Massive retro gaming bar is opening in Central London
The arcade is alive in Soho
In just under a month, Soho is getting a new retro gaming bar — plus there’s pool and darts if you’re more a Luke Littler fan than a Luigi one.
NQ64’s new London Soho location opens on 11th September and, just like the one in Berwick Street right now, it promises arcade machines, retro consoles, themed cocktails and more.
It’s a two-floor venue found within Orange Yard, just a couple of minutes’ walk from Tottenham Court Road station. And, funnily enough, less than 10 minutes’ walk from NQ64’s current Berwick Street location.
Either that place’s lease is ending soon, or it’s popular enough to justify another location just down the road.
We’re told it will have UV-lit pool tablets, darts enhanced with “augmented reality” games, and loads of retro console stations. What hasn’t been revealed yet is the part we want to know most: what arcade games will be at NQ64’s new Soho spot.
We have pretty high expectations. The Berwick Street branch currently has 31 arcade cabs and two pinball machines — including House of the Dead, Crazy Taxi and Mortal Kombat 3.
The Orange Yard branch is described as NQ64’s “biggest venue yet” so we’re hoping for a haul at least as impressive.
Not been to NQ64 before? Here’s how it works.
You can book a time slot at NQ64, and rather than setting the machines to freeplay, they use tokens. With a standard Arcade Gaming slot you’ll get 25 tokens — 1-2 are required per arcade cab credit. This costs £14 per adult at the Berwick Street branch.
Or over the weekend you can get a Supercharge Weekend slot, which includes “unlimited” game tokens and four cocktails — but you only get a 90-minute slot. That’s a lot of cocktails in a relatively small amount of time.
You can also just enter for free, and buy tokens while you’re there. These cost £10.50 for 15 tokens, £14 for 25 tokens.
Retro consoles are free to play on, but the message from management: “don’t be snide, buy a drink.”
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