Being able to head out for a night on the town with your mates is all well and good, but sometimes you want to be able to do something a little bit more fun. That is, perhaps, one of the reasons behind the rise in the number of arcades that are on offer around London, promising visitors a retro feel to their time there.
Of course, you don’t want to get too caught up in the competitive side of things as that might mean that you miss out on the likes of the cocktails and other drinks on offer from the bar that most of them have available. This is a look at the various different arcades you can head to in the capital and what they offer visitors.
QUEENS Skate Dine Bowl
It is always fun when a venue has a title that tells you a lot about what you need to know. That is thanks to the fact that it is the oldest all-year-round ice rink in London, as well as being the only one. Although the history is interesting, there is a lot more to it than that. As well as being able to take to the ice, you can also head to any one of the 17 lanes on the bowling alley, which are split across what the company itself refers to as ‘two dynamic zones’. If neither of those things takes your fancy, perhaps you’ll be more interested in stepping up to the oche on one of the six interactive darts games, which is akin to the likes of Flight Club.
Mainly, though, if you’re on this page then there’s a good chance that the thing that you’ll be most interested in is the retro arcade, which has no shortage of things on offer for you to do. After that, you can pick up one of the insanely good burgers or something else off the menu if you fancy a bite to eat, as well as opt for a delicious cocktail if you’re out on the town. There are other drink options available, should cocktails not be your thing, so you can choose one of them and either head back into the arcade area or else unwind after a competitive round of all of the various machines that they have available for you to play.
Fairgame
This is another venue that gives you a sense of what you can expect when you make your way inside. This, though, is all about games from the fairground, rather than arcade games specifically. There’s a Fairgame in Canary Wharf and another in the City, so you can choose the one that is closest to you and then head along to get involved in any number of different fairground attractions. Whether you were an expert in whack-a-mole when you were a kid and want to see if you’ve still got it, or you could dunk a basket like the best of them in the basketball lanes, there are options aplenty to test your skills with your friends.
You will still be able to be competitive, thanks to the fact that you need to scan yourself in to each game and a leaderboard lets you know who is in the lead in your group. When you’re done and dusted with the various games that you’ve been playing, you can then settle down to get something to eat that is the very opposite of what you might remember for fairgrounds in your youth. No soggy chips or cold hot dogs here, with Fairgame working alongside some of the best street food makers in London. Then there are the drinks, which look exactly as fun as your younger self might’ve wanted them to, even if they’re very much adults only.
Four Quarters
If you’re in the Peckham, Hackney Wick, Elephant and Castle or London Bridge area of the capital in search of something to do with your time, you might want to think about heading along to Four Quarters. The name is a reference to the American money, which is largely down to the fact that each arcade game in the premises needs a US quarter to play. You don’t need to worry though, you don’t need to head along to the foreign exchange shop in your local area to be able to have a good time at Four Quarters. Instead, you get them from the place itself at a cost of £2.50 for four of 18 for the price of £10, which is decent value.
With the games generally costing one quarter each to play, with the exception of driving games, pinball machines and light gun games, you can get a good few goes on the various machines during your time there. If there’s someone using the one you want to play, then you simply need to queue up and wait your turn. Although under-18s are allowed before 7pm, this is a place that offers alcohol, so it becomes strictly adult after that time. It is dog-friendly, which is great, although owner discretion is advised when it comes to whether or not your dog is liable to enjoy bright lights and loud noises and whether they’re well-behaved.
NQ64
With sites available to visit in both Soho and Shoreditch in terms of the London venues, NQ64 is one of the most visually stunning places that you can spend time in. That is thanks to the liberal use of neon all over the place, bringing a vibrant quality to proceedings. On the play front, there is a wealth of different arcade machines on offer, as well as pinball machines in the Shoreditch location. Add in the fact that there are console games available to play and you can see why this is considered by many to be one of the most fun places that you can head to in the capital for a chance to relive your youth and make new memories.
If you’re wanting to introduce your kids to the world of arcade machines then you can do so on a Sunday between 11am and 3pm, with all NQ64 venues being adults-only at all other times. That is because they don’t take the job of making cocktails lightly here, promising you ones themed after the likes of Grand Theft Auto. With alcoholic and non-alcoholic options alike available to choose from, you’ll have something delicious on hand with which to wash down the food from Nanny Bills if you’re at the Shoreditch venue, or the crisps and snacks if you’ve decided to head along to the Soho offering.
F1 Arcade
If you think the name of this place suggests that you’re going to be getting involved with some sort of Formula 1 offering, you’d be absolutely correct. Here you can channel your inner Lando Norris as you look to take on the F1 tracks around the world. You get to choose whether you’re a Rookie or an Elite racer, allowing you to go up against a seasoned pro regardless of your race mode. From team racing to head-to-head options, this is somewhere where you’ll be greeted by professional-looking racing simulators that have two huge screens in front of them to allow you to see precisely what’s going on around you.
