September 27, 2024 13 min read

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The Best Arcades in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is known for more than just gambling—it’s also home to some of the world’s best arcade experiences. While Sin City is often dubbed the gambling capital, it offers plenty of alternative entertainment, including top-notch arcade spots. Stroll down the iconic Strip, and you’ll easily find arcades that promise endless fun. Here’s our breakdown of the best arcades in Las Vegas, all in one place.

1. Sandbox VR

Sandbox VR
  • Located in: Grand Canal Shoppers at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
  • Address: 3377 Las Vegas Blvd S #2235, Las Vegas, NV 89109
  • Hours: 10 AM – 12 AM
  • Contact: (775) 571-1779

Las Vegas Boulevard is host to many arcades, and arguably some of the best in the city. The most prominent spots you will find on the iconic Strip are the Sandbox VR venues, one located at 3663 Las Vegas Blvd S SUITE 185 and the other at 3377 Las Vegas Blvd S #2235.

The venue breaks away from what you would traditionally consider “arcade games” with its nostalgic look and plunges bravely into the world of modern-day entertainment with tons of Virtual Reality experiences on site.

Players may try their taste of get-rich-or-die trying in Squid Game, set out to explore distant planets and civilizations in Star Trek Discovery, or survive the zombie apocalypse in Deadwood Valley.

Sandbox VR offers the world’s most complete and immersive VR experience that renders virtual reality into a tactile adventure where you can live through whatever adventure you want to brave.

2. Game Nest Arcade

Game Nest Arcade
  • Located in: Hotai Plaza
  • Address: 4525 W Spring Mountain Rd #112, Las Vegas, NV 89103, United States
  • Hours: 12 PM – 12 AM
  • Contact: +1 725-780-4426

Game Nest Arcade has genuine arcade credentials, and it is the first venue on this list to subscribe fully to the classic definition of an arcade. The venue’s bona fides are improved by the fact that the venue imports traditional Japanese game machines such as Dance Dance Revolution and Taiko no Tatsujin.

Game Nest Arcade similarly works with modern high-tech game options, such as PC and console gaming, and features VR. The games though span a range of classic and modern options, including Street Fighter and Pac-Man which has been immortalized in the arcade landscape.

Although the atmosphere can be cut-throat and competitive during game and tournament nights, Game Nest Arcade is definitely family-friendly, not least because it makes sure that its pricing and services are affordable, guaranteeing a constant churn and footfall on the venue.

3. Magic Claw

Magic Claw arcade
  • Located in: Decatur Twain Shopping Center
  • Address: 3650 S Decatur Blvd Suite 9, Las Vegas, NV 89103, United States
  • Hours: 11 AM – 9 PM
  • Contact: +1 702-250-2168

The Magic Claw Arcade in Las Vegas is a unique venue that is built around the premise of claw games. The popular slot-a-coin and pull-a-prize-out games are easy to enjoy, but they may not be to everyone’s taste. However, Magic Claw sweetens the deal with a large range of prizes that you can try your hand at pulling out of the machines.

You may take your kid and try to pull out a stuffed animal toy, or you could hit the venue with your friends and see if you can’t manage to grab a consoler or another high-tech item. Suddenly, claw machines are all the rage and players enjoy them a great deal.  Once again, arcades in Las Vegas tend to be family-friendly and the Magic Claw is no exception.

Affordable pricing makes it easy for visitors to have a great time, with food & drink readily available, and the venue actually stands out with its design that draws heavily from traditional arcade gaming venues and offers a lighter and better-lit overall interior.  

4. The Claw Arcade

Magic Claw Arcade
  • Located in: Flamingo Business Center
  • Address: 11:30 AM – 8:30 PM
  • Hours: 4850 W Flamingo Rd #42, Las Vegas, NV 89103, United States
  • Contact: +1 702-289-7033

The Claw Arcade is another venue that focuses on the popular claw game machines. It’s bright, well-lit, family-friendly, and a lot of fun, with tons of awesome prizes available for visitors from far and wide. The venue is known to cater to a diverse crowd, although it prioritizes children and adults with their kids. The working hours are kept relatively tight, with the venue opening at 11:30 AM and closing at 8:30 PM at most days. The Claw offers exclusively stuffed animal prizes and comes with awesome characters such as generic animals, Pokémon, Marvel, and other franchise options.

The machines are massively fun, easy to use, and offer a pretty good grip, offering younger players the opportunity to chug out the particular prize they want and have it home with them.

