We are a family operated on-line game store operated out of Redmond, Washington dedicated to providing you with the very best games available.

What makes us different from other on-line game stores?

We started out as a very small on-line store with very low overhead and a very high level of dedication to our customers.  We still main that high level of dedication and low overhead but we've since expanded into a somewhat larger operation and we hope to expand still further. Because our overhead is so low, we can afford to keep our prices extremely competitive.  But more importantly, we like to think that we're people like you who happen to know and love great games. Just look at what our customers are saying about us!

We have a big family and we know how important it is to find good uplifting activities for our kids.  There is nothing more important than time well spent with family and friends and we can think of no better way to spend that time than by playing a good game.  Games get people talking to one another.  They get people interacting.  They get people thinking.  They teach healthy competition.  They teach the value of playing fair.  They teach the importance of being gracious winners and cheerful losers.  They teach that it can be almost as fun to watch someone else win as it is to win yourself.

We also know that time is precious.  We don't have time to waste on an average game.  When we find time to play a game we want it to be a game that everyone can enjoy, one that is truly engaging.  We also think that most people don't have the time to discover those truly great games for themselves and that's why we decided that we would only stock the very best.  The games in our selection are truly the cream of the crop.  We have carefully researched the games in our inventory in order to make sure that we only stock the very best.

When you go looking for a truly great game we hope that you'll think to look here first.  We know that you'll be glad you did.

Of course we're always looking for more games.  If there is something that isn't in our inventory and you think that it should be then please send us an email and let us know about it!

And just what do we think makes a great game?

Well, it's a little hard to put your finger on it but here are a few things that we look for in a truly great game:

• Does it allow more than one strategy to be successful? (Does it have depth?)
• Does it reward players for smart or clever play?
• Are the rules clear, elegant and concise? (No lengthy rulebooks please.)
• Can it be played in a reasonable amount of time? (30-120 minutes seems ideal.)
• Does it avoid the "rich get richer" syndrome?  (In other words, is it possible to come from behind?)
• If it involves luck (for example, dice) then the luck shouldn't dominate the game; rather it should just serve to make it interesting.
• Does it have an interesting theme?

Now obviously this list isn't exhaustive and there are some great games in our inventory that don't exhibit all of these characteristics but we think this is a good place to start.

If you ever hear someone mention the term Euro Game, well this is the kind of game they are talking about.  The term stems from the fact that many of these games originated in the European games market.  The Europeans have been playing these kinds of games for quite some time.  Games seem to be a much more accepted, and respected part of every-day family life in Europe than they are here in America.

Who are we?

House Full of Games was founded in 2004 by Steve Blanding with the support of his wife Doreen and their six children.

Steve has been a game nut for as long as he can remember.  Ever since he was small, his dream has been to own his own game company.  He cut his teeth playing games like Battleship, Sorry and Trouble.  From there he progressed to games like Clue, Stratego, Risk and Monopoly.  Hearts, Bridge and Cribbage were always played at family get-togethers.  The classic computer games of the 80's played a huge role in his life, eventually leading him to a career in software development.  But boardgames and card games have always held a special place in his life.

Then one day Steve discovered the meatier games of the Euro Game genre, games like Settlers of Catan, Citadels, Puerto Rico and Carcassonne, and he knew that things were about to change.  The world of games has never looked so good and it's only going to get better.

Get Inside Steve's Head

If you're really interested in knowing more about us then you should check out Steve's blog! You can find it at http://hfog.blogspot.com. There you'll find his random and often unpolished comments on gaming and sometimes other stuff.

Why the name?

Because that's literally what we have.  We have a large family and over the years our house has literally been filled with games.  Eventually we got the idea of opening an internet store to help us share some of the great games that we had found with our family and friends.

How to contact House Full of Games?

The best way to contact us is through email.  We check our email constantly and we can generally respond more quickly that way than if you leave us a phone message. 

House Full of Games
18313 NE 133rd St.
Redmond, WA 98052
email: support@housefullofgames.com
Voice/Fax: (425)861-6780