Oh, those were the days… Nagging at your parents for a bit of change, before running off to the arcade with your mates and playing games until you’d spent every penny – and then repeating the whole process until those responsible for you got pretty fed up. And now, taking us all on one big nostalgic trip to better days is NQ64 – a unique gaming arcade and bar that’s taken over the former Distrikt club in Merchant Square.
Similar to its other sites in Edinburgh and other UK cities such as Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool and Manchester, the time capsule-like bar boasts a glowing neon sign that gives a friendly nod to the dusty Nintendos stuffed away in our attics. But inside is where the fun really begins (obviously!) – with neon-splattered graffiti and retro games galore greeting you as soon as you step through the doors.
Featuring a whole roster of retro favourites, NQ64 Glasgow is home to several famous games – including Mortal Kombat, Pac-Man, Street Fighter II, Tekken and newer classics such as Guitar Hero. If that wasn’t enough, the uber-cool spot would have its very own Sega Mega Drive, Super Nintendo, N64 and an original PlayStation. It’s literally like the early 90s all over again – and we’re obsessed.
The retro arcades and pinball machines work on a token basis, with most games accepting just one token to play, whilst all the game consoles are free to play. The bar is child-free, too, so you can rest assured you can crack on with your game without the interruption of an innocent-looking 10-year-old desperate to pinch your machine.
It’s not just games that NQ64 has on offer either, with an ever-changing beer list featuring local brews, craft tinnies, and gaming-themed cocktails. The venue just upped their game by introducing some brand-new concoctions this Autumn. If nostalgia and fun had a flavour, the new cocktails would be it: Aku Aku Fruit Punch, with Plantation Pineapple, Mount Gay Eclipse Rums, peach, banana, apple and Refresher syrup. Lara’s Lost is also worth a shout-out, based on Lara Croft, with Absolut Vanilla, blackberry, raspberry shrub and prosecco. Plus, the spot offers White Claw, the hard seltzers that has taken over the US.
You can also sip on The Simpsons or Ghostbusters “whilst button-bashing to victory against your mates.” Plus, you can enjoy your drinks with retro snacks from the bar like Space Raiders and Monster Munch.
NQ64’s Marketing Manager, Ellie Quigley, said: “We can’t wait for our guests to try our new range of cocktails, which we’re proud to say are invented by team members in NQ64 sites across the country.”