Dragons Lair.... Galaga.... Star Trek.... Burger Time....Tapper... Qbert.... street fighter... and on and on. This is a slice of heaven on earth, I have never been more excited to step back in time. I felt like I was 10-11 yrs old again and played my all old arcade favorites. There was also every beer imaginable, what an amazing selection. I took my own son who's now 11 yrs old and watched him melt into the background of the machines--- he truly loved it. This was NOT like Dave and Busters, this is something way cooler. If you love the 80s and are fan of anything true arcade, then free play is the place for you! There is a small area to grab some food--- pizzas are actually really good!!! Not some refrigerated pizza, seems like they make from scratch and it's pretty tasty! There guys have events all the time and is definitely worth the crazy drive I have to make to get here--- I really hope they open one in denton (think college town guys) I will definitely make the trip to the Arlington location real soon. read more

This establishment is perfect for the inner kid in everyone. I love the 80's theme and the concept. I was so excited when I heard there was an Adult arcade that allowed unlimited play for $10! So, if you aren't so skilled at Street Fighter, no worries; you can play over and over for practice until you feel that person behind you that has been waiting on the game. I also went for New Years Eve and so glad I did. They really did it up with the music and playing 80's videos on a projector. That's not all...THE FOOD IS GREAT and the drink prices are so reasonable. I like how they offer so many choices for beers, ciders, IPAs etc. I can't get into the bar scene as much these days, but this place definitely gets me off the couch. Now all I have to do is find someone who will battle me with Dr. Mario! read more

Free Play - Bars Near Me - Richardson, Texas

Hi. My name is Carol. I'm addicted to Ms. Pacman. I'll try what looks like a great beer selection next time. I had so much fun; can't wait to go back. I'm an old broad who figured I'd stand there with my hands in my pockets while my 27yo son and my bf relived their youth. Instead, I found a tabletop Ms Pacman and quickly became addicted, used quite foul language (under my breath, I hope), worked up a sweat, and had an absolute blast! The place is nothing fancy, just a strip mall in Richardson on Beltline. And the parking lot has holes that must be navigated gingerly. But GO! Have a little fun, will ya?! read more

Children of the '80s and '90s, we have finally found our niche. Our nirvana, if you will. ;) For 10 bucks per person, you can enjoy a wide variety of old-school arcade games while grooving to the music of your childhood. Best of all, the games are all free so you can play as long and as many times as your heart desires. The atmosphere is fun and friendly, and while they do close at midnight, they'll at least let you finish your game before they kick you out. And as an added bonus, kids are banned after 9 pm, so us adults are free to eat, drink, and be merry without worrying about little kids running around. read more

I've been here three times spread over the course of six months and each visit has been well worth it. I don't live terribly close and that's why my visits are spaced out. However, this has proven to be a benefit because each visit seems new with what seems like 1/4 of the machines rotating each time. Some of the mainstay classics are here that probably don't rotate such as Pacman and Galaga. For titles that do rotate I've found some real gems. The only one I love that was gone my last visit was 1942. I'm a big fan of fighters and this arcade has the mandatory SFII cabinet. Beyond this, MvCII, Street Fight Alpha III (much welcomed), MKII, Primal Rage and a couple fighters I haven't played previously were there including the one where Morrigan came from. Pretty cool. Of course, with rotating games the one you love may rotate out. MvC1 was notably replaced by II in my last visit. I'd really like to see Tekken here, but this is nitpicking and I suppose it could have come and gone given the rotation model. Getting out of the weeds, the machines were in good condition and the beer selection was good. The music is a nostalgia trip and it's a fun atmosphere. read more

Our whole party of at least 20 people were kicked out because one person, whom had already left, was under 21. The whole group was punished because we were told we had to know she was under 21 and had switched wristbands with her. First off we all had our wrist bands on, so we couldn't have switched with her. Secondly, pretty much the whole group was in our 30's and 40's, why would we ask. This was my first time here for our friend's 41st birthday and to be accused and questioned about someone in our group, that yet again had already left. This seems like a harsh and stupid punishment to make 20 people that had no idea what was happening leave with no explanation except one person that wasn't there was underage. I will never be coming back here again. read more

