Arcade Paradise is a management game with a twist. Players begin by running their family laundromat at the request of their father. Washing clothes, picking up trash, and cleaning the toilet are all part of the daily duties needed to keep the place ticking over. The back storage room is where the real game begins, however, as it's in here that players find a few dusty old arcade cabs for customers to play.
In the cabinet's hoppers, there is more cash than in the token machine for the laundromat, leaving the playable character with the idea to get some more arcade machines in and make some real money. Managing the laundromat may be tricky, but placing the right machines in the arcade is even trickier. There are 35 different arcade machines to buy for the laundromat, but choosing the best arcade games in Arcade Paradise can make a huge difference to players' profits.
7 Woodgal Jr
One of the most simple but addictive games available to purchase for the arcade is Woodgal Jr.: a spin-off game starring the in-universe Woodgal character seen in Woodgal’s adventure. In Woodgal Jr., players must chop the tree as quickly as they can in order to achieve the highest score possible.
This is no easy feat, as the branches on either side can come crashing down on Woodgal’s head with one false move. Controlling Woodgal is done by a press of the directional left or right, with each one changing the side of the tree currently being chopped. Players will receive a set of emails from a customer when they first play Woodgal Jr. These emails throw the gauntlet down for a high score challenge, and it becomes one of the most addictive parts of Arcade Paradise.
6 Racer Chaser
For anyone who has ever looked at Pac-Man and then looked at Grand Theft Auto and thought that they should be combined into a single game, Racer Chaser is worth a look. It shouldn’t work, but Arcade Paradise somehow makes this concept not only work, but also incredibly fun to play.
In Racer Chaser, players have a top-down view of the city, just like in the original two Grand Theft Auto titles. Unlike the original car theft games, however, the gameplay here is more akin to Pac-Man. Players need to drive around the city collecting cash while avoiding the police. Collecting certain objects will briefly turn the car into a tank that can run over the police cars, kind of like how the power pill turns the ghosts blue in Pac-Man. It's a bizarre concept for sure, but one of the best cabinets in Arcade Paradise
5 Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow brings all the fun of working a crane in a warehouse to the arcade. Yes, this may sound a tad dull, but players should give Stack Overflow a chance as they'll soon discover that it's one of the most addictive puzzlers to place in the arcade.
In Stack Overflow, players are tasked with moving boxes. Yes, moving boxes sounds like a dull chore if ever there was one. That said, after throwing in colors that need to be matched up, a timer, and a high score counter, it becomes a fantastic must-play game that really makes players consider their next move.
4 Cyber Dance
Dancing games are the staple of any good arcade, especially those which allow for two players. Cyber Dance ticks both of these boxes confidently. One of the more expensive machines in Arcade Paradise, Cyber Dance is definitely worth picking up once it becomes available.
Just like with a real-life dance machine, players are complete with selectable tracks, each with its own BPM count. Some of the faster tracks can really test the player's reflexes, so, while certainly enjoyable, this may not be one for the faint of heart. For those who enjoy a challenge though, Cyber Dance is easily one of the best arcade games in Arcade Paradise.
3 Woodgal’s Adventure
The 90s wish they had a game that looked as nice as Woodgal’s Adventure in the arcades. A wonderful mash-up of another two unlikely games come together to make the adorable little Woodgal the star of yet another smash hit. It takes classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest and combines them with the Candy Crush formula, of all things.
Players walk around the beautiful overworld exploring and coming across monsters along the way. Instead of the traditional active time battle, though, Woodgal’s adventure has a match 3 style of combat where players need to pair fruits and cakes to satisfy the beasts. A strange-sounding combo indeed but most enjoyable at the same time.
2 Space Race Simulator
As anybody old enough to remember will already know, a major player in any worthy arcade was Outrun. The Outrun games were a huge success and even made their way to consoles over the years, winning over fans worldwide with their fast-paced driving antics and incredibly synthwave soundtracks.
Space Race Simulator is exactly that: Outrun. Instead of controlling a red-hot Ferrari though, players control a spacecraft. This makes Space Race Simulator feel like a forgotten origin tale for the Wipeout or F-Zero series. Quick turns and lightning reflexes to make them are needed to become king of the leader board in this fast and furious racer.
1 Video Air Hockey
The classic, Video Air Hockey. The first cabinet players see in the arcade, mostly as it is fixed in place due to its giant size. One of the best money earners in the entire game is Video Air Hockey. Players can expect to be lifting upwards of a hundred dollars a day from the hopper here.
Simple, frustrating, challenging, and fun, air hockey is a game that demands fast reflexes and near-constant focus. One wrong move and players can mess up an entire game with a succession of own goals. It's a great game that anyone can enjoy, though some may want to turn the difficulty down to easy to get to grips with the game's mechanics before facing those higher challenges.
Arcade Paradise is available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S|X, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.