Free Play Arcade

Since I started working for Today’s DFW, my boyfriend and I have had a competition to see who could find a cooler place to write about. His pick today was Free Play Arcade. I will admit, I had reservations about this place. We were both born in the 80’s but, he was the only one that frequented arcades, I was not that child. I had never played video games or a pinball machine in an arcade before today. If I were picking the place for our family day, this probably would not be it but, if my daughter or boyfriend picked it I would still be happy.

Ten dollars gets you in the door and then play is unlimited at every machine in the building…and there are over one hundred classic arcade and pinball games. While my boyfriend roamed the machines, re-living childhood memories, I found a game I loved. I posted up on the Family Guy pinball machine and played non-stop for almost thirty minutes. There is something about having a beloved character insult you when you mess up that really makes you want to prove yourself. I had more fun than I expected too and I thought I got really good at it. I took a picture of my high score, over eight million points! I was really excited…until they showed the top three scores on the machine. The highest score on the machine was hundreds of millions more than mine. I would have been sad but, it was the first time I had ever played pinball and I figured eight million was not too shabby for a beginner. It also left a burning desire to go back and prove Stewie wrong; he’s such a jerk.

I played Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with my boyfriend for awhile until squealing teenagers sent me to the comforting arms of the bartender. I sat and enjoyed a beer and mini street tacos and conversed with the bartender, a man with the patience of a saint. This mom prefers libraries to malls and squealing (seriously, squealing) teenagers are not high on my list of fun times. They were having fun and doing nothing wrong but, I hit cantankerous old person in my thirties. I was telling him that this place would be awesome if it was adults only and he let me in on a secret, after nine pm, it is adults only. That is the best of both worlds for me. My daughter and my child-at-heart boyfriend can hang out and have a good time during the day and my boyfriend and I can drink a beer while making Pac-man gobble up little dots. I enjoyed my time and would definitely go again. My boyfriend is already bugging me about when we can return.