Free Play Arcade - Richardson

Reviews 4

JA

Jared Guynes

Finally after years of waiting DFW has a genuine "barcade" concept up and running. Thank goodness. At Free Play the games are first and the drinks are 2nd. Thats important. People in DFW will be familiar with places like "Barcadia" and "Kung Fu Saloon", or modern places like "Dave and Busters" or "Main Event". Well, this is totally different than any of those. What we have here is a genuine, honest to goodness vintage arcade featuring some of the greatest hits of the 80s and 90s. I didnt see a single game newer than 1997 or so in there. Free Play is pretty simple. $10 at the door gets you in. All the games are on free play. Its that easy. A lounge area doubles as a searing for a cafe. A small menu offers a variety of panini type sandwiches and glass bottle sodas. Plenty of beer is on hand also both in the bottle or on tap. I tried the chicken pesto sandwich and found it on par with a place like panera bread. Pretty good! The game selection is tightly packed, making several long rows. Games range from 4 player "Simpsons" to single player racers to Atari classics to obscure titles you never saw when you were a kid. The games are generally in good working condition, but considering they are all low antiques many of the machines wear decades of abuse like a tattoo on a Vietnam veteran. 5 pinball machines line the back wall, which are my favorite. Pinball machines more than anything have replay value because there is no true ending to the game. You cant just keep pressing continue. You require skill. Sadly, pinball is also high maintenance so we may not see more of them here. I hope that changes. For the price you would be hard pressed to find better entertainment. You and some friends could have hours of fun here for just a couple of dollars an hour. Well worth the trip to see. No other business currently offers what Free Play does in Richardson. *** Here are my tips to improve: 1. More Pinball Machines. With more you could start a league and really get crazy. Pinball is he ultimate gaming machine. 2. Lower lighting. The overall lighting was 20-30% too bright for me and the desired mood. 3. JukeBox. While I noticed and appreciated the 100% 80s rock tunes, I wish we could select out own favorite throwback jam. 4. HighScore Board. Getting "on the wall" would be a very cool bonus and would encourage people to play specific games. 5. Projector: I have seen a game (like Street Fighter 2) be projected onto the wall. The players still use the games screen, but spectators watch the wall. This creates massive hype and can even build a crowd. Very fun. 6. Better Menus. The selection is there, just needs to be better presented than black and white. 7. Louder Game Volume. Many of the games volume was too low. Crank it! Despite these suggestions, Free Play is certainly a 5 star business even in its current form. Well worth the visit! I will be back!

MA

Mark Johnston

I just visited Free Play for the first time (on 1/31/17) and I will be back. As advertised, they have a large number of video games--probably around 100--and a few pinball machines mainly from the 80s. Although their web site has a list of their games, I believe they had a few not advertised as well. The staff was friendly, greeting us when we came in the door. Since it was our first visit, they took time to explain how the entry fee works. It is a flat fee to get in and all games are free to play. Once you pay, your entry is good for the rest of the day. They serve food and drinks--a mix of sandwiches, pizzas, and a few appetizers--all food you can eat without silverware so you can quickly get back to gaming. Although I did not eat or drink anything while there, their prices seemed reasonable. And since your entry fee is good for the entire day, you can leave and return if you would rather dine elsewhere. The facility was clean and well maintained. Despite all the heat this number of games likely generates, the place was a comfortable temperature, neither too hot nor too cold. I did not see any games with "out of order" signs on them, and the staff specifically told us to let them know if we experience any games not working properly. As for game selection, I could think of only a couple of games I played a lot as a kid that they did not have. There selection definitely included the vast majority of the classics. They even had a free Mortal Kombat II tournament while I was there, which brought back great memories of playing that game when it came out originally (although my skills have degraded more than a bit in the past 20+ years). It is apparent the owners/management take great pride in maintaining a location that is functional and fun for adults and kids alike. I have let my friends know about the great experience I had on my first visit. If you have nostalgic memories of a game from the heyday of arcades, you can likely relive those memories here. I hope Free Play continues to thrive (and perhaps opens another location in Frisco :-)).

JI

Jim Green

Been waiting for so long for something like this that I was afraid to get my hopes up. I need not worry, the gang at Free Play have nailed it in every aspect. Before Free Play came along, it always amazed me that someone has not done this already. There has to be others like me that grew up in the 80s at the height of the Arcade era, that would support such a venture. They kept popping up everywhere BUT here it seemed. Pretty soon, it seems a Retro Arcade was the "in" thing. Free Plays arrival not only provides the true 80s arcade experience and ambiance, they take it to the next level. They currently have 60 games (including 5 pinball) on the floor. The cool thing is they have more that they will rotate onto the floor to keep it fresh. This should keep repeat visits fresh. Where Free Play shines though, is in the upkeep of their games. You have to realize that Donkey Kong is almost 36 years old. In the past I have been to many arcade auctions looking to purchase a Donkey Kong myself. In that time I never saw one as clean as the DK machine at free play, heck Ive never seen one without cigarette burns on the console panel. I didnt see any examples of screen burn-in , and dreaded "OUT OF ORDER" signs are no where to be found. The condition of their games just tells me that they are passionate about providing a true arcade experience. Another positive sign factor for me the absence of ticket redemption machines, no bootleg games, and nary a sign of a 60 in 1 Muiltigame cab.Only the real deal, running just like they did in 1981. Ive been twice, and both times, I couldnt break away from the games to try out the menu or even have a beer. I shall remedy that next time. To all involved with Free Play, thank you from the bottom of my 8 bit heart for bringing back the authentic ambiance of the 80s Arcade.

TO

Todd Steinberg

So for Fathers Day, I treated myself to a trip to Free Play Richardson arcade. Most of the games I played as a lad in the 80s and early 90s. As an adult, I realize that the objectives for many of those games mirror nightmares Ive had in the 00s and 10s. Here are a few examples: 1) Youre stuck in a maze collecting bits of nothing while being chased by ghosts. Secret power: drugs that make you invulnerable for a few seconds (Pac Man / Ms Pac Man) 2) Youre stuck in a world full of oversized hamburger ingredients while being chased around by condiments and breakfast foods. Secret power: a pepper shaker (Burgertime) 3) Youre stuck in a series of tubes collecting coins while being chased around by crabs and turtles. Secret power: superhuman jumping abilities (Mario Bros) 4) Youre stuck in a dystopian future where you save the last humans alive while being chased by a vicious onslaught of killer robots. Secret power: a weapon with unlimited ammo that can shoot in eight directions (Robotron 2084) 5) Youre stuck in castle where one unforgiving move forces you to respawn in another part of the same castle that is just as unforgiving. Secret power: none, Dirk the Daring is a hapless goofball of a hero (Dragons Lair) Cold sweat not included.