We came in later on a Friday night (around 10), and almost didn't go in because it looked so busy but I'm glad we did! The $10 is well worth the fun and very inexpensive drink prices (2 Tito's and vodka and 3 Austin Eastciders for $28!!). Even though it was crowded, we were always able to find an open game to play and since it's all adults at that hour, we didn't have any issues with a group of people hogging games. There was only one broken game, with all the others in pretty decent shape (obviously they are used, but operable.) I wouldn't hesitate to come here again; hopefully on a Monday or Tuesday when they are less busy. read more

Interesting place near Richardson area! As you may already know there are a ton of games here all for about $10 a person at the front door. They have games from Pac-Man to Race Car Driving and everything in between. I came on a Friday night expecting it to be super crowded but it wasn't too bad. People there were respectful and didn't hog games after they lost; overall a great experience. read more

Sweet Arcade! $10 for unlimited play. They had several games, seemed like going through a time machine to play an arcade game without worry about having enough quarters! Also had a bar with several beer options. Will visit again! read more

This place is so cool and it's definitely different when you're looking for something fun on a Friday night. For 10.83, you can play all the retro arcade games and pinball machines you want while listening to retro music. They serve tons of beers (and sodas too if you're lame like me and don't like beer) for reasonable prices and also have some snacks for sale like personal flatbreads and pressed sandwiches. While the food is only okay, the experience more than makes up for it. Hours will fly by before you even notice because you're too focused on your game of Sega's Michael Jackson's Moonwalker or trying to serve all the customers in the original version of Tappers. Weekend nights its over 21 only after 9 PM so some of the groups were a little rowdy, but it wont detract too much from your game play. read more

Wanted to check out a fun place in Richardson and came across this gem. I know everyone has heard of Cidercade but if you're in the area, check this place out. Key notes: $10 entrance free, all you can play Old school 80's music all night Lot of beer selection Ran out of wine ($3 only but you sold out? That alone may bring it down to 4) Ton of games to choose from Check this place out! read more

My husband and I held our wedding (as a private event) at FreePlay and we simply can not say how amazing the location is! From the staff to the game variety our day was absolutely perfect. We are fans of their fair prices, amazing beer variety, fun little pizzas and overall atmosphere FreePlay provides. Gayle was so very helpful in answering all of our questions and making our special day just perfect! read more

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Great value with lots of free arcade games! The bartenders were super friendly and helpful. Got some good recommendations of which local beer to try. There were plenty of arcade machines even on a pretty busy Friday evening. read more

First time visitor. I loved it. I get the business idea. :-) I wish I had come up with it. The cocktails were not overpriced...because that's that where they make most of their profit probably. I am a business person so I assume. :-) Staff was friendly and very quick to take your order. Bad staff = bad business but this staff was totally onboard so the owners might offer them good benefits, I don't know, but it clicked. Some games were old but that's exactly what we need. Old games mixed with newer ones. The old games are nostalgic for some visitors and it pays off. You play, you drink and the place makes money. Good business. Love it. I might take something from this. read more

We took my 5 and 7 year old here to pass some time on a Saturday evening. They were a little young, but still enjoyed it. My husband really enjoyed the classics. Fun atmosphere. Friendly staff. Clean restrooms. read more

This place was totally rad, dude. We paid $10 to play as many video games as you want for as long as you want. When you walk in you are transformed back to the 80's they have all your favorites: Donkey King, PAC-Man, and of course my favorite, Galaga, and hundreds more. They also play 80's music, which is a fun touch. I think it's more of an adult place at night, as they have a bar with many different beers and wines. We took the kids during the afternoon for a birthday party, we all had a blast. It's a nostalgic fun, place for adults, and a great way to bear the heat in the summer. read more

