WZKD Games

WZKD Games anchors Santa Fe Place Mall with the city's longest-running Saturday Pokemon League, Tuesday Night Magic at 6PM, and a wall of cheap Pokemon singles.

Craig Walendziak ran War Games West in Albuquerque before he and his family launched WZKD Games in Eldorado in 2021. Two years later the store moved into a roomy unit at Santa Fe Place Mall, next to Dillard's, and it has become the competitive heart of the local scene. The Santa Fe Reporter describes the crowd here as the more hardcore end of the city's gaming community, and the entry-fee events with real prize support back that up.

Pokemon pays the bills, and the owner says so plainly. The singles selection is broad and priced to move; one reviewer came away with a full-art Snorlax for under five dollars. Japanese Pokemon cards show up in the cases as well. The shop hosts what it bills as Santa Fe's longest-running Pokemon League every Saturday from 11AM to 2PM, a low-pressure entry point for kids and parents. Magic: The Gathering is the other main draw: WZKD is a Wizards Play Network store, Tuesday Night Magic fires at 6PM, and prereleases fill the calendar. One Piece, Digimon, and Star Wars Unlimited have followings too.

Beyond cards, WZKD is the Warhammer hub for northern New Mexico, with 40K, Age of Sigmar, and Kill Team tables open all day and painting nights on the schedule. Board games and chess tables round out the floor. The staff authenticates cards before buying, which occasionally frustrates a seller with a card they can't verify but protects the singles wall for everyone else.

Mall hours make visits easy: 10AM to 8PM Monday through Saturday and noon to 6PM Sunday. Spend $100 or more and there's a 10% discount. The Discord server is the best place to catch last-minute event changes, and the topdeck.gg calendar lists upcoming tournaments. For trading cards in Santa Fe with a genuine play community behind them, WZKD is the mall stop that earns its own trip.