Arcade Paradise – Game Review

By
Darren J Tyson
-

Arcade Paradise has you run a laundromat that slowly becomes a full on arcade. Fulfilling the dreams of most 80s/90s kids, you run your own arcade. Choosing what machines to have, how much they cost per go, and their difficulty. But does Arcade Paradise warrant your time? Well, let’s find out…

Details of Arcade Paradise

Arcade Paradise review – enjoy some 90s retro vibes in this tribute to classic games | Games | The Guardian
Image Source: The Guardian

Developer: Nosebleed Interactive

Publisher: Wired Productions  

Platform: PC (Steam, GoG) Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X

Release Date: 11th August 2022

Price: £15.99

Story of Arcade Paradise

Arcade Paradise - Tips to Help You Build the Ultimate Games Arcade! - Xbox Wire
Image Source: Xbox Wire

You play as the daughter of the laundromat owner. Being given a chance to prove your worth and how successful you and the business can be, your excited. Soon after getting the keys to the business, you realize the arcade machines have more loyal customers and the market is increasing. So, you decide to buy more machines and eventually overhaul the laundromat as a fully fletched arcade.

Analysis of Arcade Paradise

Managing the Arcade

Arcade Paradise Review | Switch Player
Image Source: Switch Player

Managing the arcade and laundromat involves various tasks. You have to empty the machines of coins to collect your earnings, wash, dry, and collect clothes. Maintenance tasks include removing any gum, unblocking the toilet, and collecting and emptying the trash. At the start of the game, you have to really on washing clothes for income and this is very tedious. It’s not fun at all. The game completely drags at this point and can quite easily put the player of before the game gets going.

Encouraged to Play

Arcade Paradise VR plays great on the Quest 3 but the lack of fully immersive controls may turn people off | Eurogamer.net
Image Source: Eurogamer

The game does encourage you to actively play the arcade machines by having goals for each machine. Upon completing each goal, the arcade machine would gain more popularity, increasing it’s income. With most machines having 3-5 goals each. Most arcade machines are based on popular real life games, with some notable differences/twists. The games are fun but can get quite boring.

Performance on the Steam Deck

Arcade Paradise Steam Deck Gameplay - YouTube
Image Source: YouTube (SuperNintenDad)

The game runs well on the Steam Deck. One notable hiccup is the maneuverability on the deck, but a tweak of the settings and sensitivity can easily make this better. It doesn’t drain the battery much as well with you being able to get 3 hours of battery life easily.

Summary of Arcade Paradise

40% Arcade Paradise on GOG.com
Image Source: GOG.com

In conclusion Arcade Paradise is a unique blend of management and old school classic games. With it feeling a lot like two different games at times. A management game and a classics game collection. The retro inspired arcade games are fun to play, for the most part, but not enough to warrant much playtime. The game’s biggest drawbacks is how painfully slow it feels and the tedious nature of the start. Performing maintenance tasks for the laundromat easily take up most of your time and bring your fun to a stop. If you like management games the game would be worth picking up on sale but for me I have spent more than enough time with Arcade Paradise.

Overall Rating: 5.5 – Above Average!

Platform Played On: Steam Deck

Recommendation: Yes (On Sale)

Buy the game here on Steam

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