Hit the Road for Some Retro Arcade Fun

One cent is not worth much anymore, but you still can have hours of fun with a fistful of coins (even pennies) at some retro arcades in the Northeast.

Stop by the oldest penny arcade in America in Rhode Island or the nation’s largest arcade in New Hampshire. Good luck and keep a steady hand!

Need a ride? Rent a car.

Connecticut

DEEP 6 Arcade

New Haven, other locations

The owners’ original mission here was to save pinball machines from landfills, and as they repaired more and more, their surplus grew and they decided to invite people to play. Now with more than 130 game rooms in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, Deep 6 hosts competitions, offers open play periods and features classic games. Machines take everything from a dime a play to a dollar coin for four plays.

The Pinshack

East Hampton

The Pinshack offers a constantly rotating collection of classic pinball games. For $15, visitors get unlimited gameplay.

Massachusetts

Joe’s Playland

Salisbury

This 100-plus-year-old arcade located right on Salisbury Beach features a mix of classic and new games. Besides pinball, it offers Skee-Ball, air hockey, pool and redemption games. Players can swipe a card for electronic game play and earn e-tickets, or go the traditional route with quarters and receive paper tickets.

Versus

Boston

Get ready for a full lineup of arcade, pinball and video games as well as a wide selection of pub food. Only patrons aged 21years and older are permitted after 7 p.m.

New Hampshire

American Classic Arcade Museum 

Laconia

Established to promote and preserve the history of coin-operated arcade games, the American Classic Arcade Museum starts with the pre-electricity machines of the early 20th century, travels on to the penny arcade era and the demise of the arcade industry in the late 1980s. But this museum is not just for browsers – as the owners put it, if you have a favorite pinball game, it’s probably here, and they say they have some of the rarest games on Earth.

Upstairs from the museum is Funspot, which proclaims itself the largest arcade in the world and is home to more than 600 games. Its sci-fi-themed Pinball Outpost includes classic and contemporary games. Modern ticket games to earn prizes are available and the retro games are only a quarter to play. Funspot also hosts weekly pinball leagues.

Squiggles

Campton

Squiggles is home to more than 20 vintage arcade games, including “Back to the Future” and Dungeons & Dragons pinball machines. Located in an historic mill building dating back to 1826, an onsite store stocks toys, gifts, gadgets and more than 100 kinds of candy. Sqiggles is old school, and all games operate with quarters. Quarter and change machines are available, but there is no ATM on site. A cash for card is available from the store.

New Jersey

The Lucky Snake

Showboat Hotel, Atlantic City 

This huge arcade has a pinball gallery as well as go-kart racing, video games, competition games, redemption games and attraction games. Food and beverage options are nearby.

Morristown Game Vault

Morristown

Ready for a trip back in time? Located in a former bank, the Morristown Game Vault securely houses more than 110 retro arcade games and pinball machines. But not everything is retro; instead of quarters, players get wristbands and are charged based on the number of hours they play. Game Vault also keeps track of high scores on all its arcade and pinball games. Names are listed on the website and displayed on the arcade wall using a projector.

New York

Robot City Games and Arcade

Binghamton

Claiming to be the biggest arcade in New York with 125 games, including 31 pinball machines, Robot City is the place to get your retro on. Pinball games dating back to 1974 are ready for action as are classic video games. Hundreds of video games also are for sale.

Game On

Lake Gove and Riverhead

Game On calls itself an authentic arcade with an ’80s and ’90s feel. Boasting more than 100 games, players pay $15 to play all day. One adult is required to supervise every three children under age 13.

Rhode Island

Spring Lake Arcade

Burrillville

If you are driving in or near Rhode Island, don’t miss Spring Lake Arcade, America’s oldest penny arcade, just an hour from Newport. And YES, they do have machines that take pennies. Not all do, so come prepared with a pocketful of change. A blend of old and new, about half the arcade floor space has games from every decade going back to 1920 and the rest is filled with current games that are updated every year. Locals get a discount; admission is $5 for Burrillville residents and $8 for non-residents.

Electromagnetic Pinball Museum and Restoration

Pawtucket

The museum’s mission is “to foster a love and appreciation for history, science technology, engineering, arts and mathematics through interactive pinball exhibits.” Museum programs educate the public about the need to preserve pinball machines and celebrate their contributions to art, history, science and technology. But of course, playing is important as well. Visitors pay $10 for the day to play about 85 different pinball machines as well as arcade games.

Do you have a favorite retro arcade? Tell us about it in the comments below.