New Arcade Locations: February 2023 Roundup

February’s location roundup surveys new and expanding arcades, family entertainment centres, arcade bars and museums across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The developments also show why venue variety matters: adding more machines can increase earnings when the game mix matches local player interests.

This edition includes several independent venues with Japanese imports, free-play arcades, pinball museums, large family entertainment centres and major chains preparing new sites. For Australian operators and enthusiasts, it is a useful snapshot of the machines and formats gaining attention internationally.

North America

Retroware Arcade — Lansdale, Pennsylvania

Retroware combines a console-game shop with an arcade that blends classic and current releases. Its line-up includes Asteroids, Street Fighter II, P-47 Aces Mk. II running on exA-Arcadia hardware in a Vewlix cabinet, and Tekken 7: Round 2. Japanese sit-down machines include Groove Coaster, Gundam Extreme Vs. Boost and Taiko No Tatsujin. The venue appears to use a wristband system. Find them on Facebook.

Not An Arcade — Hesperia, California

This independent venue also concentrates on Japanese arcade gaming and Japanese versions of selected titles. Its reported games include House of the Dead 4, InitialD, Point Blank X and Taiko No Tatsujin. The available space appears to leave room for future expansion. Find them on Instagram.

Mira Amusement — Brunswick and Pointe-Claire, Canada

Near Montreal, Mira Amusement offers a substantial collection of new machines, including a prominent racing section. Reported titles include Cruis’n Blast, Daytona Championship USA, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, Nitro Trucks and Super Bikes 3. Other attractions include Fast & Furious Arcade, Halo: Fireteam Raven, House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn and King Kong of Skull Island. Its pinball collection includes Stern titles such as The Beatles, Godzilla, Metallica, The Mandalorian, Stranger Things and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Visit their website.

Supercharged Entertainment — Edison, New Jersey

This newly opened family entertainment centre promotes what it describes as the world’s largest indoor go-karting track. The indoor theme-park-style venue also offers rides and an arcade with more than 140 games.

Imprint Beer — Hatfield, Pennsylvania

Imprint Beer has expanded into a bar-and-arcade format. Its reported collection ranges from an Aladdin’s Castle pinball machine to Karate Champ, Hang-On, Rampage World Tour, Shinobi, The Simpsons and Street Fighter III. The venue’s age policy is not stated.

Fun Zone Arcade — Folsom, California

This shopping-centre arcade has a strong rhythm-game focus, with Dance Rush: Stardom, StepManiaX, In The Groove 3 and the latest Pump It Up. It also features a Rilix VR Coaster. Find them on Facebook.

BA Start — San Luis Obispo, California

After a soft opening, this arcade bar held its grand opening with a selection of 1980s and 1990s games, plus newer attractions such as After Burner Climax. The venue also has seven pinball machines, air hockey, pool and drinks. Details are available through its grand-opening coverage and games page.

Back In Time Arcade — Marysville and Gridley, California

The second site opened in May 2022. Both venues operate on a free-play basis, apart from a few exceptions, during one regular afternoon or evening each week: Saturday in Marysville and Friday in Gridley. At other times, they open for pre-booked parties and events. The retro-focused line-up includes Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man and some newer video games and pinball machines. Visit the venue website.

Free Play Dallas — Dallas, Texas

Free Play Dallas represents the group’s fifth location. The business promotes a free-play model and near-100-percent game uptime, while also mixing modern machines with classic games. A four-player Cruis’n Blast arrangement is among the highlighted equipment. Find them here.

Other North American openings and updates

Lucky Strike added eight Fast & Furious Arcade machines.
In The Game opened its seventh location at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
AR’s Entertainment Hub opened its second site in Balcones Heights, Texas, while Thrillz opened in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
Main Event opened in Beaumont, Texas; Stars & Strikes opened in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and K1 Speed arrived in Nashville.
A second Chuck E. Cheese opened at Falls West Mall in Trinidad. Monster Mini Golf opened in Bellevue, Washington, and Space Adventure Mini Golf opened its third venue in Middletown, New York.
Decades Arcade is relocating in Charlottesville, Virginia. Activate opened in Calgary, although it appears to focus on interactive attractions rather than coin-operated arcade games.
A Predator-themed gaming centre opened in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Its name refers to Alien vs. Predator, but available information does not confirm an arcade component and describes the venue as family-oriented.

