Guardian Games

Guardian Games Corvallis is a tabletop game store at 259 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, Oregon, and one of four locations in a small Pacific Northwest chain that began in Portland in 2005. It opened in Corvallis in 2023. The store carries board games, roleplaying games, collectible cards, miniatures and hobby supplies, and it suits shoppers who want a large floor to browse and a place to sit down and play once they have bought something.

What's on the shelves

The Corvallis store stocks Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering among its collectible card games, alongside Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, dice, puzzles, miniatures and general hobby supplies. The selection spans board games, roleplaying games, cards, miniatures and gifts, and the shop floor is organized and labeled clearly enough that a first-time visitor can find a section without help. Staff are on hand to recommend a new game or talk through a current favorite.

The space

The store is large, and a big seating area fills one side of it, lit by daylight from the windows. People gather there to talk and play games, which makes the shop as much a place to spend an afternoon as a place to make a purchase. The store supports everything from relaxed board game sessions to tournament play, and it keeps an event calendar for scheduled play.

Selling cards

Card buying is handled at the Portland store rather than in Corvallis. Sellers create a buylist, receive an appointment link by email, and bring cards in to have their condition verified, with payment made on the spot. Buying is by appointment only. Cards currently accepted include Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, One Piece and Star Wars Unlimited, and anyone with a very large collection can start the process by emailing the chain's card team.

Hours and getting there

The store is open every day, with the longest hours on weekdays and the earliest opening on Saturday.

The address is 259 SW Madison Ave, Corvallis, OR 97333.

History

Guardian Games was founded in Portland in 2005 and has operated for more than 20 years, with stores across Oregon and Washington. The other locations are in Aloha, Oregon and in Kennewick, Washington. The logo was redesigned in 2025 to honor Ethea'lathyr, the Green King, an emerald dragon from a homebrew Dungeons & Dragons campaign that met at the Portland store from around 2010 to 2014. Staff later painted him as a mural there.

The local scene

Corvallis has several other hobby shops within a short walk or drive. Kontraband Retro Games is about 0.1 miles away, Pegasus Games about 0.7 miles, and Matt's Cavalcade of Comics about 1.1 miles. Wicked Comics and Collectibles in Albany is about 9.4 miles from the store.