HWZ Forums

R9-Type · 30-03-2018, 02:42 PM

Hi,

I had been overseas for more than a year and came back to Singapore a couple of weeks ago. First day back and enthusiastically heading to Virtualand Bugis for some great old school arcade gaming, just to get the shock of my life: there is a Challenger where once was the #1 arcade spot in Singapore. I mean it wasn't just an arcade, it was a place to meet and learn from the pros, either in racing, fighting, or bemani. Also the crowd wasn’t just kids or teens, you could go there - no matter which age - and found likewise people for a round of good old 2D shootem-up.

I still can't believe they closed down Virtualand Bugis. However, facing the reality I started my journey to find a comparable replacement. I checked Bugis+, Dhoby Ghout, Vivo, Nex, Tiong Bahru, nothing is like Bugis once was.

Can anyone suggest an arcade place which comes close to former Bugis? Or is the arcade scene in Singapore really dead?

Thanks
Mike

BTW: I boycott Challenger for the rest of my life.

ZrE0_Cha0s · 30-03-2018, 03:01 PM

can go vivocity. i have recently saw a fb ad that shows vivocity arcade and its looks quite big. more or less the same size as the bugis junctions.

stone1978 · 30-03-2018, 07:01 PM

There the game more for family and kids

ZrE0_Cha0s wrote:

can go vivocity. i have recently saw a fb ad that shows vivocity arcade and its looks quite big. more or less the same size as the bugis junctions.

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BlurKillerEX · 30-03-2018, 07:43 PM

Been to several freeplay arcades overseas. No tokens needed just pay a flat rate entry fee(usually 20-30) and you gain access to all the machines inside. I think if SG arcades start this trend it will bring life back to it.

runforyourlife · 30-03-2018, 07:44 PM

I went yishun north point and was surprised to see many kids inside lol.

eric3743 · 30-03-2018, 08:21 PM

Go to Vivocity...

Bugis location rental may be increasing as some shops may start to move out ...

runforyourlife · 30-03-2018, 08:22 PM

BlurKillerEX wrote:

Been to several freeplay arcades overseas. No tokens needed just pay a flat rate entry fee(usually 20-30) and you gain access to all the machines inside. I think if SG arcades start this trend it will bring life back to it.

Issit per day?

R9-Type · 30-03-2018, 10:34 PM

Thanks for your tips. I had been to Vivo City but 80% of the games are for kids <14yrs.

I look especially for Tekken 7 and only Nex has some T7 machines. Overall Nex might be the one which comes closest to Bugis - from size and type of machines. But still not a real competitor. Sad story here. Seems Tokyo is the last hang-out for the real Arcade freaks.

ZrE0_Cha0s · 31-03-2018, 08:15 AM

But when u go over to DG did u go up to Plaza Sing? Still not sure if that arcade still at the top floor near the cinema.

Trans-Am · 31-03-2018, 02:37 PM

For more than 3 years, I did not a single game.

Reason?

1) They kill off a lot of Konami's games. No online function and no new games.

2) It is the same old games . Didn't bring in new game like time crisis.

Sent from

Stay low Move fast !
Shoot first Die last !
One shot One kill !
No luck Pure skill !!

using GAGT

kengarou · 31-03-2018, 02:50 PM

serangoon nex bro... most of the kof and sf4 players go there nowadays.

R9-Type · 31-03-2018, 03:09 PM

@ZrE0_Cha0s: yes, I was in the top floor arcade. Remember 5 years ago it was pretty huge. Then they moved to the other side of the floor but half of it's former size. In 2016 they had at least 2 Tekken machines. Now it's only kids games with a few Wangan machines.

@Trans-Am: actually they do. Time Crisis 5 was released 2015. In 2017 the lightgun shooter "The Walking Dead" was released and it's not that bad, you might want to give it a try.

@kengarou: jup, seems so. From a fighting game perspective this arcade has most of the pros there, at least for SF4 and other 2D beat-em ups.

I found some retro-machines popping up in Singapore in a Clarke Quay bar called Level Up. They have a handful of arcade games and the pub is quite nice. Another spot is Headquarters Club at Boat Quay, they indeed have a single arcade machine standing beside one of the dancefloors. Their music is good old-school Techno and House and so are the games. You can choose between Pacman, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug and alike. Pretty funny to play a video game right beside a dance floor.

BlurKillerEX · 31-03-2018, 03:10 PM

runforyourlife wrote:

Issit per day?

All day until you leave that is.

Trans-Am · 31-03-2018, 06:11 PM

R9-Type wrote:

@ZrE0_Cha0s: yes, I was in the top floor arcade. Remember 5 years ago it was pretty huge. Then they moved to the other side of the floor but half of it's former size. In 2016 they had at least 2 Tekken machines. Now it's only kids games with a few Wangan machines.

@Trans-Am: actually they do. Time Crisis 5 was released 2015. In 2017 the lightgun shooter "The Walking Dead" was released and it's not that bad, you might want to give it a try.

@kengarou: jup, seems so. From a fighting game perspective this arcade has most of the pros there, at least for SF4 and other 2D beat-em ups.

I found some retro-machines popping up in Singapore in a Clarke Quay bar called Level Up. They have a handful of arcade games and the pub is quite nice. Another spot is Headquarters Club at Boat Quay, they indeed have a single arcade machine standing beside one of the dancefloors. Their music is good old-school Techno and House and so are the games. You can choose between Pacman, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug and alike. Pretty funny to play a video game right beside a dance floor.

I mean as in most of the arcade.

Sent from

Stay low Move fast !
Shoot first Die last !
One shot One kill !
No luck Pure skill !!

using GAGT