Clear skies. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..
Clear skies. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Cidercade offers a variety of new and classic games.
Visitors shoot hoops at one of the many games inside Cidercade in Austin.
The entrance to Cidercade welcomes gaming enthusiasts of all sizes inside.
Danielle Groeninger, my friend from Austin, shows me how to play the “Avengers” pinball game inside the arcade.
Within a few minutes of familiarizing myself with the arcade, I managed to play the “Deadpool” pinball machine.
The lakefront patio is home to a pretty amazing view from outside Cidercade.
My friends, Danielle Groeninger and Jordan Becker swing outside in the outdoor area. Instead of benches, some tables come with swings installed.
My friend Jordan Becker bolted directly to the “Guitar Hero” machine as soon as we entered the Cidercade.
Cidercade offers a variety of new and classic games.
Visitors shoot hoops at one of the many games inside Cidercade in Austin.
The entrance to Cidercade welcomes gaming enthusiasts of all sizes inside.
Danielle Groeninger, my friend from Austin, shows me how to play the “Avengers” pinball game inside the arcade.
Within a few minutes of familiarizing myself with the arcade, I managed to play the “Deadpool” pinball machine.
The lakefront patio is home to a pretty amazing view from outside Cidercade.
My friends, Danielle Groeninger and Jordan Becker swing outside in the outdoor area. Instead of benches, some tables come with swings installed.
My friend Jordan Becker bolted directly to the “Guitar Hero” machine as soon as we entered the Cidercade.
AUSTIN — Over the past few years, arcades seemed to have seen a resurgence. Some of these not only cater to youngsters, but also to parent-aged counterparts. One of these arcades, called Cidercade in Austin, can provide gamers of all ages a day of fun for a pretty affordable price.
Cidercade offers a good deal: for $10 patrons gain access to every game inside for free. No tokens, quarters or bills are required, you just have to walk up and press the start button to play.
On this outing, my friends Danielle Groeninger and her boyfriend Jordan Becker, volunteered to show me the ropes at the small venue on Riverside Drive. When we arrived late on a Saturday afternoon, we had to wait a few minutes to get in because the place was at maximum capacity. When we got in we did run into some issues accessing the more popular machines. So, I’d recommend getting there earlier in the morning or day time to avoid most of the crowds.
Once inside, I quickly scoured the venue for specific retro machines. Unfortunately, I failed to find an “Aliens vs. Predator,” “Tecmo Knights” or even a decent “Star Wars” arcade cabinet. However, it took me no time at all to discover the “Deadpool” pinball machine, and then later, “The Mandalorian” one. While I spent some time with both, I think the “Mandalorian” pinball machine might have been busted since the ball never seemed to last long on the table. Deadpool, on the other hand, felt fun and eventually both Danielle and I took turns trying to up each other’s score.
However, I introduced Danielle to a classic, old-school two-player beat-em up called “Die-Hard,” which she instantly took a liking to. So much so, that I saw Jordan and Danielle beating the game later in the day.
Eventually, I spotted one of the Time Crisis games. At random times, I went over hoping to play, but never got a chance because the line just always kept growing. I had the same issue with the “Mandalorian” pinball machine. That continued to become a major drawback, because the place received so much traffic, you had to jump on certain games or you would miss your spot to play.
After wandering off, I did play a retro “Star Wars” game, but it wasn’t the game I was looking for. The game pits you in the role of Luke Skywalker (I assumed) riding his speeder bike with simplistic graphics. It felt more like a bargain bin “Spy Hunter” and I quickly checked out after a few minutes.
I soon met back up with Danielle who demanded we play the “Tetris” competitive video game. Overall, I thought I did well at spinning blocks and fitting the puzzle pieces in the right slots, but she was just leaps and bounds over me.
From there, Jordan and Danielle found a “Mario Bros.” game. At first, I thought it was just the classic version for the Nintendo Entertainment System. However, this one seemed to focus more on a cooperative approach and both of my friends worked together to clear levels.
Near the end of our visit, Danielle suggested we venture outdoors into the huge patio with large tables and chairs that actually resembled swings. With an amazingly scenic view of the city we had an interesting conversation as all three of us swung back and forth like adult children.
For adults, in addition to a full collection of games to play, Cidercade also specializes in many specialized drinks. The bar offers hard ciders, seltzers and kombuchas to the more seasoned gamers. A strong roster of drinks will keep you experimenting, but I’d recommend starting with something like the Dark Cide instead of going all in like my friends. They both decided to go with the The Hot One, a hard seltzer which included Carolina Reaper Pepper. Predictably, I wasn’t surprised when I heard them take their drinks back for the Crackberry cider, something much less intense and fiery.
As far as food, Cidercade does offer a vast menu of pizzas and wings for affordable prices. I didn’t get a chance to test out the menu on this trip, but maybe I will next time I visit.
Overall, Cidercade offers a great deal for the $10 price tag. While other arcades might have a better assortment of new and retro games, this one does provide plenty of fun for families and friends. I just have to remember to go earlier next time so can get to play some of my favorite games before the lines stack up.
For more information about Cidercade, go to www.cidercadeaustin.com/.
Cidercade, an arcade in Austin, is only an hour drive away and boasts a collection of more than 150 video games to play for only a $10 entry f…