Written by Jim Ziegler

Haunted houses are a Halloween trope that everyone seems to be able to get behind. The Pokemon anime included a famous episode where Ash died and spent the next several minutes haunting a mansion with Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar, while the games have frequently included abandoned houses with ghostly encounters. Dungeons & Dragons has a classic campaign revolving around vampires, and even Magic now has a plane that’s been absorbed by a house possessed by the demon trapped there.

 

As part of the haunted house theme, Duskmourn: House of Horror introduced a new type of enchantments: Rooms! Rooms are similar to the older split cards, like Research // Development, where you pick a half to play, but since they're permanents, they remain in play. Later you can pay to unlock the other room, gaining both effects.

Before the way Rooms work was revealed there was a lot of speculation about their mechanics. Several people even speculated that they would function like the room tiles in the board game Betrayal at House on the Hill. In that game, players start on a central tile and move through closed doors to flip over tiles from a special deck, randomly generating the house as they explore. With the house generating randomly and the second phase occurring based on which room and Omen triggers it, it’s the best example of a roguelike board game!

 

It would be fun to cast Room spells and move a marker into them, similar to Venturing Into The Dungeon, and to have effects to pull your opponents into those rooms but I guess Wizards of the Coast decided that it would be tough on play area management. Except for special occasions.

 

The Commander Party Gam3Escape hosted included dungeon tiles that worked exactly like Betrayal at House on the Hill: For two mana you could open a door to a new room pulled from the room deck, and for one more you could move into that room to gain its effect. Most decks had some room they could benefit from, even if it was just getting a couple of Treasure tokens each turn from the Vault room.

 

If you missed out on the first one, you can catch the next one on Saturday, November 2nd. 

 

IN THE WORLD OF POKÉMON

Pokémon Day

Sunday, 3:00 PM

The ever-popular monthly Pokémon Day event is back with all of your favorite activities. See Pokémon Professor Jim to Learn To Play and for help building your new deck at 1:00, then hang around for everyone's favorite activity, Pokémon Bingo. Win packs, promos, and prizes! Remember, all players under 13 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Entry fee: $10.

 

Pokémon TCG League Challenge

Sunday, 3:00 PM

Best of 1 format, 30 minute matches, age divisions honored as much as possible based on participation. Deck lists are required, and must be submitted by 2:30 PM. Late and illegible deck lists may not be accepted. Prizes include packs, promos, and other Pokémon merchandise. Entry fee: $7.00

 

Pokémon League Casual Play + Pokéween

Monday and Saturday at 6:00 PM, Sunday at noon

Receive a pack of your choice from any in the store, as well as a promo pack. Participants are entered into the end-of-season prize pool, and also receive a Halloween BOOster pack. Entry fee: $10

 

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet VGC Casual League

Thursday, 6:00 PM

Explore the Paldea region in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Meet new Pokémon, and battle it out with other Trainers at Gam3Escape’s VGC Casual League. Entry fee: $5

 

Pokémon GO Great League Blind 3 & Trade Night

Monday and Wednesday, 6:00 PM

Do you play Pokémon GO? Interested in meeting up with other players and playing in sanctioned Pokémon events? Gam3Escape hosts Pokémon GO League events. Stop in from 6pm to 9pm for our Great League blind 3 casual play and trade night. Entry fee: $5.00

 

Pokémon Standard Constructed Tournament

Sunday, 3:00pm

Show everyone that you’re the best! Like no one ever was! Join the battle at the weekly Standard Constructed Tournament! Regulation F, no deck list required. Entry fee: $7.

 

Pokémon GO Scavenger Hunt

Grab an achievement sheet in-store and GO out to collect them! Complete the scavenger sheet to earn a booster pack and a promo pack, and to be entered into a drawing for an Elite Trainer Box and other prizes. Entry fee: $10 

 

GATHER FOR MAGIC

Friday Night Magic: Standard

Friday, 6:00 PM 

Bring your best Standard deck, updated with the latest Duskmourn: House of Horror cards. Entry fee: $7

 

Standard Showdown

Saturday, 3:00 PM

Adorable bunnies mix with nightmare monsters in the Duskmourn Standard Showdown. Standard constructed format. Entry fee: $10

 

Casual Commander

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 6:00 PM.

The most popular format in Magic, Commander, is back on the table. Bring your favorite deck, or playtest a new one against other magicians. No entry fee: These battles are for honor, not prizes!

 

TIME TO DUEL! Yu-Gi-Oh!

Advanced Constructed Tournament

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 7:00 PM

Duel for supremacy in the Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Card Game. Earn booster packs and OTS Tournament Packs while demonstrating your skills as a duelist. Entry fee: $10

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Shimmering Skies Lorcana League

Monday, & Saturday, 6:30 PM

The adventures in the Inklands continue with Locana League. Bring your sealed deck, or join the fun! The initial entry fee includes a starter deck of your choice, a booster pack, and a 200-card deck box to keep your sealed cards from getting mixed up with your collection. Entry fee: $25 (one-time charge)

 

STAR WARS: UNLIMITED

Shadows of the Galaxy Store Championship

Saturday, 6:00 PM

Defend the galaxy or conquer it in the Shadows of the Galaxy Store Championship! Bring you constructed deck and compete for promos and packs in a best-of-three format. Entry fee: $15.00

 

Casual Play League

Tuesdays, 6:00 PM

Whether you’re an aspiring Jedi, a sinister Sith, or a bounty hunter looking for your next score, Star Wars: Unlimited has all the excitement of your favorite space opera in cardboard form. 

 

THIS MEANS WAR(HAMMER)!

Casual Warhammer

Friday & Sunday, 5:00 PM

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. At Gam3Escape, there is only Warhammer! Whether it’s a Tyranid terror or a Blood Angel battalion, stage your army and prepare for battle at the weekly Casual Warhammer event. 

 

CARDFIGHT! VANGUARD!

Divinez Constructed Tournament

Monday, 5:30 PM

Bring your cards and get ready to fight! Cardfight! Vanguard is back with weekly tournaments, every Monday night. Entry fee: $6

 

UH Hilo Super Smash Club Super Smash Ultimate Tournament

Super Smash Ultimate

Saturday, 1:00 PM

Double elimination.  Casuals between rounds. Bring your own joycon. Entry: $10.00