Of course, it’s not just about what takes place on the track that makes this such a cool place to visit. There are different games you can play away from the racing, including ones that test your reactions and others that are more like the arcade offerings you’re used to. Whether you want to get involved in the racing simulators or head along here for an F1 watch party, you will be able to enjoy plenty of different drinking options and some culinary dishes from around the world. You can go here with youngsters provided that it is before 6pm, which is the point at which it turns into a venue for those aged 18 and over.
The Thieves
It is entirely possible that you’ve been to the Thieves in Battersea, which was formerly known as the Four Thieves, and are now wondering why on earth it’s on a list of the best arcades in London. The answer comes in the form of the fact that there is a gaming den on its top floor, which you might not know about if you weren’t paying attention. The Battersea location has so much more on offer than just an arcade, too. As well as private karaoke rooms and somewhere to play darts and pool, there is also the likes of live comedy and televisions that will show live sport when there is something worth watching being broadcast.
The arcade is obviously where it’s at, opening at 6pm Monday to Thursday and staying open until midnight, whilst Fridays and Saturdays see the opening time move to 12pm and closing stretch until 1.30am. Sundays, meanwhile, are open at 12pm and close at 8pm. Given it’s open for that length of time, you’d expect to be able to get some food and drink and you’d be right on both fronts. This is a pub, after all, so the drinks will be flowing and the food is delicious. This is very much a modern take on a pub, replacing the fusty old man slowly sipping a pint with any number of live escapades that will keep you entertained for hours.
Heart of Gaming
Whilst all of the aforementioned venues have put being adults-only on the agenda for the majority of the time, Heart of Gaming aims to provide ‘fun for all the family’. That might help to explain why it has its opening hours down as being from 12pm until 7pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, opening on other days when it’s half-time or other school holidays. More than anything, though, this is about putting gaming front and centre, thanks to the more than 60 machines that are on offer for you to play when you’re inside. Whether you want games that involve you shooting, ones that see you racing or others that are about stomping, they’ve got them.
As you can imagine, a lot of the games are proper blasts from the past, with the likes of The Simpsons and Street Fighter making an appearance, amongst others. There are also consoles like the SNES, N64 and Dreamcast to play on, in addition to the more modern versions. If you’d rather engage in something like table tennis or pool, then they’ve got that covered too. If you want to go somewhere where you can sip on cocktails and enjoy a bite to eat, then this isn’t for you, but if you’re more interested in the various different games that are out there, then Heart of Gaming is the place to be.
TOCA Social
There is a TOCA Social at the Westfield White City, with another one at the O2, which perhaps gives you a sense of what you can experience if you choose to spend time there. It is important to point out that it puts football front and centre of its offering, labelling itself as the ‘world’s first interactive football and dining experience’. If you’ve ever been to Flight Club and wondered what a football-themed version would entail, TOCA Social is the answer. Importantly from our point of view, there are also a number of arcade games dotted around the place, with the O2 venue promising an arcade room for those that want it.
You can still watch any live events that are being broadcast on the big screen, whilst getting involved in the likes of classic arcade games or some pool. If you want to ensure that you and your party are well satiated whilst there, then you can choose from a decent selection of food and drink, including themed cocktails such as the Wred Card or the Pitch Invader. Kids are allowed before 8pm Monday to Saturday and all day on a Sunday, should you have a young person you’d like to take along with you. This is a fusion of dining and gaming that themes itself around football but offers plenty more on top of that.
Rowans
Look up Rowan’s website and the first thing that you’ll notice is that it labels itself as a bowling alley. Whilst this is definitely true, it doesn’t even begin to cover what you can actually do there. On first inspection, it appears to be a retro-style bowling alley like you can imagine stumbling across in some backwater town in the United States of America. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll find all sorts of different things, including 13 pool tables and, more importantly, a load of different arcade machines. That means that you can do pretty much whatever you want whilst you’re there, including enjoying the licensed bar.
If you want to head along with your kids on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, they’ll be able to enjoy music from guest DJs alongside their bowling or gaming choices. There are also guest DJs at other times, which will doubtless delight the adults who want to get involved with some dancing to classic tunes in between their sessions on the arcade machines. The selection of things you can play and enjoy is huge here, so you are almost certainly going to want to take advantage of the fact that there is a late-night licence and that you can order a Domino’s (yes, really) to be delivered to your table when you get peckish.
Plonk
Predominantly, Plonk is somewhere you can head to in order to play crazy golf, which is fun enough. With locations in both Hackney and Borough Market, there are options no matter where you find yourself. Away from the golf, though, there are also some fun arcade games to play, which is obviously what we’re interested in. From shooters to pinball machines, there are options aplenty for those of you that like to test yourself. You can also look to get a few different drinks or opt to enjoy a bite to eat, meaning that the venues on offer have you covered for more than just a few hours.
