New York

Right now I’d rather be playing Dig Dug at Barcade. Or Q*bert. Or Moon Patrol. There, I said it. It feels good to finally come clean on this addiction that I’ve been hiding from friends and family for many years now. From Boston to Poughkeepsie to Phoenix to Portland to Seattle to Brooklyn, the curse of the Atari 5200 has followed me everywhere I go. I have no idea how a grown adult can be drawn to such meaningless entertainment. But I do know how to avoid Coily, Ugg, and Wrongway on the 4th board of Q*bert using numerous crafty maneuvers. Or manipulate the pump gun in Dig Dug to quickly destroy two Fygars and a Pooka while picking up a bonus turnip in round 2. The fact that I can now play all night long every night of the week at Barcade just makes life that much better. And did I mention they have an incredible selection of microbrews such as Rogue, Six Point, and Fisherman’s? But enough talk, I have an L train to catch…

Photo:  Patrick Romero

Guys and Dolls of Internet Land: ever dream of a bar that housed all the classic arcade games, like Super Mario Bros., Gauntlet, Frogger, 360, and Rampage? Ever think of taking that idea, and adding one of Brooklyn’s largest tap selections? (25, at the time this was written.) Well, you can wipe that drool off your lap and stop with the video game nostalgia because they’ve done it, and it’s one of the best places to spend an evening outside the Lorimer Stop in Williamsburg. The setting itself isn’t a work of beauty; the walls are bare, and seating is limited to a few booths. But you’re not there for a typical bar vibe as much as you’re there for the games (25 cents a pla —old school authentic!) and good beer ($5 a pint, on average). Sometimes the consoles are out of service and sometimes the crowd can be a bit stale, but hey, that’s how the arcade was when you were a kid, right?

Photo:  Public Domain