5. Fun Dungeon

Fun Dungeon Arcade
  • Located in: Excalibur Hotel & Casino
  • Address: Excalibur Hotel & Casino, 3850 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, United States
  • Hours: 10 AM – 12 AM
  • Contact: +1 877-750-5464

The Fun Dungeon is another bona fide arcade in Las Vegas, Nevada, and we are not past calling the venue one of the best there is.

There is a lot to see and do at the Fun Dungeon, with the arcade offering more than 200 different games, mixing standard fare titles such as claw machines and prize redemption and some more immersive experiences such as skeeball, basketball toss, and air hockey.

The venue itself is not big on food and drink if you are looking to satiate your appetite, but you can easily order various snacks and drinks. For a larger meal, you should head to the nearby Dinner Show at the Excalibur.

The Fun Dungeon is particularly aware of its appeal to families and children, and it seeks to explore this relationship by building a well-rounded atmosphere that allows families to unwind and for their kids to have a blast going through the massive selection of games and experiences available on-site.

The Fun Dungeon will also accommodate you for longer hours and opens earlier than other arcades on The Las Vegas Strip, making it one of the best options hands down.

6. Pinball Hall of Fame

  • Address: 4925 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89119, United States
  • Hours: 10 AM – 10 PM
  • Contact: +1 702-597-2627

Alright, if you are looking for a slightly different arcade experience in Las Vegas and The Strip, you may want to head over to the Pinball Hall of Fame. Inspired by pachinko games, pinball machines are a massive hit in the United States, and the Pinball Hall of Fame is the nation’s tribute to these types of games.

The venue has a collection of close to 700 pinball machines, which are a mix of exhibition pieces and actual machines that you can sit down at and play to your heart’s content. The museum status won’t stop you from enjoying the pinball machines, and the atmosphere is entertainment-centric, meaning that there is little of the stuffiness some visitors may commonly associate with museums.

All the proceeds in the venue go to charity, so the venue does not have a commercial character, although the service is top-notch, based on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews data.

Oh, and you can play for as little as $0.25 to $0.50 per play. If you want to dive into the nostalgia of pinball machines, here is a retro arcade venue that will cater to you generously.

7. Level Up

Level Up Arcade
  • Located in: MGM Grand
  • Address: 3799 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, United States
  • Hours: 3 PM – 2 AM
  • Contact: +1 877-880-0880

Located in the MGM Grand, Level Up is an arcade that has much to offer to players of all hues and stripes. The arcade has a broad appeal, but it is meant for adults. The venue features classic and modern arcade games, has a great selection of food and drinks, and offers event spaces, and gaming options that include classic casino games.

Various interactive gaming elements add to the entertainment, offering players the chance to try VR and other experiences, which have become a signature product to find at the venue.

The venue is also sumptuously designed, owing to its affiliation with MGM Grand, and offers endless arcade game fun. Whether you are just winding down or want a tasty meal, Level Up is the type of gaming that will cater to your every whim.

8. The Nerd

The Nerd Arcade
  • Located in: Neonopolis
  • Address: 450 Fremont St #250, Las Vegas, NV 89101, United States
  • Hours: 3 PM – 4 AM
  • Contact: +1 702-575-8486

The Nerd Arcade Lounge is not shy about embracing the early days of the arcade bonanza. The venue strikes a retro design that is accentuated with authentic game machines, some of which are modern, but somewhat modified to fit better with the reminiscent mood of the venue.

Yet just because The Nerd is nostalgic in appearance this doesn’t mean it is not great fun. The arcade is filled with blinkering lights, tons of gaming options, and a great selection of arcade machines that go off with their 16 and 32-bit jingles and tunes.

There is a huge selection of gaming options to choose from, leaving you with an ample variety of games to explore at your own leisure. Failing to pick a game to try, you can always fall back to plan B and hit the brew and food options, which includes a dining fare so yes – The Nerd is planned to lure you in and keep you hooked.

The event is also a buzzing hive of gaming and entertainment with frequent tournaments and groups of friends coming in to set aside some rivalry, or just tourists stumbling across the venue to get a refreshed taste of arcade nostalgia.

9. Round1 Bowling and Arcade

Round 1 Bowling and Arcade
  • Located in: Meadows Mall
  • Address: 4000 Meadows Ln suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89107, United States
  • Hours: 10 AM – 2 AM
  • Contact: +1 702-956-6333

The Round1 Bowling and Arcade offers enough variety for you to enjoy a good range of experiences. You can bowl, although we know that this is not why you are visiting the arcade. Speaking of, the arcade area is extensive, and it features hundreds of awesome machines to plunge into.

