Why spend a night on the couch wishing you could be a kid again when you could just go feel like a kid again?
North Jersey is home to several arcades that will transport you back in time with their vast collections of classic games. And whether you’re looking for some nostalgia by revisiting your favorite childhood video game, want to try to beat an existing high score or just simply want to have some fun at a unique venue, these seemingly hidden treasures will be sure to please.
Take a blast to the past with retro games at these four North Jersey arcades.
Billy’s Midway Arcade, Hawthorne
Billy’s Midway Arcade in Hawthorne is a must-visit for those looking for a night full of nostalgia. The arcade was first opened in 2018 by Billy Smith, who’s been collecting retro arcade games since the 1990s. And today, Billy’s Midway Arcade features about 75 classic games that span from 1933 to 2012. This includes games like Centipede, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man and Space Invaders, among others.
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All of the arcade’s classic games are set to free-play, meaning admission is based on playing time. Rates are $10 for a half-hour and $15 for one hour — with each additional half-hour being $5 after that — or $30 for an all-day pass.
Billy’s Midway Arcade also has a pay-to-play prize crane for $2 per play, which visitors can play until they win. There’s also a gumball machine-style pinball game that is also pay-to-play for 25 cents.
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Go: 312 Lafayette Ave., Hawthorne; 973-304-4530, billysmidway.com.
Morristown Game Vault, Morristown
Located in an old bank in the heart of downtown Morristown is the Morristown Game Vault, which was first opened in 2016 by owner David Balsamini. This retro arcade will transport you to the past, featuring more than 100 different classic video games — think Frogger, Asteroids, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man and Robotron — and pinball machines.
Visitors can play at the arcade daily by paying for a timed-slot, with all of the games set to free-play. Admission ranges from $13 for 30 minutes to $35 for two-and-a-half hours, or $30 for a five-hour pass.
Morristown Game Vault also hosts a weekly pinball tournament every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Registration is $5 per person — with $4 going to the prize pool and $1 going to the International Flipper Pinball Association — and the top four players will win a cash prize.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Go: 22 South St., Morristown; 973-944-8500, morristowngamevault.com.
Marcade Family Fun Center, Dover and Rockaway
Marcade Family Fun Center has two locations in Morris County, meaning there are two options for a night out playing classic video games.
With more than 100 classic video games and pinball machines available at their Rockaway location, as well as a variety of games available at their Dover location, Marcade Family Fun Center offers tons of retro video games that will transport you back in time. This includes Super Cobra, Super Mario Bros, Astro Fighter and Blasteroids. The arcade also has a list of all of their games, as well as which of their locations you can find them in, on their website.
Admission to play at either of Marcade’s locations are $10 for 30 minutes, $15 for an hour or $20 for an all-day pass.
Hours: The Dover location is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The Rockaway location is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Go: Rockaway River Commons 437 Route 46, Dover; 862-397-3398 and Rockaway Townsquare Mall, 301 Mt Hope Ave., Rockaway; 973-343-6013, marcade.us.
Rack N Roll Family Fun Center, Passaic
Rack N Roll Family Fun Center in Passaic is a one-stop shop for all things gaming. The arcade features a variety of classic arcade games like Space Invaders and Pac-Man, as well as a variety of others like skee-ball, air hockey and more.
On Monday through Thursday, arcade games with blue swipe machines are set to timed play. With this, visitors can get unlimited access to these machines for $10 per hour. All other machines on those days, and all of the arcade’s machines on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays can be played by loading a game card with points. Rates ranges from $20 for 20,000 points to $100 for 100,000 points.
There are also pool tables available at Rack N Roll Family Fun Center, which can be played for anywhere from $8 per hour for one player to $18 per hour for six players.
Hours: 1 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 1 to 10 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Go: 212 Washington Place, Passaic; 973-365-0020, racknroll.biz.
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at [email protected].
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