Arcade Arena, a new immersive gaming venue on London's South Bank near Vauxhall, brings three nostalgic classics to life, and a reviewer was invited to try them. The experience includes a live Pac-Man game, a kart-racing arena and an alien-shooting adventure.
Pac-Man Live Experience: A Sweaty Chase
The Pac-Man Live Experience puts players into the game as one of six yellow chompers. Wearing a Pac-vest, the reviewer dashed through a maze the size of a five-a-side football pitch to collect virtual power pellets and evade the ghosts Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde.
A host briefed the group before the game, saying, "You can take it easy and go at your own pace." Despite this, the reviewer described being in "fight-or-flight mode," sweating within five minutes and nearly colliding with another player while trying to power up. The ghosts chased players across the room, and the game required a high level of physical endurance.
Chaos Kart: Racing in a Virtual World
The reviewer's favourite game of the night was Chaos Kart, which involves driving real electric karts around tracks in a digitally projected world. Players can shoot virtual weapons at friends, with five tracks available, including a "space with zero gravity" option. The karts speed up when using virtual boosters, allowing players to dodge bombs and lasers.
The setup combines projection mapping and augmented reality technology. While trackside cameras were not installed, the venue provided phone straps for self-recording videos, limited to two players per group.
Alien Invasion: A Drone-Based Shooting Game
Alien Invasion is a shooting game combined with drone technology, loosely based on the plot of the film Starship Troopers. Players are transported to a spaceship to fight alien arachnids, with a commander setting tasks for the group. The goal is to terminate the space spiders and protect the galaxy.
During the final boss stage, players dodge enemy drones and shoot laser guns while staying alive to complete the mission. The commander, essentially the host, provided tips and directions throughout. The reviewer noted that they walked in as a player and left as a "proud cadet."
Booking and Extras
Visitors can book single games at Arcade Arena, with discounts available for booking multiple games. Refreshments are available at the bar, and there are additional classic arcade games such as Skee-ball, Need for Speed and Basketball.
