How can I place an order with Golden Spike Games?

Updated

Golden Spike Games takes direct orders by email for most of the Deep Thought Games catalog, and it also fulfills the older Deep Thought Games order queue. To order, contact the site by email; you can also ask for free delivery at an event the owner is attending, such as TRAXX in Denver. Two titles, 1817 and 18MEX, are not available here and are handled by All-Aboard Games instead.

What Golden Spike Games actually sells

Golden Spike Games produces and ships 18xx-style board games. Its catalog covers most Deep Thought Games titles, with the exception of 1817 and 18MEX. The games are the same as those Deep Thought Games produced, with upgrades such as quad-fold boards.

Two things are worth knowing before you order:

  • Deep Thought Games is not taking new orders. Golden Spike Games handles all fulfillment of existing Deep Thought Games orders.
  • Direct orders come first. Games in the old Deep Thought Games queue are not reached until the direct, premium orders have all been fulfilled.

The company has been helping fill Deep Thought Games orders since 2009 and has taken direct orders since 2014. It is based in Utah.

How to place an order

The site is organized around a few sections: Expedited Orders, Pricing & Shipping, Place an Order, and Terms. Order inquiries are handled by email.

  1. Check the catalog first. Confirm the title you want is not 1817 or 18MEX, since those are sold by All-Aboard Games.
  2. Email your order. Use the contact address on the site and state which games you want. If you want the games brought to an event, put the event request in the email subject — for example, the owner asked for "for TRAXX delivery" in the title for TRAXX in Denver.
  3. Wait for an invoice. In a September 2026 news update, the owner said games were ready to ship for all but two orders in the queue, and that anyone with a queued order should receive an invoice within the next week. The only orders not yet started were two containing 10 or more games.
  4. Pay and receive your games. Shipping resumes in batches; the site's Pricing & Shipping and Terms sections cover the details.

Expedited orders

The site lists "Expedited Orders" as a distinct section, which signals that faster handling is a separate option from the standard queue. The page evidence does not spell out the exact terms, cost, or turnaround for expedited orders, so ask about it directly in your order email if speed matters to you.

Free delivery at events

If the owner is attending a convention, you can ask him to bring your games for free delivery. For TRAXX in Denver (April 30 to May 3, 2026), the instruction was to email with "for TRAXX delivery" in the email title. This is a useful option if you will be at the event and want to avoid shipping.

Pricing and timing

The site states that Deep Thought Games prices were never adjusted, while Golden Spike Games prices reflect adjustments for rising material costs. Prices have not changed since direct orders began in 2014, though the owner notes that further adjustment may eventually be needed — partly because material costs keep rising and partly because the Deep Thought Games queue will need repricing once direct orders are cleared.

Practical implications:

  • Expect current direct-order pricing to differ from older Deep Thought Games prices.
  • Expect possible future increases. The owner has flagged that adjustments may be necessary.
  • Expect queue-based timing for Deep Thought Games orders, since direct orders are fulfilled first.

What to check before you email

  • The title is not 1817 or 18MEX.
  • You know whether you want standard or expedited handling.
  • You know whether you can collect at an event, and if so, you have put the event request in your email subject.
  • You are ready to receive and pay an invoice when your order reaches the front of the queue.

If any of these are unclear, ask in the same email — the owner handles order inquiries directly and has said he answers emails after returning from travel.