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Let me count the ways I love this place. I was in town visiting family and my cousins took me to this gem of a place. I hadn't been back to Dallas/Richardson in about 10 years and man am I glad this exists here now. A little under $11 (when you add in tax) for unlimited old school arcade game play and cheap beer plus the most amazing hummus I've ever had? Yes please! And with happy hour from 3-6 on M-F, you really can't go wrong. Mike was working the cashier/beer area and was super cool and helpful. They had run out of a lot of their beers but they still had so many good ones left, it really wasn't a big drawback. They really do have all of the games from your childhood too. RC Racers, Mrs. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, a Michael Jackson and Aerosmith game (yep, those exist), some old school pinball machines and just about any other game you could think of. They play awesome 80s tunes the whole time too. I know this place probably gets busy on a Friday or Saturday night so I'm glad we went on a Monday night. It wasn't very busy at all. No waits for games and no one hovering behind you waiting to play. As previously mentioned, they have food too and I can't recommend the hummus enough. I like that the seating area is pretty big too for when you need to take a load off from all the arcade fun. If I lived in the Dallas area, I have no doubt I would be every week. Super cool place. read more

Free Play has quite a few vintage, old school arcade games. They serve your typical pool room/bowling alley food along with beer and wine. Their beer selection was pretty decent for an arcade room. Note, after 9PM, no one under the age of 21 is allowed in Free Play. All and all, cool place if you want to go somewhere you can play like a kid, but drink like an adult. I was a little bummed because the one game I was excited about playing was out of order, but I'll be back. read more

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Lots of fun. Great games, just crowded enough, great selection of drinks and easy food. No more than a few minutes wait for a game on Saturday night and nice to have 21+ after 9pm. Somehow 2 hours just flew by. read more

Easy 5 stars. 25+ Arcade games, pinball stations, inexpensive good selections of beer, what more could you want? I know what you're thinking and it's got food too. Check this place out sometime. It's never too packed. read more

$10 entrance fee for unlimited games. Food and drinks are extra. I went on a Saturday night. PROS: good music playlist, lots of arcade games with some pinball machines CONS: overcrowded so popular games are often taken, you might wait a while to play a popular game because some players don't know how to share, the atmosphere could use more lights and louder music read more

Good arcade, lots of old games, one of the few disappointments is no NFL Blitz, but has a lot of other classics.

Awesome retro arcade games! My favorites: TMNT, MVC2, Xmen, Simpsons, Rampage, Frogger, and their Pin ball machines! We went on a Wednesday so there were many to choose from to play. Place was decent, my only complaint was the arcades were pretty crammed so I can imagined on a busy weekend you'll be elbow to elbow with a person playing a game next to ya. But, if anything, they really re-created a 90's arcade environment. THIS is how it was back then before other venues came and took over the arcade scene. I believe these are authentic arcade machines too, so none of that emulators boot up crap. The place is a nostalgic museum in its own. I got the early bird deal, and spent about 5-6 hours there. Went to a nearby QT grab some snacks and came back in for some more gaming! What a deal. read more

I had an enjoyable time when it came to the games with the kids but what is sad is that once the original bartender left the bar for a bit there was a new guy in charge and would not serve us anymore drinks due to the bartender not placing a band on our wrists at the time we arrived. This was not our fault so we should not be denied anything if a worker failed to put a wristband on our wrists. Mind you this was our first time here, how could we have known? We also had a tab open that had been open for hours at this point so why not serve us? The original female bartender came around and this guy behind the bar could have asked her if we paid entry so we can order. He did not. I get it there are rules but if we started a tab hours prior then someone knew we paid our way in. I mean $20 for the both of us entry fee, is that what he was tripping about? We clearly paid way more than that in our alcohol tab so why would would he not think we paid entry fee? Very disappointing we would have spent way more $$ there but we chose to tab out and go elsewhere. read more

Fun and nostalgic. It's a time machine back into the 70's and 80's. Unlimited play with an $11 wristband. Good atmosphere. The staff was very polite and the beer selection was great. Highly recommended. read more

