10 Amazing Arcades You Can Visit Today
Get your quarters ready for these amazing classic arcades!
Arcades were big business back in the '80s and early '90s, but the increased availability and complexity of consoles and PCs rendered them obsolete. Fortunately, there are still some amazing places you can visit that continue to cater to the arcade-loving enthusiast.
For those of us who spent more than a few weeks' allowance at the local arcade, those days are long gone, but that doesn't mean you can't relive them! Arcades around the world continue to pay homage to the Golden Age with fun places you can visit pretty much anywhere.
Whether you grew up playing the latest pinball machine or wore callouses on your thumbs playing the most competitive fighting games, odds are you recall your time in the local arcade fondly. Gaming may have changed so that those games can be easily played in the comforts of home, but that doesn't mean visiting an arcade still isn't a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Get your quarters ready because there are amazing arcades still out there with traditional cabinets and newer, flashier games. Instead of focusing on chains like Dave & Busters, this list shines a light on the arcades still in operation today that put the places we visited back in the '80s to shame.
10. Taito HEY – Tokyo, Japan
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to find the first pick on this list located in Tokyo, Japan. The video game industry may not have started in Japan, but it was certainly perfected there thanks to companies like Nintendo, Bandai, Sega, Konami, and dozens more.
One of the earliest developers of arcade cabinets was the company Taito, which gave the world games like Arkanoid, Bubble Bobble, Cooking Mama, and Space Invaders to name a few.
Tucked away in a rather nondescript building in Akihabara is a Taito arcade hiding behind a large sign reading “Hey,” which not only caters to hardcore gamers of today, but retro gamers of yesteryear.
The arcade is filled with classic shooters and modern VR rigs that appeal to pretty much anyone willing to shell out a few bucks for some serious entertainment. The arcade is nowhere near the only one in Japan, but it is often considered the best for tourists to visit and is no stranger to local residents. Check it out the next time you're in Tokyo!