GAMING

If you’re a fan of games – board, card, video, and otherwise! – then you’ll want to make sure you don’t miss out on gaming in Ballroom C and the River Overlook area! There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re looking to learn a new board game or dominate in some competitive video gaming. The entire weekend is jam-packed with events, so click on the links below to learn more!

For tournament and demo times, please check the gaming schedule. To sign up for a game tournament, visit the video gaming room to add your name to the list!

GAMING DEPARTMENT HOURS:

Friday 12:00pm-12:00am

Saturday 10:00am-12:00am

Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm

Have a question or a suggestion for something you’d like to see in future years? Email us at gaming@grcomiccon.com!

Board Game Library

From quick and simple all the way to thought provoking strategy, our game library has something for everyone! Sample a huge variety of board and card games and make some new friends. Board games are free to rent – we just require a photo ID as collateral while you play. We’ll happily teach most any game in the library, but you can also check our scheduling board for what demos are being presented throughout the weekend. Come and play with us!

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Electronic Gaming

If you’re looking to play a traditional game of Mario Kart or participate in an exciting tournament against your peers, Nexus Gaming Alliance has all of your needs covered with dozens of options and systems available.

And, for the first year ever, Psychic Drive is here with rhythm games for your enjoyment!

Tabletop Roleplaying

Come ye adventurers, new and old! Talented Game Masters will be available throughout the weekend to run quick demonstrations from all different kinds of systems for the curious and short adventures for those who’d like to be a little more immersed. All ages are welcome (kids 12 and under must please be accompanied by an adult).

Check the schedule at the gaming library for more information and to sign up for your session!

Escape Rooms

Join us for a pop-up escape room from Experimental Gamer!

They have been running escape rooms at other conventions for over a decade and we’re excited to welcome them for their second year at Grand Rapids Comic Con!

Check out what else is going on in gaming!

We are happy to teach you any game that we have in our library, but we also have several featured games that we will schedule for demonstrations throughout the weekend. We also partner with indy developers to bring new gaming opportunities here to the show for you to experience for yourself!

This year, we have special guests from Storyastic games sponsoring our demo room! Come try out one of their many games over the weekend and maybe take a few home with you!

Founded by Dana Brown, Lead Designer at Walt Disney Imagineering and Chip Brown, former producer at Walt Disney Studios and publisher for HarperCollins, Storyastic is an imaginative toy, game, and entertainment company whose debut product was THE RANK GAME, named Favorite Pick at Toy Fair NY, the largest toy and game convention in the Western Hemisphere. It has since won multiple awards. The Rank Game has 15 SKUs including the main/base game, an After Dark Edition and 13 popular On-the-Go packs including Culture Vulture, Adulting, Girls Night, Guys Night, Relationship Goals, Sports & Outdoors, and more!

STAK game is TOP 3 Spielwarenmesse ToyAward finalist in Nuremberg 2025 show, the largest toy & game convention in the world! Additional games include Hextend, Decimate, KnitPic, Brandish, Really Good Really Bad, DRAUL, Betcha Switchup, Swipe Swap Swindle, Zip Zilch Zero, Blockeed & Loaded, Glow Deck, DuraDeck, EZ2C Deck, the DEK line, and TOY FAIR NEW YORK TOY OF THE YEAR FINALIST Razor Deck, the world's thinnest, coolest playing cards.

Play to Win Game Demos: Sponsored by Keymaster Games, come check one of their games out of our library or join us for a demonstration for a chance to enter into a drawing to take the game home with you! For more details, ask the game library staff!

Game Demos

Escape Rooms in a Box

Want to challenge yourself and a group of friends? We have the entire collection of Unlock! games available in our library this year! These escape rooms in a box require a free app that you can download on your phone or tablet to plat and are a great way to pass an hour with some family or friends!

Just like regular board games - but BIGGER! Try your hand against a friend (or foe, we won’t judge) in giant chess or watch your hopes and dreams come crashing down with giant jenga. You thought normal-sized UNO was heated? Give the extra large version a go!

Giant Board Games

Video Game Tournaments

Video Game Tournaments: In our quest to find the elite gamers, tournaments will take place throughout the weekend. Sign-ups for all tournaments will be at the HQ table right inside the entrance to the ballroom.

Attendees can create their own tournaments ( as long as they do not interfere with official game room events). If you want to create and run your own tournament, sign up at the electronic gaming arena.

All tournaments have a roll call to assure attendance. Please make sure to check in 5 minutes before the start of any event. If you show up late, you could lose your spot in the tournament. Don’t let that happen to you!

All tournament rules can be found at our website: www.NGAgamers.com
Have a question? Need help? Do not be afraid to ask Nexus Gaming Alliance staff members that will be on site. Just look for the branded NGA shirts.

Friday:

4pm: Tekken 8 (PS5)

7pm: Sonic Racing : Crossworlds (PS5)

10pm: WWF No Mercy (N64)

Saturday:

1pm: Ultimate Chicken Horse (SWITCH)

4pm: DragonBall sparking zero (PS5)

7pm: Retro Gaming Gauntlet (various)

10pm: Mortal Kombat 1 (PS5)

Sunday:

1pm: Mario Kart 8 (switch)