Best Arcades in Boston

Rack up the prize tickets while you're having fun at the best arcades in Boston!

Versus - Downtown Crossing

Versus has grown-ups in mind with its old-school arcade meets watering hole scene. This Downtown Crossing spot is 21+ after 7pm, but there are still great play options between 5pm and 7. Check the website for promotions, like free play Friday.

Boston Bowl - Dorchester and Hanover

Boston Bowl has billiards, batting cages, and–of course–bowling. But the family might want to skip everything else and head straight to the video games and air hockey. The GWIZZ arcade at Dorchester’s Boston Bowl has over 80 games and one of the most stocked prize counters in Greater Boston. The arcade is open late for the big kids!

Lucky Strike - Fenway and Somerville

This bowling alley and arcade is located right across the street from Fenway Park. Lucky Strike is 21+ after 8pm, but the arcades open at noon on the weekends, giving families plenty of time for video game fun! A secod location is located just outside of Boston in Somerville's Assembly Square.

Best Arcades Near Boston - South

Paragon Arcade - Hull

Located on Hull’s quaint Paragon Boardwalk, this gem has great old school arcade games like Pac Man, Skee-Ball, and pinball. Check the website for specials like half-price mornings and specials for joining the VIP program. A trip to Paragon Arcade (and nearby Nantasket Beach) is a great day trip for families looking for some summer fun!

Best Arcades Near Boston - West

Boston's best arcades have some pretty cool spaces—and some super cool games!

Fun and Games - Framingham

Framingham’s Fun and Games has been entertaining kids for half a century. This spot has plenty of old school arcade fun and laser tag too.

Free Play - Worcester and Providence, RI

Another throwback arcade for adults, Free Play in Worcester (and Providence too) doesn’t forget about the kids. One Sunday each month, this arcade hosts family day from 11am to 4pm, where players get unlimited use of video games and pinball machines. The name says it all: free play. Well, $10 per person, but once you're in, free play.

Acton Bowladrome and Arcade - Acton

Acton Bowladrome has a 50-game arcade as well as a pinball lounge. The Drome has a great mix of classic and new games, and the redemption counter is stocked with fun prizes.

Apex Entertainment - Marlborough

Marlborough's Apex Entertainment features bowling, axe-throwing (yikes!), and even an indoor miniature golf course! Hit the sports simulators before heading to the arcade at Apex Entertainment; the prize counter is one of the best around.

Boston's best arcades are great for getting some steps in!

Game Underground - Waltham

Located on Moody Street in Waltham, Game Underground has a healthy mix of arcade games along with consoles—from Atari to Xbox—hooked up to 50-inch televisions. Game Underground buys, sells and trades in the latter. They also have outdoor movie nights in the summer!

Best Arcades Near Boston - North 

In the Game - Peabody

Peabody's In the Game has laser tag, a ropes course, a rock wall, and an awesome arcade. This North Shore family fun center also has a virtual reality gaming center for the most immersive gaming experience imaginable. In the Game has crowd-pleasing food, like burgers and pizza. Check the website for col promotions, like half-price gaming days.

Salem Willows Arcade - Salem

Visiting the oceanfront Willows Park is one of the top Things To Do in Salem with Kids. This seaside gem has great food (pizza and fried clams), kiddie rides, and a classic arcade with old favorites like Pac Man and Galaga, along with sleek new ride simulators. There's even a wiffle ball batting cage!

Joe's Playland at Salisbury Beach is the perfect spot for cooling off on a hot day!

Joe’s Playland - Salisbury

Salisbury Beach is one of the best family activity spots in the Merrimack Valley. And along with fireworks, live music, and the usual beach-town fun, Joe's Playland has all the old-school arcade fun that will make the kids forget about a rainy day!

Best Arcades Around New England

Funarama - Hampton Beach, NH

Facing the ocean at the heart of the Hampton Beach strip is Fun-a-rama, a sprawling arcade on the first floor of the Hampton Beach Casino. This classic building has a huge event venue (the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom), beach food and ice cream, shops, and tons of games. The prize counter at Fun-a-rama is so massive, you might be able to see it from Boston on a clear day. Hampton Beach is less than 50 miles from Boston. 

Funspot - Laconia, NH

Located in Laconia, Funspot is the largest arcade in the world. With over 600 new and classic games, Funspot is sure to satisfy even the most discriminating gamer. There are kiddie rides, a mini golf course, bumper cars, and more!

Drop a quarter (or a token or a card-swipe) and save the galaxy at a classic arcade!

American Classic Arcade Museum - Laconia, NH

Dedicated to the preservation of old-school arcade gems, the American Classic Arcade Museum (ACAM) educates visitors while entertaining them. Located inside of Funspot, ACAM lets visitors play over 250 classic arcade games for FREE. It's no wonder this Lakes Region destination has been dubbed the best arcade in the world! 

Fun World - Nashua, NH

Nashua's Fun World is more than an arcade; there is a two-story carousel, kiddie rides, and a gigantic indoor playground. But the star is the arcade, with over 250 games; half of them are prize games too. Fun World is a classic spot for a rollicking birthday party.

Grab a friend and hit the road for loads of fun at the best arcades in New England!

Fun-O-Rama - York, ME

York, Maine is a traditional beach town, just over the border from New Hampshire. And York's Fun-O-Rama is a traditional boardwalk arcade, with video games, skee-ball, and plenty of prizes. Fun-O-Rama is great for taking a break from the heat on York's beaches. This arcade is also just down the street from York's Wild Kingdom a zoo and amusement park that's one of the Best New England Theme Parks for New England Families.

Arcade at Palace Playland - Old Orchard Beach, ME

Smack-dab in the midst of another of our favorite New England Theme Parks for Families, the arcade at Palace Playland has 20,000 square feet of arcade fun. From modern video games to vintage classics, from skee-ball to prize games, Palace Playland has it all. And the venue is superb, nestled right into New England's only oceanfront amusement park. The rides at Old Orchard Beach's Palace Playland are pay-as-you-go, rather than general admission, so you can bounce between games and rides to your heart's content!

All photos are courtesy of the venues.