Do you remember that feeling when you finally managed to beat the top score on Space Invaders or the basketball machine? Definitely makes all those hours spent perfecting those moves worth it!
Nothing is more de-stressing than spending entire afternoons away bashing buttons and winning prizes at the addicting UFO claw machines. Here are 10 arcades where you can play the latest arcade machines, old faves, and score exclusive plushies.
1. Cow Play Cow Moo
You can’t miss Cow Play Cow Moo. From a distance, the arcade beckons with the sounds of Space Invaders and a 4-meter tall claw machine with life-size unicorn plushies standing guard at the entrance. Cow Play Cow Moo sticks to its old-school ways with tokens and tickets, because there is something so satisfying about putting in coins and watching seemingly endless tickets spew out of the machine.
There is an entire section in the arcade dedicated to UFO claw machines stocked with various limited edition plushies and collectible figurines. If you’re horrendous at claw machines, look out for those which have a “Winners Guaranteed” sticker on it. After a certain number of tries, let a staff member know and he’ll give you a prize. At least you’ll go home with something, although we can’t guarantee that it’s with the plushie you wanted.
Tokens cost $0.20 each, and you can exchange tokens in denomination of $2, $5, $10, or $20. We recommend exchanging $20 as you get an extra $5 worth of tokens of free and your token drops to $0.16 each! Most games require 3 tokens, although there are a few games which only require 1 token.
Address: #03-372, Suntec City East Wing, 8 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038988
Address: Downtown East, Level 4, E Hub Building, Singapore
Opening Hours: open daily 11am to 1am
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2. Fat Cat Arcade
Fat Cat Arcade prides itself on being one of the largest arcades in town, with over 100 machines on the floor at both of their outlets. Their newer outlet in Djitsun Mall looks set on being the go-to arcade for Easties with everything from basketball machines and arcade games to coin-drop games which churns out tickets for every game play. Tickets can then be used to redeem for prizes like plushies, accessories, toys and more!
With tokens as low as $0.16, each game at most will cost you $0.96 as the machines cost anywhere from 1 to 6 tokens. Usually you get 300 tokens for $50, but they always have promos where you can get more cheaper tokens.
Address: DJitsun Mall, 445 Bedok North St 1 Level 2
Address: 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road, #05-05, S238895
Opening Hours: open daily from 11am to 1am
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3. Arcade Planet
Located on the other side of Suntec City in the West Wing is Arcade Planet, a sister arcade to Cow Play Cow Moo. Rhythm games rule here with over half of the floor dedicated to rhythm and beat games like Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania. Bishi-bashi fans will love the new 4-player machine, which (as its name says) can play up to 4 people at one time instead of the usual 3. Bishi-bashi games just got that more heated! The other half of the arcade is lined with claw machines that are filled with exclusive and limited edition plushies flown in from Japan and restocked weekly.
Instead of tokens, the rhythm arcade machines use 50-cent coins. The claw machines are $1 for every try.
Address: #02-409, Suntec City West Wing, 8 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038988
Opening Hours: 11am – 1am
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4. Ton Amusement
If you have been to one of Japan’s arcades, you would have been amazed at the kind of prizes you can win from a claw machine. Think: electronic gadgets, giant Pocky, and even giant instant cup noodles. Ton Amusement brings an authentic Japanese arcade experience to you, down to the limited edition prizes flown in straight from Japan. Other luck-based games like trying to drop a ball into a hole using a UFO catcher might be the answer to bringing home a prize!
Ton Amusement offers both tokens and tap-to-play cards. If you hate carrying tokens around the arcade, these cards are like ez-link cards for games. Cards cost $10, but hardcore arcade-goers should consider becoming a member to get discounts off games. Tokens start from $2 for 4, $5 for 10, $10 for 20, and $50 for 100 tokens. E-tokens cost the same.
Address: Orchard Central, #05-43/44, Singapore 238896
Opening Hours: open daily from 11am to 1am
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5. Arcade 1998
Everyone’s a winner at JEM’s newest arcade, Arcade 1998, who guarantees that every player leaves with a prize, whether it’s a plush toy or the latest pair of Yeezys. On their Instagram, they claim that it’s much easier to win more expensive prizes here as the tickets required to exchange prizes is supposedly lower. Arcade 1998 is going all out with their plushies too, with a life-size teddies and giant squid plushies at the king claw catchers. Their regular arcade games also churn out tickets where you can redeem coveted prizes like the Nintendo Switch and an iPhone X. Not! A! Scam!
