I've been finding a better selection of games at the various HMV stores around. Northland Mall is great as it has EB Games, Future Shop, and Best Buy all in the same mall(oddly, all three of the Best Buys in the city are located close to Future Shop. Good for price matching).

The U of C arcade has really gone downhill. Don't know about recently, but the last time I was in it they still had many of the same games that were there when I was actually a student there(which was a long time ago).

Bartholamue

The Campus Cove in the U of C closed down in September (?), actually. Which is a shame because it had a semi-working drummania V4.

I go to Calgary sometimes, it'd be cool to meet up.

The Weazel

Raziel wrote: »

When I'm looking for cheap video games, I usually rent them. I live just off 17th ave and 8th street so I'm pretty much in the thick of the action. Video Game Trader has a lot of old and rare stuff, but they are expensive as hell. I know which one you're talking about, Weazel. That's the one with the display cabinet with a ROB in it, right?

That's the one. Yeah, the Trader is expensive as all hell. It's fun to go browse, but buying from there.... will sack your wallet.