It seems that in recent years, there has been an explosion of nostalgia for arcades and arcade cabinets. This nostalgia has manifested in a few ways, such as brand new physical locations like Continue Arcade in Plymouth, or even entire video games like Arcade Paradise. In celebration of this boom, I’ve decided to list what I see as some of the best virtual arcades in video games. Bear in mind, I’m not listing actual arcade games. Instead, I will be discussing the digital locations that digitally represent those neon-drenched locales, stacked with arcade cabinets.
Janitor Bleeds
Potentially riffing off the Five Nights at Freddie’s craze, Janitor Bleeds is set in an old and abandoned building of fun and whimsy. Inside is JANITOR, an arcade cabinet with the power to manipulate the world around it. Even though Janitor Bleeds received mixed reviews, the atmosphere and art style are both standouts. And The Entity chasing after you at specific intervals definitely gets the skin crawling.
Gylt
It seems arcades really are suitable locations for horror games. Originally a Google Stadia exclusive, Gylt has an immensely creepy atmosphere. This creepiness even extends to the arcade that is visited fairly early in the game. Not even funky carpeting and colourful cabinets can brighten up this dark, drab location. As mentioned before, monsters are lurking in the shadows. In this case, weird crow-like monsters!
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
There are actually two arcades in this turn-based RPG spin-off of the original Yakuza games. Unlike the other locations on this list, both arcades feature genuine real-world cabinets. When Sega published Like A Dragon, it included plenty of arcade classics, such as Virtua Fighter and OutRun. Some real-life retro goodness!
Arcade Paradise
A quintessential rags-to-riches story. The player slowly but surely turns a run-down old laundromat into a swanky arcade, one folded t-shirt at a time. As someone who genuinely adores that kind of atmosphere, this game is a favourite of mine. As a bonus, each of the different arcade cabinets are playable. These games within a game help bolster playtime and keep things interesting.
Dead Island 2
Another horror game! Definitely some kind of trend appearing here. Funland Arcade is located on the Santa Monica map, resting atop the famous pier. Home to plenty of shambling undead, this area was featured heavily in the demo available to the public at WASD Live back in 2023. Amongst the common Walkers and Shamblers exists a Voltaic Screamer hidden within the neon walls. Caution is advised whilst entering.
The above examples are all just a few drops in the ocean when it comes to how arcades are digitally represented. It seems like they are good locations to include, especially if it’s for a horror game. Although it’s great to see virtual arcades in video games, they don’t compare to the real thing. Nothing beats heading out of the house to dive into an arcade den, or even owning your own arcade cabinet!