Arcade Paradise

Lore & Background

Arcade Paradise was unveiled at Electronic Entertainment Experience 2021 (E3 2021). Developer Nosebleed Interactive, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, purposely chose a boring job for the player character to heighten the appeal of arcade games. Their initial idea was a video rental store, then a pizzeria, before settling on a laundromat after finding the King Wash Laundromat asset pack for Unreal Engine; the game itself uses the Unity engine. Doug Cockle, known as the voice of Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher series, voices the player character's father, Gerald.

The game features 35 arcade machines in the base game, with additional games available through downloadable content. The arcade games range from early vector graphics to 32-Bit graphics and span genres including racing, puzzle, and action. Each arcade game is fully playable, and some support local multiplayer for 2–4 players. Players can adjust the cost to play each game, difficulty, and other features to maximize profit. The player must also manage their health and work life; failing to return home at night may cause them to faint from lack of rest.

Multiple DLC packs were released. On December 15, 2022, the first licensed arcade game, Kung Fury: Street Rage (a companion to the 2015 film Kung Fury), was added. A second pack containing three games was released on February 13, 2023. The arcade games can be purchased as two separate packs or individually.

Reader's Guide

Arcade Paradise received mixed to generally favorable reviews from critics. Metacritic aggregate scores range from 72 out of 100 for Windows to 83 out of 100 for Nintendo Switch. OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, recommended by 73% of critics. It was featured as part of GameSpot's Best of 2022 feature. Digital Trends called it '2022's most underrated game,' while Forbes said it was the 'love letter it promised to be,' and The Escapist called it a hidden gem.

Reviewers generally praised the game's overall narrative and the contrast between working in the laundromat and playing video games. Eurogamer noted that the game delivers 'a sense of games as something you steal time for.' TouchArcade highlighted the many small details that envelop players into the world narrative. Polygon described the game as being about 'work-life balance, [...] the work you do to survive, and the work you do for love.' Nintendo Life offered a contrasting view, saying the element of 'a lazy young adult proving to their father they can run a successful business will never really grip you.' The individual arcade games were acclaimed; TouchArcade noted they were 'video games that weren't,' created specifically for Arcade Paradise. Push Square noted that 'the sheer density of content alone means you’ll never get bored,' and Pure Xbox called the arcade machines 'enjoyable and in-depth.'

Did You Know?

• The game was originally conceived as a video rental store, then a pizzeria, before the developers settled on a laundromat after finding the King Wash Laundromat asset pack.
• Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher series, provides the voice of the player character's father, Gerald.
• All 35 arcade games in the base game were created specifically for Arcade Paradise and are fully playable.
• The game was released for Amazon Luna and Google Stadia on October 13, 2022, two months after the initial launch.