Claw machines cost $1 for every play, and tokens are going for as low as 12 cents for one.
Address: #05-05, JEM Shopping Centre, 50 Jurong Gateway Road, Singapore 608549
Opening Hours: open daily from 11am to 11pm
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6. Timezone
One of the oldest arcades in Singapore, Timezone is a playground for both kids, adults, and kid-ults. Spark your competitive spirit by going head to head with your friends or family in air hockey and racing games, or even go for a game of mini-bowling. The newest flagship outlet in Vivocity even has an LED bumper car arena and a bowling alley in the arcade! You can even celebrate your birthday there as you can rent a private room for parties and events.
Instead of tokens, Timezone uses a Playwave Card which you can top-up and get discounted game-plays. Tickets are also electronic and stored in your card, so you don’t have to worry about someone walking away with your hard-earned tickets.
Best of all, Timezone has unlimited fun passes from just $28, where you can get unlimited games during a period of time. Play to your heart’s content without having to empty your wallet! They’ve also got regular promotions, which you can follow here.
Address: Various locations, full list here
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7. Virtualand
Before Tap Tap Revenge, there was JuBeat and Mai Mai to get you into that groove. Virtualand is popular amongst rhythm fanatics with the widest range of rhythm games like Dance Dance Revolution and Rhythm Vaders, all with the latest tunes. Each game costs from $0.50 to $2.
Virtualand has various outlets in Tiong Bahru, Bugis+, and Nex, but we’ve heard that the one at Nex has the widest variety of games. The arcade also hosts regular game tournaments where you can fight it out with other arcade gamers for bragging rights of a gaming champion.
Address: Various locations, full list here.
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8. Hollywood China Arcade
You have to be one devoted Universal Studios fan to have even heard, much less visited Hollywood China Arcade. The arcade is behind a restaurant facade in Universal Studios Singapore‘s Hollywood Zone, and is filled with Daytona machines, Super Mario games and even a classic table-hockey. If it’s raining heavily or the sun is too hot for you, head to this hidden arcade to tide out the bad weather.
While entry to the arcade is free, you still need to have an entry ticket to USS. USS season and annual pass holders would probably have more time to check out the arcade, and you’ll also get more free credits. Each game credit costs $1, but as with most arcades, the more you buy, the cheaper each credit gets. For $10 of credits, you get additional 8 bonus credits, and a top of $50 gets you 50 extra credits which is pretty much the same as a 1-for-1 deal.
Address: In Hollywood Zone in Universal Studios Singapore, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
Opening Hours: open daily from 10am – 6pm
9. Level Up
The kids who all grew up playing Space Invaders and Pacman are more likely to be hanging out at a bar rather than an arcade. Level Up combines the best of both worlds and more with plenty of arcade games, a well-stocked bar, and Insta-worthy walls to up your IG game.
The retro bar is fitted with darts, Street Fighter and Metal Slug games, and air hockey tables where you can have a tipple. Beating that high score at the basketball machine is way more difficult after a couple of drinks! There’s also a beer pong table (beer not included) and an extra long foosball table to keep everyone in the squad occupied.
Game tokens start from $2 for 2, $5 for 6 tokens, and $10 for 15 tokens.
Address: 3A River Valley Road, #02-04, Clarke Quay, Singapore 179020
Opening Hours: Mon – Thu, 5pm – 2am; Fri – Sat, 5pm – 3am; Sun, 4pm – 1am
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10. Nineteen80
Nineteen80 takes retro gaming to another level: party it up with arcade games and disco tunes! The bar is chock full of 90s and pop culture references and also has working Street Fighter and Donkey Kong arcade machines in the bar. The bar tables even double as game screens so you don’t have to jostle in the crowd. You’ll have more than enough time for a round or two of Pacman while you’re waiting in line for the ladies’. The tunes are also very old school, especially on the game-themed “Fight For Your Right” night – who knows, you might even hear a remix of the Pacman theme song!
Address: #01-05, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 044888
Opening Hours: Tue & Thur, 5.30pm – 1am; Wed & Fri, 5.30pm – 3am; Sat, 7pm – 4am; Closed on Sun & Mon
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