While tabletop gaming has been around for decades, its seeing a resurgence with due in large part to the popularization of all things geeky/nerdy; although Geek & Sundry's webseries Tabletop hosted by Wil Wheaton also might have something to do with it.
If you're going to be playing tabletop games, you need a good gaming table. The tables I'm about to show you are the cream of the crop - tables you can drool over yet probably never buy. So enjoy the eye candy, and use these as inspiration for what your gaming experience could be like.
The Sultan by Geek Chic is the game table to end all game tables. You can choose to have this handcrafted table comes with player stations, flip down desks, secret doors and affixed cup holders.
You can also customize the wood used in the table's creation. The website offers choices between walnut, cherry, and maple but they're also open to custom orders. With a base price of $12,950 the company had better be willing to make it exactly to your specifications.
If the Sultan is too much gaming table for you, Geek Chic's Spartan is a great step-down in price, but not functionality. The top of this table can be removed to reveal and inset gaming table, and the side panels can also be moved to reveal extra storage.
The removable top is an especially nice touch for those of you playing long campaigns. You can cover up your game with the table top and come back the next week with everything still in place. Plus, the base price is only $3425! Irresponsible (not the expensive game tables are irresponsible per se) spending is the backbone of the American economy!
The Vizier from Geek Chic is my personal favorite of all the tables I"m showing you today. It's got a minimalist design, replaceable top, and can even function as a nice kitchen table when you're not playing games.
With a price tag of $8,925 I'm currently trying to decide which I need more: this table or a new car. I don't really need to drive do I?
I might desperately want the Vizier, but the Minimalist from Geek Chic fits my play style better than the rest of the tables on this list. This design doesn't come with the drawers and fancy fold-outs desks of the rest, but it makes up for the lack of utility with beautiful modern lines.
With the option to make this table just four feet long, it's also the smallest table option available from Geek Chic, with a smaller $2550 base price tag to match.
Not everyone wants to sit at a big table, or has the room for a big table. This is where the Hoplite from Geek Chic comes in. It's smaller size makes it perfect for smaller places without sacrificing functionality.
In other words, it does everything the rest of the Geek Chic tables do, just in a smaller way. The best part of the is the smaller price tag of $1725. This is one of the cases where "go big or go home" need not apply.
The Emissary from Geek Chic is their original, fully customizable model. You can customize every feature of this table to your unique specifications. Do you want cupholders? Do you want drawers? Do you want desks? Do you only want drawers on one side? You choose and Geek Chic will make it for you....for around $2750 to $4000.
Not only does the top of this table come off, but you can also store stuff in the bottom tier. As a pack rat, I'm all about the extra storage that the Rift from Geek Chic has to offer.
If you're like me, all of your board games are probably sitting in a messy heap in a closet somewhere. This table will help you vanquish your messy closet by providing storage space for your games in addition to a fancy coffee table to play them on. All for the low price of $2050.
Now for some snazzy options outside of Geek Chic. This coffee games table from Geoffrey Parker is a throwback to a time before tabletop RPGs. The middle square piece can be removed to reveal two games of your choices, though the defaults are backgammon and chess.
As a smaller table, it's not going to be as useful for huge dungeons or campaigns, but is a classy piece of furniture you could use to play Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, or a personal favorite - Killer Bunnies. Unfortunately, with a price tag of roughly $11,000 you're not getting a ton of bang for your buck.
Okay okay, what you're looking at isn't exactly a table. It's actually the Samsung SUR40 (with Microsoft Pixelsense technology). It features a 40 inch interactive screen that comes loaded with all sorts of fun tech, which makes it the ultimate virtual game table.
The guys over at Tested call it, "The world's coolest Settlers of Catan board," but with the right software (d20Pro is a good choice) you can use it for tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons. At $8,400 it's pricey, but you'll be sure to make your friends jealous of your cutting edge tech.
If you're really keen on spending big bucks on a gaming table, you can always find a furniture designer to custom-make one for you. The above design is by Ryan Schlaefer Fine Furniture, and was custom built for a customer.
Getting someone to custom build a piece for you ensures that it will fit in with the rest of your home decor, and guarantees that you'll be the only person in the world with that specific piece. It probably won't come cheap (none of these game tables do) but if you're going to spend the money anyway, why not go all out?
Published: Sep 12, 2014 03:24 am