The Best Gaming Resource in Midtown: The Compleat Strategist

Instead of a big list of best, last-minute holiday shopping on 34th Street, I'm mentioning just one awesome gift resource: The Compleat Strategist.

The Compleat Strategist is, on first glance, a hardcore gaming shop for the Dungeons & Dragons set. Do not let the dragons fool you.

There is a huge selection of the classics, and big set ups for chess and poker sets. Now, that's not to say you won't find a lot of stuff like "Gale Force Nine hobby tools" and fantasy role playing board games, but that's the beauty of it. Shopping The Compleat Strategist is a total adventure, because it's packed full of fascinating games you've never seen before. A lot of them seem to come from Germany.

A lot of unusual board games...

And a lot of classics.

Here's what I did, and you should too: tell the clerk exactly who you are shopping for. "I need a game for three boys, 9 and under, who love Legos, Star Wars, and Legos. Their basement is one big Lego set, and they have Star Wars wallpaper in their bathroom."

The clerk took me immediately to this:

"Carcassonne." It's a board game involving tiles, "meeples," and yes, it's German. I don't get it yet but I'm totally going to geek out on it with my nephews after Christmas. And I'm really excited to introduce them to something new and challenging, a game of strategy on a whole different level.

Excellent service, crazy-whack product you're not going to see in your massive toy store, and really ugly carpeting: this is one authentic game store. A perfect stop during your last-minute, holiday shopping rush.


The Compleat Strategist 11 W. 33rd Street

Craig's Picks: Halloween Adventure on 34th Street

Let's visit Halloween Adventure again as many of you may be scrambling for a costume this weekend. Yesterday, Intern Craig did a Halloween edition of his weekly Wednesday 34th Street Twitter picks, and today I'm being lazy posting them for those of you who missed his tweets. Comments above the pictures are printed straight from Craig's tweets. Craig started with Michael Jackson, the old Halloween standby.

"A very illustrious MJ section. If you're trendy, keep the military jacket for the wardrobe."

"I've never seen plus size costumes before but props to costume makers for including everyone! There's also men's."

"My toddler self was very confused by this. An Elmo dress?"

"Of course, a Gaga section. Poker face suit, VMA performance look, and flag bikini from Telephone. Take your pick."

"SUPER MARIO SECTION. MY INNER GAMING NERD IS CRYING TEARS OF JOY."

 

And, last, "Fun fact about intern Craig: I'm secretly obsessed with superheroes." 

 
 I don't really believe Intern Craig has an inner gaming nerd, but if that's true, he needs to visit The Compleat Strategist on 33rd Street between Madison and Fifth. And I have never seen a grown woman dressed as Elmo. I must advise against this as one then runs the risk of being mobbed by toddlers.

Halloween Adventure, temporary pop-up store

35 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues