Arcade Arena at Rosedale offers thrill of interactive, team-building games
ROSEVILLE, Minn. -- Video games have come along way since "Pong" and "Pac-Man." The technology is moving so rapidly that you can now step inside an arcade game.
A new immersive gaming arcade in Rosedale Mall allows groups of coworkers, friends or family to get in the game, and it's called Arcade Arena.
My sons, Tyler and Chase, were off from school for a teacher workday, making it the perfect time to get our game on. They have a little experience with video games as they led our family to victory in the "Nintendo Family Showdown" in 2018.
I explained to the boys that Arcade Arena is reminiscent of "Nickelodeon Arcade," an early 90s game show where kids played video games and the winners went inside a video game.
Up first for experience in the arena, the "Great Pig Escape."
"Your dad's gonna have to use his body in order to catch the pigs while you guys get to use the traditional arcade controls to get your pig across the farm to the finish line," said Arcade Arena founder Matt Ames.
You're able to get in the arena for a two-hour session using touchscreens, depth sensing motion-tracking cameras and the joysticks and buttons that mom and dad recognize. But it isn't just for families. Ames says the experience is also popular for corporate events and couples date nights.
Up to eight players at a time can face off against each other or work collectively as a team in 10 multi-player games with more on the way.
"We can build games that are two-minute, quick, physical games that you'll be sweating in 90 seconds after running around, as well as a more long, like 40-minute mental puzzle type of games," said Ames.
"The Heist" is one of those games. You work together to steal all the loot without getting caught. It requires communication, puzzle solving and careful use of your body.
"We want to create a social environment for users to come in and just be able to hang out and connect with each other. That's what it's really about is connecting," said Ames.