Board Games are Booming in Brisbane

Well, maybe booming is too strong a word, but board games, particularly Eurogames, are starting to make an appearance in some of the larger mainstream toy stores here in Brisbane, Australia. Just a year or so ago you really couldn't find any Eurogames at all unless you visited one of the very few specialist game stores.

Today I visited Toyworld in the city. Toyworld has over 170 independent toy stores nationwide. It's been a couple of months since I last visited this store. Previously I'd been impressed that they were stocking Blokus, Carcassonne and Cosmic Encounter. I couldn't believe my eyes today when I found a section of their shelves containing the following games:

• Puerto Rico
• Ticket to Ride
• Caylus
  
• San Juan
• Carcassonne
• Carcassonne - King & Scout
• Carcassonne - The Princess & the Dragon
• Mr. Jack
• Wings of War - Miniatures
• Alhambra
• Zooloretto
• Travel Blokus
• Cosmic Encounter

I didn't have long to browse but those above were definitely there. I'm fairly certain there were others but those above are all that I can recall.

I suspect that not every suburban-mall Toyworld is carrying Eurogames though. This particular city store is one of the largest and it also stocks items that the other stores do not, such as massive ranges of die-cast model cars, action figures, and models. Still, for the board gamers of Brisbane it's a positive sign.