After a quieter start to 2023, the arcade business delivered a burst of new openings and venue updates during May. The locations below span independent arcades, pinball rooms, bar venues and large family entertainment centres (FECs) across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Opening an arcade is rarely quick or inexpensive. Large FEC developments can require millions of dollars and lengthy planning, while smaller operators still face financing challenges, higher electricity prices in Europe and parts of Asia, and rising fuel costs in the United States. Those pressures have also contributed to several closures during the same period.
Closures are part of any entertainment market, but one failed venue does not make the arcade model unviable. Landlord disputes, natural disasters, management problems and changing costs can all affect an individual business. New venues continue to appear, and arcades remain an important way for people to socialise and escape everyday pressures.
This month’s roundup includes every opening identified during the research period, although smaller venues can be easy to miss. For Australian readers interested in bringing the experience home, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers the main decisions involved in choosing a cabinet.
North America
The Arcade — Wichita, Kansas
This Wichita business has completed a relocation and reopened in its new premises. It combines adult beverages with new machines such as Mario Kart Arcade GP DX and Pac-Man Battle Royale, alongside more than 100 classic video games from the 1980s and 1990s. The pinball collection is supported by screens mounted above the machines, showing feeds of each playfield.
Pinball Long Island — Patchogue, New York
Pinball Long Island has assembled more than 100 machines under one roof. Its admission-based, free-play model means visitors do not pay for each individual game. The collection appears to lean towards newer tables, while a group of this size would ordinarily include some classics as well. Visit their main website.
Level One Bar + Arcade — Cincinnati, Ohio
The second venue from this growing bar-and-arcade company brings more than 50 classic machines to Cincinnati, following the original location in Columbus. The line-up is strongly focused on the 1980s, with less common choices including Black Widow and Magic Sword, plus the newer Crazy Taxi.
Extraordinaire Arcade — San Bernardino, California
Although it appears to have opened during the previous year, Extraordinaire Arcade only recently came to wider attention. It offers more than 50 older and newer games on a free-play admission basis and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Time Crisis 5 and Aliens Armageddon are among the newer machines, while the mostly 1980s selection includes rarities such as Sega’s Congo Bongo. Visit the venue website.
Island Arcade — Padre Island, Texas
Island Arcade appears to have expanded its collection recently, with an emphasis on new machines. Its line-up includes redemption games and video titles such as Asphalt 9 Legends AC, Fast & Furious Arcade, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, StepManiaX and World’s Largest Pac-Man.
Flip OFF Arcade — Puyallup, Washington
This venue advertises 20 pinball machines and more than 30 arcade games. Much of the collection is older, although Aliens Extermination and Time Crisis 4 provide newer options. Video games use a free-play admission model, while pinball is charged separately. Visit them on Facebook.
National Laser Tag and Games — McAllen, Texas
This new laser-tag venue adds a sizeable amusement mix, including an arcade with Fast & Furious Arcade, Jurassic Park Arcade and Ultra MotoVR. It also offers VR attractions and Flash Pads, a product seen at IAAPA 2022.
Axecadia — Lapeer, Michigan
Axecadia combines axe throwing with several retro games, newer titles such as Mario Kart Arcade GP, and more than 30 pinball and arcade machines spanning older and current releases.
Apple Creek Arcade — Rocky View, Alberta
Located as part of a golf course rather than a full FEC, Apple Creek Arcade occupies two floors and offers around 60 brand-new machines. The mix includes video and redemption games. Some names on the online game list appear to be inaccurate: “ATV” likely refers to Sega’s ATV Slam, while “Pong 2” appears to mean UNIS’s Atari Pong Table.
North American FEC openings and updates
- Elev8 Fun was expected to open its Tampa venue in June, with PrimeTime Amusements handling the arcade. Its Sanford venue has a large arcade, and a drone tour and earlier Tampa progress video were available.
- Main Event expanded to Lexington, Kentucky, and Little Rock, Arkansas. Dave & Buster’s also opened in Queen Creek, Arizona, with a Des Moines, Iowa, venue planned.
- Chuck E. Cheese opened venues in Union, New Jersey, and Brooklyn, New York. A further franchise may be the chain’s southernmost location worldwide.
- Peter Piper Pizza returned to El Paso, Texas. The first El Paso venue opened in 1982; the chain is owned by Chuck E. Cheese.
- Cineplex Junxion Erin Mills opened in Mississauga, Ontario, with the XSCAPE arcade. The arcade’s size and exact game list were not specified.
- The $10 million Game On Social Hub opened in Kenner, Louisiana, with a modern arcade that includes older attractions such as Guitar Hero Arcade.
- Press Play 989 opened in Kochville, Michigan, with a redemption-heavy mix and some video games.
- Scene75’s five locations were purchased by Five Star Parks & Attractions. Scene75 is known for medium-scale attractions including the Valkyrie simulator and has received repeated recognition as a leading FEC operator.
- Tiger Zone opened a renovated bowling-alley-and-arcade venue in Jerome, Idaho, under new management.
- OutTakes Arcade was added to a B&B Theatres venue in Creve Coeur, Missouri, with a mostly redemption-focused selection.
- Splitsville Entertainment opened in Richmond Hill, Ontario; 8,000 of the 50,000 square feet is dedicated to the arcade.
- Tilted 10 was partially open in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, becoming the chain’s 13th venue across Pennsylvania and Illinois. Its games include an OutRun 2 SP SDX.
