Written by Jim Ziegler

Halloween is nearly upon us, but there’s no need to be scared: Gam3Escape is running their annual trick-or-treat event this Thursday night.

Halloween was my favorite holiday when I was a kid. Not because of the candy (although it was always somehow better than Christmas candy) or the costumes, but because it was a time to celebrate all the spooky things I loved as a child. Heck, the first book I ever read by myself was The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree, and I bought every Goosebumps book I could get my hands on.

My mother was adamant about my sisters and myself not watching horror movies, so I was starved for horror until I set out on my own. In the meantime I got into fantasy as a way to satisfy my craving for the monsters and adventure, getting deep into Piers Anthony’s Xanth novels and Robert Asprin’s MythAdventures books long before discovering Magic: The Gathering.

“Satanic Panic” reached my mother and grandmother in the mid nineties, and I grew up hearing every day that roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons were tools for tricking kids into devil worship, as were card games like Magic: The Gathering because they taught people how to use magic spells. Once I started playing Magic in high school I had to hide my collection or risk it being destroyed.

Halloween was like a safe time, where I could enjoy the things I was interested in without fear, ironically. Thankfully, when my church decided to start hosting protest “Halo-ween” events my mom started to realize that the whole movement was ridiculous, but it was Harry Potter that finally broke through to her.

I introduced my family to Harry Potter shortly after the release of The Prisoner of Azkaban, and to this day I think those books are all my younger sister reads. My mom loved the series, too, so when my grandmother started citing the pastor on TV who said it was a tool for recruiting readers to join covens, my mother finally had enough and dropped the whole thing.

So enjoy the season of spooks, whether you’re Trick-or-Treating, attending a costume party, or just watching a scary movie at home.

GAM3ESCAPE’S ANNUAL TRICK-OR-TREAT EVENT

Thursday, 5:00

Celebrate Halloween at Gam3Escape! Come in costume and participate in @tcg808marketplace & @shaylax.ink’s costume contest, pick up free candy and BOOster packs, and participate in the Pokémon Pull game!

IN THE WORLD OF POKÉMON

Surging Sparks Prerelease

Monday, Friday, & Saturday, 6:30, Sunday 3:00

Celebrate the newest Pokémon TCG set with an early look during the Surging Sparks prerelease event! Each player receives a Build & Battle Box from which to build their deck, and then competes for prizes. Entry fee: $30

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 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

Duskmourn Commander Party PLUS Monthly Commander Bingo

Saturday, 6:00

Gam3Escape's Monthly Commander BINGO Event, plus Duskmourn: House of Horror Commander Party. Receive an extra ticket for playing a Duskmourn: House of Horror Commander. Entry fee: $10

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

Twilight of the Republic Pre-Release

Saturday, 2:00 PM

Celebrate the newest Star Wars: Unlimited set, Twilight of the Republic at Gam3Escape’s prerelease event. If you’re interested but haven’t picked up the game yet, start with the beginner’s guide, and work from there! Entry fee: $35

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