Arkadia Retrocade owner Shea Mathis leads a tour of his new video arcade in Evelyn Hills Shopping Center.
Photo: Todd Gill, Flyer Staff
If the 12-year-old version of yourself still exists somewhere inside your body, it’s going to freak out the first time it walks into Arkadia Retrocade, a vintage video game arcade set to open later this month in Fayetteville.
Owner Shea Mathis has spent the past year scouring Craigslist, eBay and area auctions to collect nearly 75 vintage arcade games. Now, he has enough to line the walls of a large space a few doors down from Ozark Natural Foods at 1478 N. College Ave. in the Evelyn Hills Shopping Center.
Photo: Todd Gill
And if you’re someone who played vintage arcade games as a kid, you won’t believe how many old games he’s found.
Titles include: Burgertime, Vs. Excitebike, Gauntlet, Ms. Pacman, Tiger-Heli, Karate Champ, Caliber Fifty, Galaxian, Frogger, Final Blow, The Simpsons, Galaga, Rastan, Double Dragon, Double Dragon II, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Junior, Mario Bros, Astyanax, Zaxxon, Championship Sprint, Lock-On, Asteroids, Time-Pilot, Buggy Challenge, Mr. Do, Gondomania, Silkworm, Rampage, Tempest, Shooting Master, WWF Superstars, Operation Thunderbolt, Sunset Riders, Konami, X-Men, Spiderman, Quarterback, Ironman, Super Offroad, Tetris, Toobin, Skull & Crossbones, Digdug, Hangon, Pengo, Streetfighter II, Track & Field, Gore, Willow, Jungle King, Thunder Blade, Invaders, Crazy Kong and Battletoads. And those are just the ones we were able to write down during our visit last week.
Photo: Todd Gill
In addition to the above stand-alone arcade games, Mathis said the center of the space will have an elevated deck with at least a half dozen cocktail table games, plus a couch and bean bag area with a console TV for playing a rotation of vintage video game systems.
“That area will be set up kind of like your dad’s living room, and you’re rocking out on some vintage system, hogging the TV,” he said. “Also, we’ll have a featured console, so it might be Atari 2600, or it might be Intellivision, or maybe it’s the Sega Master System.”
The arcade will also have a monthly featured game complete with a scoreboard to track high scores on several of the popular games.
Mathis said his business model is pretty simple. A $5 charge at the door will get you into to the arcade, and includes unlimited gameplay for the rest of the day. He said he’ll even stamp your hand if you need to leave to grab lunch, so you won’t have to pay again when you return. The arcade will also have two party rooms available for rent, and while there are no plans to serve alcohol, a snack bar stocked with candy, chips, drinks, and other game-playing fuel will be available.
Operating hours for the arcade haven’t yet been determined, but the plan is to be open Wednesday through Sunday each week.
Mathis said he hopes to be officially open for business in a matter of weeks.
“We’re going to try our darndest to be open by the 18th (of October), maybe the 21st,” Mathis said. “We can’t wait for people to see this place.”
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS
You had me at Zaxxon, then took it to the next level with Tempest.
Could it be pushed over the top with Defender and/or the the Defender sequel Stargate???
Yes! I am there!! Any classic pinball?
Hell yeah. Now go buy that Ninja Turtles game from the bowling alley down the street
This is great! Shut up and take my money!
Fantastic! I would also love to see some Pinball too but this will be a lot of fun.
Hey folks, thanks for the enthusiasm and well-wishes! And thanks of course to the Flyer for the attention. You guys rock.
Tom S., we have yet to knock a small handful of classics from our want list, including Defender. That’s not to say we haven’t been feverishly trying. Some titles are just a little more elusive than others (*cough* Journey! *cough*). We were all of two feet lacking in space to fit a Stargate cocktail onto the truck during our most recent midnight game-run. Rest assured we have our staff of Arkadians hard at work scouring the planet for the rest of the games we want. But for each one that hasn’t yet found its way to us, we have ten more that have. And believe me, we won’t stop looking til we’ve crossed every last one off the list.
Fhgggg, we are looking for a Turtles. You find one, you put down your sammich and you call me, like immediately.
Pinball fans; we fully intend to cater to you guys as soon as we are able. But as most of you Wizards know, pinballs are a different animal in many ways than the arcades and take lots of extra care and attention… and money, cuz they are super popular on the collectors market right now which makes them super duper expensive.
Our Facebook will be up ASAP, so keep an eye out for details on opening date, etc.
Shea, it might be a good idea to give your friends up at 1984 a call.
you need to read the book “Ready Player One”. Bet you would like it.
Tron?
2nd for Tron.
3rd for Tron. Get Tron and I’ll be a regular.
And TMNT…
Definitely the coolest thing to open in NWA in a long time!
And I love the idea of a $5 cover instead of having to deal with quarters/tokens/credits, which should get people out of their comfort zone and get them to try “new” games.
Can. Not. Wait!!!!
1942? Please!
2nd on the “1942″ request. One of my all time favorites!
3rd on 1942!
I will find a way to get up there ASAP once you open..
Looks cool. I’ve seen chain versions of these sorts of places in other cities, I like the idea of something locally owned. Hopefully that’ll get people away from their home console more often enough for this to be a success.