- Ryan’s opened its tenth location in Hanover, Massachusetts. High 5 brought two venues to Austin, Texas, although one may have been an existing venue rather than a wholly new opening.
- Bounce Bounce in Cypress, Texas, added an arcade, while Launch Trampoline Park opened a Leominster, Massachusetts, venue with arcade attractions.
- Gamerz Lodge was scheduled to open in Fort Scott, Kansas, on 1 June.
Europe
Level Up Arcade Bar — Limerick, Ireland
After announcing a planned closure early in the year, Level Up changed course and opened a 2.0 venue in March. The new site has more than 40 new and retro games, including retro titles in Namco Noir cabinets, plus several pinball machines. It deliberately avoids redemption games. Find the venue website.
Retro Nerds Münsterland — Vreden, Germany
Arcade regulation in Germany has historically made dedicated venues difficult to operate, so this opening is notable. Retro Nerds Münsterland appears to have evolved from events and pop-ups into a permanent venue, although its opening days and hours may be limited. The collection includes classic video games, electromechanical attractions, pinball from different eras and several linked Sega Touring Car machines.
No Name Bar & Games — Colchester, United Kingdom
This new bar venue does not appear to have video arcade machines or pinball. Instead, visitors can play skee-ball, shuffleboard and billiards, along with Sega Amusements’ 501 Fun augmented-reality darts system.
Barcadia — Norwich, United Kingdom
Barcadia focuses on 1980s and 1990s games including Dig Dug, R-Type and Daytona USA. One of its partners is YouTuber The Nostalgia Nerd, whose work covers retro technology and gaming.
NQ64 — Shoreditch, London
NQ64 reached ten locations with its Shoreditch venue in East London. The site was undergoing a soft opening for testers, with the full opening expected during the week covered by this report. The company was also developing a Bristol venue.
Base Arcade — Belfast, Northern Ireland
Base Arcade is operating as a pop-up business, bringing games to short-term sites and specific events rather than maintaining a permanent arcade. Its announced July event was to include an Atari Star Wars cockpit cabinet.
European FEC updates
- Tenpin opened a new location in Crewe, UK.
- Leveltap opened in Liverpool, UK. It is primarily a LAN centre and gamer lounge with a bar, plus one multi-game arcade cabinet.
Asia, the Middle East and Oceania
Namco Tokyo — Kabukicho, Japan
This flagship venue combines amusement, food, events, retail and music in an FEC-style destination. Arcade attractions include Taiko no Tatsujin and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, while equipment from the former VR Zone has also been repurposed there. The complete non-crane game list was not confirmed.
Namco Akihabara — Tokyo, Japan
Namco opened its first Akihabara arcade on 1 March in a building previously associated with Sega and later GiGO. The opening attracted mainstream coverage, while additional reports and photographs provided further details about the six-storey venue.
GiGO Airport — Kumamoto, Japan
GiGO opened an unusual airport venue in Kumamoto. It is mainly focused on crane games, but also includes Taito’s Landing High Japan, Sega’s Airline Pilots and Taiko no Tatsujin.
GiGO was also refurbishing the former Sega Akihabara Building No. 2 and promoting plans for four sites to open during the year. These locations continue to emphasise crane games, reflecting their stronger earnings compared with video games.
Round 1 Stadium Tokorozawa — Saitama, Japan
A new Round 1 facility opened in Saitama with the chain’s familiar combination of crane games and video attractions. Crane machines dominate the current Japanese market, but the venue also includes a substantial video-game component.
Masti Zone — India
Masti Zone, also written Mastiii Zone, continued its expansion with at least three new Indian venues: East Delhi Mall, Chennai and Ludhiana.
TimeZone — India, Singapore and the Philippines
Two new TimeZone facilities opened in India, joining more than 60 existing venues there. Reports also described a New Delhi site as the chain’s largest, although the available reporting was unclear about whether it was one of the two new openings. TimeZone also opened a Singapore venue promoted as the biggest arcade in Southeast Asia and a Philippine venue described as the largest in that country.
Archie Brothers — Melbourne, Australia
Chadstone Shopping Centre added the Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq arcade as part of a $70 million investment in its social and entertainment precinct. The circus-themed venue continues the brand’s Australian expansion, although its floor area and balance of video versus redemption games were not confirmed.
Other FEC news
A major supermarket in China added a large crane-game area. It appears to be almost entirely crane focused, rather than a conventional video arcade.
Coming soon
- Neon Dreams Arcade was targeting a July or August opening in Tampa.
- Fat Boys Ice Cream and Family FunPlex was planned for Glenville, West Virginia, in June.
- Superbowl UK was preparing a Stafford venue.
- The Hub was planned for Stillwater, Oklahoma.
- A family entertainment centre was in development for Blackpool, UK.
- A medieval-themed FEC was targeting a winter opening in Swansea, Massachusetts.
- F1 Arcade announced plans to enter the United States, beginning with Boston in 2024.
Whether a venue is built around classics, pinball, racing, redemption or social entertainment, its long-term success depends on local support. Visiting, paying for admission and playing the games does far more for an operator than a social-media reaction. The continuing spread of independent arcades and FECs shows that the format remains active worldwide.
For operators and collectors, keeping machines running is just as important as opening the doors. Explore RETROCADE’s arcade machines, racing arcades, virtual pinball machines and arcade repair services.
Leave a Reply