Power Up
You might not think that the London Science Museum is the obvious choice of somewhere to go in order to enjoy some arcade games, but that’s exactly what Power Up offers. There are 160 consoles available from across five decades of gameplay, meaning that you can immerse yourself in some of the best video games around from your time and well before. New games are added all the time, ensuring that there is likely to be something for everyone. When you’re done with the gaming, you can then have a look around the rest of the Science Museum, which is a pleasure to spend a day wandering around and enjoying.
Novelty Automation
Is this an arcade? That is something that visitors will have to decide for themselves, given the fact that the offerings here are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Located just a short walk from Holborn tube station, this venue sees you spinning a wheel to decide whether a lamb will be kept as a pet or eaten, put your hand into a cage and see if you’ve got the nerve to leave it in there in spite of the rabid-looking dog living in it, or enjoy a total eclipse in the middle of the day, amongst countless other things. The gaming machines were designed by engineer and cartoonist Tim Hunkin and it has to be seen to be believed.
Funland Games Arcade
Located inside the Brunswick Centre in the Bloomsbury district of London, Funland Games Arcade sells itself as ‘your destination for gaming and entertainment’. That might well actually downplay what’s on offer, thanks to the fact that it is a large venue with countless different machines for you to choose from. It looks to combine the classic games with more modern offerings, including pinball alley and a dance games section. Add in sports games such as basketball and carnival-style bottle smash games and you can see why it’s so popular, even if it isn’t one that you can get alcohol and food at and is instead purely about the arcade.
Babylon Park
Calling itself ‘London’s first-ever indoor theme park’, there is so much on offer at Babylon Park that you won’t know what to do with yourself. Perhaps you’ll spend time on the rollercoaster, or maybe you’ll head to the bumper cars. If you’re specifically all about the arcade games, then there are plenty on offer, alongside more modern VR experiences. The retro classics will delight older folk looking for a blast from the past, whilst the fact that Babylon Park itself recommends that you stick around for at least two hours probably tells you just how much there is to do here that will entertain people of all ages.
Las Vegas Arcade Soho
Both Las Vegas and Soho are parts of the world where you can get up to all sorts, so it makes complete sense that the district of London would have an arcade named after Sin City. If you want some of the more common arcade offerings, then the bottom floor will serve you well, whilst a trip upstairs will introduce you to a world of Japanese games that you probably didn’t even know existed. From dancing games to grabbing machines and air hockey, there is almost no type of arcade offering that you’re not going to be able to find here. It might seem ordinary when you first walk in, but there is a whole other world to explore.
Bloodsports
If you’ve ever explored the kinds of bars that are on offer in the likes of New York or Chicago, then you’ll have some sense of what to expect from Bloodsports, which promises both live sports and cult horror movies shown across more than 30 screens. Not only that, there are also a load of different arcade games to keep you amused, whilst the food is tasty and the drinks feel like they’ll never stop flowing. Located close to Seven Dials and Covent Garden, its positioning in the capital means that you can enjoy post-theatre beers or early kick-offs. The good news is there’s no dress code to speak of, just loads of fun to be had.
Gravity Max
With locations in Wandsworth and Westfield Stratford, Gravity Max has a whole host of different things to offer. There are numerous different options available away from the arcade, including go-karts, AR bowling and urban street golf, depending on the venue that you head to. In terms of the arcade itself, you can play everything from retro classics through to more interesting modern games, some of which even offer instant prizes. Whether you want to play single-player games or are more interested in taking on your friends in the likes of ride-on games, you will have your choice of options at Gravity Max.
FreePlayCity
Boasting the likes of Japanese arcade games and console tournaments, as well as rhythm machines, there are a host of amazing options open to visitors to FreePlayCity. More than just the games themselves, what is on offer here is a brilliant vibe thanks to the fact that the owners are big into both the rhythm game and the fighting game scenes, so the machines are all excellent. That also means that there are some machines that you won’t find in other venues in London, which allows you to introduce your kids to some really funky games that they almost certainly won’t have even seen before, let alone played.
Immersive Gamebox
As is often the case with something that is a chain, there is more than one Immersive Gamebox location in London, meaning that you can head to the Southbank or to Shoreditch to get your fill of fun. In terms of what it’s all about, it’s like you get to step inside an arcade game and play along with your friends. As the name suggests, this is somewhere where you get to play a load of well-thought-out games, some of which are based on previously created IP such as Floor is Lava or the Batman franchise. This is gaming like you’ve never done it before, which makes it both fun and thrilling at the same time.
New Meta Gaming Arena
Don’t be fooled by the word ‘Meta’ being in the title of this location, which has nothing to do with the parent company of Facebook. Instead, it is a new chain of gaming cafés that allow you to play a load of different console games or enjoy the likes of a racing sim. This isn’t an arcade as such, but it is somewhere you can head to if you want to experience a social space aimed at gamers. You can also get a bite to eat or something to drink here, so if you want to play Fortnite in the company of others, then you can do so here at the company’s London venue.