Great concept, poor implementation. I went ready to play. I ended up playing the games we'd never heard of because the good games were being hogged by people who had no problem hitting the "Play it Again" button while we gawked and dropped unsubtle hints about wishing we could have a turn. At first, we were very polite and patient. We even enjoyed the cafe area while we waited. Then we became a little more assertive. We waited through a game or 2 then asked players if they were going to be finished soon. This got us dirty looks and no additional game time. I have no idea how this place is going to last as it gets more popular and people get even greedier. Did I mention they serve malt liquor? You're serving 40 ounces of Colt 45 to people who can't get a turn on the games and you think this is going to be cool? Best of luck. Surely they've got a plan. It's much smaller than I expected. It looked like a mall arcade but they jammed a lot of cool games into the space. I had a sandwich that tasted like I ordered it from Panera Bread so they've got quality food. I'd just really gone for the games and I left disappointed. read more

My friends and I had a blast at Free Play Arcade last night. It's $10 entrance fee and you can play all the arcades you want. They have several pinball machines, shooter games, and 80s - 90s arcade games. You won't find any modern, interactive arcade games. Nonetheless, we easily spent 2 hours there. There was also a bar and some tables to sit at. My boyfriend ordered a cider from Bishop Cider Co, yum. Restrooms were clean, which I didn't not expect. A major con, which can't be avoided, is the game buttons and handles are greasy because of everyone touching them. Just wash your hands before you leave the place! read more

Great idea wish I came up with it first. 10 bucks gets you unlimited play hence the name free play. Beer is ridiculous cheap like 4 buck in most beer. But they do have some craft beers just as cheap. I had the Rahr n Sons double bock it was amazing 7 bucks for a 32oz. Love all the vintage games from the 80's goes well with the 80's hits they play. Great place guys keep up the great job. read more

Free Play - Bars Near Me - Richardson, Texas

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This is definitely the place to go if you want a beer and a place to play arcade games. They have a good selection of beers and the bartenders are great at giving beer recommendations depending on your tastes. read more

Wow! That's all I can say! This place was AWESOME!!! I came to Free Play for the first time on Monday, January 18th, with my friend just to see what this place was like and to see if kids our age would really enjoy an arcade like this, and the first thing that makes me want to go back is the atmosphere. When my friend and I walked in, we were greeted with a friendly welcome and a smile. The guy at the counter that we payed to get in was really nice, friendly and even though there was a huge crowd when we walked in, he quickly got us through to the games without any problems, all while smiling! He was also really professional about asking for our I.D. to make sure we didn't drink while we we're there (we're both under 21 haha). The second thing that makes me want to go back is the food. You'd think that at an arcade they'd have typical foods like hamburgers and hotdogs. Well I was proven wrong. They have really nice sandwiches/paninis there that aren't just thrown together and they aren't the sort of thing you'd find at an arcade, but they we're reeeeally good! If you're unsure of what to get when you go, get the Italian sandwich. That one is AMAZING! Lastly, the games. There's a couple games I'm already familiar with, but to try out so many others was pretty cool! I've always heard awesome stories from my parents about how they used to always go to the arcade with their friends back in the 80s, and I've always wanted an experience like that. Well, as everyone knows, times have certainly changed, but I'm really glad I could have somewhat of the same experience they both had by playing all the classics they did in such a friendly environment! The only con I have to the place is that there's not that many tables there to sit down and eat if you really want to. My friend and I had to sit down and eat at a table that wasn't bussed. That was totally ok with because we just moved everything to the other end of the table, but there were beer bottles left and I didn't want people to think we were drinking when we weren't supposed to lol. I also understand that they don't really have THAT much space, but a couple more tables would be awesome! :) Overall, this place is awesome and if you want to spend a day at an arcade with all the classics, this is the place to turn to! read more

I came here yesterday (Saturday) on a first time date with a guy Ive been seeing. I figured we'd come here so it can bring back memories from back in the day. The area isnt hard to find - but for him it was. For me it wasnt so it depends. Its called FREE PLAY. Its in a run down strip mall but its very busy. We walked in, the employee asked if we ever been (I like when they ask that). We said No, and he explained how its $10/person all day, you can walk in & out just have your wristbands on and hit play on the games. Easy enough. We walked around, its a big place. My date is in his 30s so hes more familiar with arcades. To me only old school I remember is Pacman, Mario Bros and Donkey Kong. He saw some games he remembered, but most of the games we play were a bit complicated for us - it killed the fun. They had street fighter but it was only 1 and it looked like a tournament was going on. Cmon street fighter is most popular game - at least have 3! The drink selection is just beer & sodas. I hate beer but cave because I at least wanted to drink. Just a suggestion, at least have a house margarita for the ladies. I cant say much. It has a good concept but we didn't really enjoy ourselves. About 2 hours we had left. read more