Europe

Arcade Archive — Chalford, United Kingdom

This retro arcade museum presents electromechanical attractions and video games from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. It aims to preserve original hardware, including CRT displays, and has rare pieces such as Nintendo’s Sky Skipper.

Dino Merluzzi Pinball and Modern Art Museum — Marmore, Italy

This reservation-only pinball museum is named for the late collector who dreamed of establishing it. The number of machines has not been confirmed, and the collection may grow over time.

Blackpool Amusements — Blackpool, United Kingdom

Opening during the tourist off-season, Blackpool Amusements combines a family entertainment-centre format with a strong redemption focus and some modern video amusements.

Level Up Arcade Bar — Limerick, Ireland

Level Up Arcade Bar is returning after closure at a new location. No reopening date had been announced, although the operator had shared details about the new site and a video preview.

Asia, the Middle East and Oceania

Funland — Karmi’el, Israel

This new family entertainment centre presents a modern mix dominated by video games, with redemption and children’s attractions also included. Images suggest there may be room for expansion, but no website or confirmed venue size was available.

Mastiizone — India

The family entertainment chain announced plans for 15 new Indian locations during 2023. Two had already opened: one at Wave Mall in Ludhiana and another at Esplanade Mall in Gurugram.

Area 51 Super Park — China

The location of this newly opened venue has not been specified. Its launch featured cosplayers, and the attraction appears more focused on video games than prize machines. Images also show rows of generic sit-down cabinets commonly used for Pandora’s Box systems in China.

Fun Space — Ganzhou, China

Fun Space also used cosplayers for its opening, but appears to place greater emphasis on prize machines. Some video-game machines are visible in the venue imagery.

Further Asian updates

Funworld in Xiamen, China, is heavily focused on crane and prize machines.
GiGO opened its first location outside Japan in Taiwan, then reopened the former SEGA Akihabara 2 site, where the arcade-game area appears limited.
GiGO venues in Japan added DanceDanceRevolution 20th Anniversary and other Bemani titles, reflecting a more open approach to Konami content under new ownership.
GiGO also tested a compact arcade cabinet containing four independent mobile games; its commercial outcome was not known.
Maruhan opened Me Tokyo Shinjuku with cranes, gachapons and photo booths rather than arcade video games. The site is notable for its stylish décor and for coming from a company better known for pachinko venues.

Coming soon

Ignite Gaming Lounge planned to add an arcade.
Past Times Arcade was coming to Ohio, with its name newly confirmed.
Pixel Palace was planned for Round Rock, Texas.
Jump Inc. was scheduled to open in Liverpool on 1 March with an arcade.
Mr Mulligans was preparing a Norwich venue that appeared to include an arcade.
King Pins was planned for Manchester, NQ64 for a large site in East London, and High Score Arcades for a fourth location in Swindon.
Main Event was heading to Tucson, Arizona.
Dave & Buster’s was planned for Lansing Township, Michigan, and another Coachella, California, site was also announced.
A new family entertainment centre was headed to Mississauga, Canada; Elev8 Fun was planning a fourth Florida location.
Big Mini Putt was preparing a second Illinois site, while Andy B’s planned an Oklahoma City entertainment centre and 810 Billiards & Bowling a new Hoover, Alabama, venue.
A second Pinstack was planned for San Antonio, Texas. An unconfirmed report also suggested a possible arcade project in Las Vegas.

What operators can take from the February 2023 roundup

The venues covered here use several distinct models: free-play admission, Japanese rhythm and fighting games, racing-focused floors, arcade bars, museum collections and large family entertainment centres. For anyone planning a home or commercial setup, the lesson is not simply to add machines, but to build a balanced line-up around the audience and space available.

Australian readers comparing formats can explore RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide, browse arcade machines, or compare racing arcades and virtual pinball machines. Ongoing industry coverage is available in the RETROCADE arcade blog.

Venues depend on visits, not only online attention. If one of these locations is near you, supporting it in person helps independent arcade businesses continue operating and expanding.