Jordan McCraeArcades offer some of the best indoor activities. It’s a bright and colourful world with a symphony of electronic sounds and the heartwarming laughter of people having fun.
Lucky for us, Auckland is full of many amazing arcades where you can spend an entire afternoon hanging out with your friends and family. Let’s discuss the best of them and see why you should check them out.
GameOn Arcade
Website: https://www.gameon.co.nz/
Address: 291-297 Queen Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 9 336 1489
Operating hours:
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (SUN and MON)
10:00 AM – 11:00 PM (TUES-THURS)
10:00 AM – 12:00 AM (FRI and SAT)
For a classic arcade experience, visit the GameOn Arcade. Located in the Auckland CBD, this arcade features a plethora of classic and modern arcade machines that cater to both younger and adult audiences.
They offer many popular arcade machines, like Taiko no Tatsujin, Beatmania, Dance Dance Revolution, and Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune. As for the classics, they have air hockey tables and pinball machines available.
If you’re looking to enjoy some after-hours fun with your work colleagues, they also have karaoke booths that can accommodate up to four people. As with most arcades, most of their machines dispense tickets that you can use to win cool prizes.
| Pro tip: If you purchase or reload your GameOn card with $40 or more, you’ll have the chance to play one of their monthly featured arcade machines for free! |
Timezone
Website: https://www.timezonegames.com/en-nz/
Address: 135 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 9 887 8302
Operating hours:
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM (MON-THURS)
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (FRI-SUN)
If we’re going to talk about arcades, we definitely shouldn’t forget to talk about Timezone. They are one of the biggest arcade chains around the world and have branches in Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand.
Here in Auckland, their branches offer arcade machines like claw games, shooters, and driving games. They regularly update their lineup, so you definitely won’t be missing out on the latest iterations of games like Dance Dance Revolution.
They also have fun multiplayer games available, like air hockey tables, mini golf courses, and even bowling alleys. You can also make your visit here more memorable by taking a photo with your friends in one of their photo booths.
| Pro tip: Timezone has a mobile app that lets you top up your Timezone Powercard anywhere and have priority access to their special deals and discounts. You can download the app from both the Play Store and the App Store. |
Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq
Website: https://www.archiebrothers.co.nz/
Address: 309 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 9 801 3381
Operating hours:
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (SUN-THURS)
10:00 AM – 12:00 AM (FRI and SAT)
Archie Brother Cirque Electriq is one of the biggest arcades you can visit in Auckland. Located in Newmarket, they offer plenty of arcade machines like basketball hoops, racing games, and claw machines.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Aside from your standard arcade machines, they also have a bowling alley and bumper car arena that you and your friends can enjoy together.
Furthermore, they have the Thrillrider, a panoramic gaming experience that lets you play a shooter within a cinema setting. They also have VR arcade machines if you prefer a more immersive experience.
| Pro tip: If you’re a student, you can enjoy a game in their bowling alley for only $12 (the normal price is $22). You only need to verify your student status with UNiDAYS to avail of this discount! |
Live Wire
Website: https://www.live-wire.co.nz/
Address: Shop N 201/286 Mount Wellington Highway, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1060, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 9 801 3381
Operating hours:
10:00 AM – 9:00 PM (MON-WED)
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (THURS)
10:00 AM – 11:00 PM (FRI)
9:00 AM – 11:00 PM (SAT)
9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (SUN)
If variety is your main concern, then Live Wire is sure not to disappoint! This lively arcade is located in Mount Wellington, and it features a vast array of indoor attractions that both young and old audiences will surely love.
Some amazing examples of their adult-oriented attractions are their climbing wall, curling rink, and bowling alley. They also offer a tonne of virtual reality attractions, like their Cricket Simulator and Hologate VR.
