PaigeFTW: New Big Kid Toys at D&B
Arcade gaming in Hawaii is, well, pretty much nonexistent compared to, say, arcade gaming in Japan. Oh, the malls have their token Jungle Zones and Fun Factories, but it’s nothing like the glories of Akihabara.
Still, there are some gems to be had, if you know where to look.
I recently had the chance to try three recent additions to Dave & Buster’s at Ward Village Shops at a media reception, so here’s my take on whether it’s worth your time.
Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots: Battle of the Giants
I don’t think anyone can deny that life-size Rock ’em Sock ’em robots are cool. Dave & Buster’s told me that its gigantic, true-to-game model is the only one that exists in the world. So this one is extra cool, as far as that goes.
It’s quite a physical workout to play: You press buttons to command your robot boxer to punch, like always, but you have to manually maneuver his body a la steering wheel. This is difficult if you are small and short, like me, because I couldn’t judge how far I was moving my robot, nor where his right fist was at any given time.
But is it still exciting to watch the gigantic robots punching each other? Yes.
The Walking Dead
This two-person cabinet shooter is obstinately based on The Walking Dead. I would not recommend that diehard franchise fans put too much stock in that — it’s just a branded but also completely generic zombie game with a particular affection for crossbows over guns.
Dave and Buster’s made a point of telling me how advanced the graphics were, which is absolutely fair to say if we’re strictly talking about cabinet shooters and not anything released on consoles or PC in the last five years.
Zombie Snatcher
I won 750 tickets in 30 seconds from what is essentially the slot machine of Dave & Buster’s. Using good timing, you sweep discs into holes. That’s all it needs to be.
Dave & Buster’s tells me that people are addicted to the game. I can absolutely understand why. Beware!