Now, the venue is not exactly cut to focus on the arcade experience alone. You have much else to try, including billiards and darts, so it’s by and large a more traditional guys-night-out setting. Visitors may also try the karaoke to the chagrin of others, and also enjoy the rich selection of food and drink options.

Above all else, Round1 Bowling and Arcade makes sure it remains family-friendly through its multifarious selection of things to try, see, and do.

10. Player 1 Video Game Bar  

  • Located in: Sunrise City Plaza
  • Address: 2797 S Maryland Pkwy #24, Las Vegas, NV 89109, United States
  • Hours: 1 PM – 4 AM
  • Contact: +1 725-204-1399

Perhaps the best Las Vegas arcade for adults, Player 1 Video Game Bar has much to offer, although it’s not restricted to only adults.

The arcade does not spice things up with casino games of chance, for example, but it still appeals to the generations that grew up with gaming franchises such as Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and Pac-Man generally drawing an older crowd.

There are a lot of extra options to explore as well, such as modern gaming consoles, which complement the classic arcades and leave you with plenty to do and explore. Now, gamers tend to be a puckish lot, and Player 1 Video Game Bar is perfectly aware of this.

This is why you can expect to find an ample range of food & drink right on the venue, along with light cocktails but also non-alcoholic options. The venue holds regular tournaments for some of the most popular games and draws huge crowds of nostalgic and competitive-minded individuals.

Why do we consider Player 1 Video Game Bar to be one of the best venues for adults, you may wonder – well, it’s open until 4 AM in the morning!

Honorable Mention: HyperX Arena

  • Located in: Luxor Hotel & Casino
  • Address: Luxor Hotel & Casino, Luxor Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89119, United States
  • Hours: 12 PM – 11 PM
  • Contact: +1 702-723-2355

HyperX Arena is a brilliant part of the Las Vegas gaming scene, though technically an esports arena designed for hosting and streaming events. Located within the pyramid-shaped Luxor Hotel, this venue stands out with its busy event calendar, drawing players of all ages. Gamers can join regular community events like Fortnite Fridays and Mario Kart nights, along with many other options, designed around individual games.

The arena offers food and drink, a large selection of games, the Omen Streamer Room for aspiring streamers, and even space for hosting productions. With a strong lineup of competitive gaming events, HyperX Arena draws crowds of spectators and players alike. Spanning 30,000 square feet, it provides a top-tier esports experience in Las Vegas.

How to Pick a Las Vegas Arcade

Picking an arcade in Las Vegas is not a necessarily complicated process. Most arcades are quite similar as a matter of fact. The biggest considerations we think would be on anyone’s mind are whether the arcade has a good location – for example, are you staying in a hotel nearby?

The Strip offers a lot of access to some of the major arcades in the city. The other thing to consider is the hours – arcades may close at 9 PM or 11 PM, for the most part.

Some places may be a better fit for young kids, such as The Claw as opposed to Player 1 Video Game Bar, which could be a better pick for children in their late teens or adults. If in doubt, you can always rely on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews, which are going to help you figure out the kins of what arcade offers.

FAQs

What are the best arcades in Las Vegas?

Many arcades offer excellent experiences across Las Vegas and on the strip including Sandbox VR, The Game Nest Arcade, Level Up, The Nerd, and more. These arcades accommodate kids and adults.

Are there arcades in Las Vegas for adults?

Player1 Video Game Bar and Level Up are perhaps the best arcades for adults, mostly because of their late hours. There is a range of other arcades all across The Las Vegas Strip that are equally accommodating, but these two stand out as the very best for adults.

What are some of the best kid arcades in Las Vegas?

The Claw and The Magic Claw Arcade are the best for children. They have a huge range of prizes – some high-tech and other stuffed animals such as Marvel, DC, and Pokémon. The stay is affordable and family-friendly, and most visitors appreciate how well-lit and welcoming the venues are, although still retain their distinct arcade look.

Can I visit a retro arcade in Las Vegas?

Yes, the Pinball Hall of Fame is perhaps the best retro arcade in the United States, and most certainly in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Can you play free arcades in Las Vegas?

Yes, you can. Free arcades are available in Las Vegas across bars, restaurants, and other venues, as well as hotel lobbies, although there may be certain prerequisites.
For example, you may have to buy a drink at a food & drink venue that also features arcades to get a freebie at the machines. It varies from one venue to the next.

Luke is a media graduate who is looking to build upon his experiences from his strong love of sports betting and casino games which started during his first year of college. His fresh mindset always brings new content ideas to the team and his editorial skills will continue to grow with the help of the upper management team at GamblingNews.com.

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