They also have many arcade machines you can enjoy, like Mario Kart Arcade and Space Invaders. Meanwhile, kids too will have plenty of exciting things to do here thanks to their inflatable park and indoor playground.
| Pro tip: Still looking for an amazing gift to give someone? Live Wire offers gift vouchers that let your friends and family enjoy their exciting attractions at your expense! |
The VR Club
Website: https://www.vrclub.co.nz/
Address: 5 Akoranga Drive, Northcote, Auckland 0627, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 27 257 2577
Operating hours: By appointment only, call them for more info
If you want to have a good time in virtual reality, be sure to check out The VR Club! Located in Northcote, they specialise in providing a VR experience that you can enjoy solo or with a group.
A key difference between them and most arcades is that they allow free, unrestricted movement for their players while using their VR equipment. Their equipment also doesn’t rely on bulky wires to properly function.
Their playrooms have sizes of up to 6×9 metres, where players have the opportunity to play fun and exciting games like Kitchen Panic, Lunarscape Breakdown, and Cyber Shock.
| Pro tip: Before you end your VR session, make sure to get their Heroic Photos package. With this package, you’ll receive edited photos of you playing your chosen game! |
Arena Entertainment
Website: https://arenaentertainment.co.nz/
Address: 22 Corinthian Drive, Albany, Auckland 0632, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 9 444 2377
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Arena Entertainment is a vibrant arcade that specialises in indoor recreation for the family. Located in Albany, they offer a vast range of exciting activities suitable for all ages.
They have plenty of popular arcade machines available, like Mario Kart Arcade, Dance Dance Revolution, and NBA Hoops. They also have air hockey tables and a bowling alley if you prefer enjoying a competitive game with your friends and family.
For me, one of the most unique experiences they can offer is their Golf Simulator. It has its own unique 3D tracking radar that ensures every swing and stroke you perform will accurately reflect how the virtual ball will move on the screen.
As for the kids, Arena Entertainment’s Inflatable World will definitely keep them active for a couple of hours.
| Pro tip: Be sure to visit them during their off-peak hours so you can save some money. For their bowling alley, they only charge $10 per game rather than the usual $16 between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM. |
Zero Latency
Website: https://www.zerolatencyakl.co.nz/
Address: 62 Cook Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 9 930 5969
Operating hours:
5:00 AM – 9:00 PM (MON-THURS)
4:00 AM – 9:00 PM (FRI)
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (SAT)
10:00 AM – 7:00 PM (SUN)
Another amazing virtual reality-focused arcade you can visit is Zero Latency, which is located in Auckland CBD. Their cutting-edge facility has a total size of 200 square metres where players can play and explore virtual worlds seamlessly.
They allow players to move freely while playing VR thanks to their wireless HTC Vive Focus 3 headsets, which can function properly on their own without the need for wires and bulky gear.
I’m also happy to report that they have a great selection of games you and your friends can enjoy together. Some of their most popular titles are Outbreak, a zombie horror shooter, and Ubisoft’s VR port of its hit game Far Cry 3.
| Pro tip: If you’re interested in bringing a large group of people to enjoy their VR games, you can reserve their entire place for a private event by filling out this form! |
Game Over
Website: https://www.gameoverauckland.co.nz/
Address: 35 Arrenway Drive, Albany, Auckland 0632, New Zealand
Contact details: +64 508 426 368
Operating hours:
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM (MON-WED)
12:00 PM – 8:00 PM (THURS and FRI)
10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (SAT and SUN)
A rather fitting choice to end our discussion, Game Over is an arcade in Albany that specialises in family entertainment. Their massive number of attractions will definitely keep you occupied for the entire day.
Their most popular attraction is their 200-metre go-kart course. Other exciting attractions you can try here are their mini golf course and laser tag arena where both young and adult players can play together.
After a recent renovation, they added more arcade machines into their facility, and guests can now enjoy a mix of both classic and modern games like basketball hoops, shooters, and claw machines.
| Pro tip: You can save a lot of money by buying their special deals, like their “Buy 1 Go Kart Race, Get 1 Free” offer. Check out their deals page to learn more about the latest discounts and promotions. |
