An empty shop unit in a Bristol shopping mall has been transformed into a 1980s retro gaming arcade.
The former Peacocks store on the ground floor of The Galleries in Broadmead is now accessed by a purple ‘time travelling’ portal that transports visitors back to a decade when PacMan and Donkey Kong were the big names in gaming.
More than a hundred 1980s retro video game arcades are on offer, from Space Invaders to Street Fighter 2, and they all are set to ‘free play’ once you’ve purchased your day ticket or season pass so you don’t even have to dig out your old coins.
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As well as the games, the arcade has the entire History of Video Game Console collection ready for visitors to play via a curated selection of games and an immersive exhibition explaining the story of video game history and gaming culture.
Headed up by Replay, which also has a venue on Cheltenham Road, each season is themed – with the opening season being ‘The Lost Arcade Part 2’. The event runs until September 30.
For safety reasons, the organised have reduced the capacity to just 65 players per session, and only advanced bookings will be accepted with no cash sales on the door.
Hand sanitiser and cleaning schedules are in place and organisers are following Covid protocols and government guidelines for this hands-on gaming experience.
The Schools Out Season Pass for under-18s enables the holder to visit the History Of Video Games event anytime, including weekdays and weekends, throughout the school summer holidays. The ticket allows unlimited entry and there is no limit to how many times you play each game.
The opening times are 10am-6pm daily, with late night opening Friday and Saturday until 8pm.
More information about Replay can be found on its Instagram page.
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