Great idea. Can’t wait!
I have been to a similar establishment in Houston. I am very excited to see this come to Fayetteville!
Yeah man stargate was the sheez, but it closed, this will be a wish come true… can’t wait. I’ll be the old longhair winning at everything, or at least trying. =D
SUNSET RIDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will never been so happy to see and to be able to play that game again.
I remember going to the Showbiz in Evelyn Hills and spending as much as $20 playing Gauntlet.
I’m looking forward to yelling “DON’T SHOOT THE FOOD!”
RED WARRIOR IS ABOUT TO DIE. DUH-NUH DUH-NUH DUH-NUH
WIZARD NEEDS FOOD, BADLY….
Reasonable Prices and Policies?
That is no way to run a business son!
Love it!
Missile Command? Please.
This looks so dope! I can’t wait!
Please tell me there is Gyruss. I wanna do battle.
Joust? Robotron? Battlestar? Galaxian? I seriously cannot wait for this place to open!!!!
Frenzy and Dragon’s Lair or GTFO
Tempest? Hells to the yeah. I used to get really, really… ummm…. enthused? And play Tempest at the game room at King Pizza delivery on Leverett back in the day. This concept makes me sad I’m moving away soon. Hope it opens before I go.
BTW Arkadians: charge $10. People will pay, I promise you.
RE “…I’m moving away soon. Hope it opens before I go.”
I am sorry to hear that you’re leaving, as I enjoy your posts.
Ditto, Mr. Franks. At times I did not agree with what you said, and sometimes how you said it, But I respect that your opinion was always coming from a place of “how can this little burg be better?”
I first lived here in 1977, and while not continuously since, have been here for the last 7 years. It’s a nice little slice of planet. It will be missed.
Well, except for that Charlie Foxtrot bikerfest.
But fortunately I can complain about something from afar, and probably will. Keep their feet to the fire as best you can, sir.
Thank you. Good luck in your new venue. I hope they have as fine a forum as the Fayetteville Flyer.
Do stop back by. If you run across Total Bastard, bring him along as well.
Ditto the $10. I’d like to see this place survive.
I also think a $10 charge is a good idea. Better to start out with slightly higher prices than open with lower prices and raise them later. I think people will pay. I know I would.
Also, I heard, can’t confirm, that some stoners really loved Frogger. So bet that gets some action too.
What? where are you leaving us for, IO? and why?
Mrs. IO is a Captain of Industry and has been summoned to the Great White Northeast. The good news is we’ll get to spend NYE at a My Morning Jacket show. The bad news is that brutha, it’s cold up there. Also bad news that my griping and complaining now will be from an imagined reality of life in the ‘Ville.
This is the sexiest article Fayetteville Flyer has ever posted.
Dane, must be because they chose to use the most flattering picture of me they could have possibly taken. Because you know, I am not in the least bit out of shape and nowadays, who bothers to shave and to not make the weirdest expressions possible when people are photographing you?
Oh, unless of course you meant the games.
I was overwhelmed with emotion, so what I meant is still unclear. Probably both.
It also might not be a bad idea to have age limits on who can be left alone so parents just don’t drop off their 8 year old or whatever.
Will you be offering lifetime passes?
Wooo HOOOO!!! Afterburner please???
Star Castle please!!!!!!!!!
Shea Mathis – singlehandedly keeping Fayetteville Funky like a boss. I’m totally having my bday party here.
I’m appointing myself Fayetteville King of Kong right here. If anyone out there knows any hot sauce magnates here in NWA, I’m in search of a good nemesis.
You are all mine at street fighter 2.
What about Joust? That lava sound makes me nervous just thinking about it.
5 dollars for unlimited play?
I’ll pay 20 no problem. I hope it doesn’t smell like vintage stock though, some nerds need hygiene lessons.
Excellent! I love 1984 arcade in Springfield but will love this one which is 5 minutes from my house even more!
1984 deserve all the credit for proving you don’t have to be a BARcade to be an Arcade. They are about as awesome as it gets. If you find yourself anywhere within a zillion-mile radius of them, you should patron them for a day or three or until you see vector graphic Star Wars ships in your sleep, whichever comes first.
Also, we’re working 25/7 on this remodel, but it’s putting us closer to the 25th for a soft opening, hopefully ‘grand’ opening on the 2nd or 3rd. Pull up our facebook for details/updates.
tron is awesome, but if you find Journey the video game, now you’re talking.
or atari’s X’s and O’s.
Magic Sword and Galaga ’88. Two integral parts of my history. Get these and I am at your disposal forever.
Can we get a link to a website or facebook page? When you confirm a date, I’ll be happy to talk about you guys on our show.
Arkadia has a FB page!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arkadia-Retrocade/293619130743490
This place is great we have been visiting
every week since it opened and the entire family loves it.
Profit is a good word!!!!! I love your idea of an “oldschool arcade”. You need to charge more than $5!!!! I want to see you be sucessfull and stay in business.
Can’t wait for an excuse to party here! xoxo
Can’t wait to visit. I can tell I’m going to have a total midlife crisis afterwards. Time to break out the parachute pants! Blast some Journey on the stereo….