Game for the Holidays
Our favorite bar in K-Town is also our favorite classic arcade.
The tree is decorated, the dog has on his favorite red sweater and your entire family is en route to stay at your house for the week. Now there’s only one piece of your vacation puzzle still missing: a stiff drink. Make that two pieces: a stiff drink and a marathon session of Donkey Kong. Blipsy Barcade was invented for just such a moment as this, when only the purest form of upright arcade entertainment (and a little booze) will keep you sane.
Blipsy Barcade earns its reputation as a hidden gem by being tucked into a nondescript corner on a quiet block of Western Ave, across the street from the craziest KFC we’ve ever seen. But once you pull back the heavy curtain over the front door and head inside, what’s waiting will immediately stand out. Lit by the glow of a CRT monitor array importehttps://nerdistnews.com/files/region/national/story/games/arcade/d straight from the 1980s, blipsy barcade is home to not only a full bar, a dj providing live mixes and a signature blue neon ghost, but also original arcade versions of Joust, Galaga and Robotron: 2084 for your gaming pleasure. Pinball machines chime and whir on one side of the room, and a four-player edition of Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart’s Super Off Road begs for cash bets. Ever steer a virtual bike with a beer in your hand? The Paperboy machine begs you to give it a shot, if you dare; just make sure you don’t try it in the real world.
Your laundry is only going to get dirty again, so save your quarters for a fate more fun than the permanent press cycle and instead sip spirits between bouts of Punch-Out! and Ms. Pac-Man. In no time, Blipsy Barcade will be your favorite neighborhood bar, where everybody knows your game.
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