I’ve always been a competitive gamer, especially in the current day of online multiplayer and millions worldwide all in one space. Back in the day though we relied on local multiplayer leaderboards in the arcade or on older systems like the beginning of the Nintendo and Sega generation, some of the games from back in the day still hold up now though and some people never tire of them. I’ll never forget being on holiday in the arcades and queuing amongst kids from other countries all eyeing the prize for the high score. King Of The Arcade brings back that nostalgia and throws you back to the 80s and early 90’s with some clear inspiration from the heyday of cartridge consoles and the cascade of noise and lights from the arcade.

Introduction

King Of The Arcade is developed and published by Super Villain Games and is available right now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. I was both excited and intrigued to check this out as they also worked on Doug Hates His Job which was a simplistic game but full of fun and witty humour. Those of you who have played Doug Hates His Job, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are some similarities here when it comes to character design, but it’s clear the development team has excelled and made bigger strides with this new entry.

You take on the role of Mac McCormick, a former arcade high-scoring champion who has left his past behind and remains humble. I don’t want to ruin the story since it is brief, but reluctantly you’ll be tasked with fighting Castle Arcade from being taken over by an unruly chap called Jimmy Joysticks and his crew. After showing the staff of the arcade how skilled you are, they require your expertise to rescue the thriving business from doom. You’ll do this by delving into the 40 arcade titles on offer whilst roaming freely around the several floors filled with greatness.

Gameplay

King Of The Arcade is designed to be played alone or you can bring another in to do local co-op which is a nice touch if you like jumping on from the comfort of your sofa with family or friends. You can choose to take on the short but sweet story mode or select the option to just browse and enjoy all the games at your own leisure. Coming from that era of gaming in the 80s, I do like to take a nostalgic dip back to retro-based titles so this game is absolutely perfect for that. The story mode will put you against a series of contenders with the aim of defeating a final boss across a genre of games.

The games take clear inspiration from familiar classics such as Space Invaders, Street Fighter, Duck Hunt, Outrun and even pong. Honestly, they play just as well as they did back then with no issues throughout any of them. I had hours of fun dipping my toe into each and every title the game had to offer and there are a whopping 40 to discover across the arcade in total. As you trawl down to the lower floors you’ll even find game consoles and handhelds to play and instantly it was like walking around my childhood. There are even some activities not based on video games to indulge in such as those frustrating but fun claw machines and also the thrill of air hockey.

Graphics & Audio

Visually the game has come on leaps and bounds in comparison to Doug Hates His Job. Whilst character models appeared almost identical, I could tell a lot of love had been poured into the overall design and feel of the arcade along with the games themselves. I enjoyed how the arcade was constructed and the atmosphere had a feel like being in the arcade and whilst not every single one of the 40 games had a huge amount of depth, me and my little lad had a blast giving them all a try. Whilst the character movement could be improved, it didn’t really matter so much since you spend the majority of your time playing the arcade games.

I was pleasantly surprised to see voice acting rather than having to rely solely on reading written subtitles although these accompany the dialogue. I enjoyed the predictable but cheesy humour throughout and the believable storyline fed into the gameplay well. The soundtrack blended with the aesthetics really well and brings those 80s vibes straight to the ears.

In Conclusion

King Of The Arcade takes the best of the 80s retro era, runs with a witty and well-thought-out story and fills your time with remembrance from the years gone by. The storyline is a nice touch and whilst I would have loved it to be a little longer, by the end I was keen on just exploring the open world of the arcade and just absorbing my time on the games on offer. Having unlimited time with these brings a lot of replayability and longevity. Sounds a bit odd but a wave of emotion overcame me as I explained these kinds of games to my five-year-old son. It was the first time I had discussed what Daddy used to play at his age and I’ll always remember this game for leading into that conversation and core memory with him.

For the amount of content on offer with King Of The Arcade, it is well worth the price point at £6.69 and there is actually 20% off for a small period at the time of writing. If you have an affection for retro-based video games, want to relive some memories or generally want to try something different then I urge you to give this one a go. Super Villain Games have done a fantastic job and I can’t wait to see what they do next.