This is the place to come to relive your 80's childhood. It's a fun arcade with lots of games and pinball machines. I didn't eat or drink here so I can't comment on that. read more

Free Play - Tempest - Bars Near Me - Richardson, Texas

I suggest if you're coming here with just adults to come later in the evening. There were quite a few kids, and while that's not bad or unexpected, with the arcade boxes to get lives you just press the player 1,2,etc buttons. There were multiple games with a couple hundred lives racked up on them, and multiple players just sitting on screen which keeps you from moving forward as a lot of the games are beat em up. We walked away from a couple games because the previous children had ran up too many lives. That being said, the arcade boxes are in good condition, the beer is craft, and the food while simple is still tasty. 10 dollars to get in and play for as long as you want. Enjoy it! read more

This place is pretty cool. Lots of really great old school arcades. They also have some really obscure one that you've probably never heard of, but the beauty of this place is that every arcade is set to free play (hence the name!) you can try out these different machines while your favorites are occupied. While you only need to pay a cheap cover charge, they have some food and drink that you can order and start a tab. Gets crowded on the weekend, but there are more than enough machines for everyone and if you're willing to be patient you can get a chance to play your favorite even on a busy night. Love this place and will definitely be coming again! read more

I sense something. A pain I've not felt since... Seriously the pain in my wrist and "fire button finger" are strong with this one after last night's arcade escapade, but it's collateral damage to an amazing night. A retro 80s arcade cannot be a novel idea (in fact it's probably a latent desire in a majority of us), but I'm impressed with how flawlessly this was executed. I'm not unconvinced that building a time machine to snag an actual arcade from the 80s would have been less work than the effort put into this. Walk in. Pay $10. Play whatever you want. It's really that simple. 4 rows (about a dozen long) of shooting, driving, and joysticking classic arcade games. 5 pinball machines. Plenty of beer. And plenty of room to maneuver or just sit down and take a load off. Friendly faces at the door or pouring you said beer. Constant 80s tunes playing in the background. I'm assuming this is what heaven is like. read more

I believe I experienced my first arcade game at a local skating rink in the small town where I grew up. They had a single row of maybe 3 pinball machines and about 10 arcade cabinets. It was the late 80s and if I hadn't been wearing skates, I wouldn't have been able to reach the joysticks or buttons for any of them. From the moment I first dropped a quarter into one of those orange glowing slots I was hooked. At one point my parents even stopped wanting to take me to that skating rink because I would invariably end up spending the vast majority of my time playing arcade games rather than actually skating. Over the years the games at the skating rink changed. The ones I probably remember most are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Time 4-player cabinet, where whenever a group of kids would get to the last few levels, a crowd of kids would gather around to see if they could beat the game, and the Super Mario Pinball table, which I particularly loved due to my fondness for Nintendo and Mario games in general. Then came the local mall arcade - "Just For Fun." There was a small store sized bay that housed what would be my first real arcade. It was amazing. Superman, Double Dragon, Bad Dudes, Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, and more. "Just For Fun" was so successful that at one point they had to move to a second bay at the other end of the mall... then later they expanded again and combined the two locations in to one even bigger single location, complete with arcade and console video game promo TVs in the food court that I would always want to sit by and stare at whenever we ate at the mall. After that, from then on - the early to late-90s, when I was just a kid(pretty much from age 8 to 15), I always wanted my birthday party at "Just For Fun." And every year we did. For many years my friends and I would be given and spend bags of quarters at "Just For Fun." We defeated Magneto on a 4 player triple wide screen version of the X-Men arcade game cabinet together. I chainsawed arms and legs off my friends in the way-more-gory-than-Mortal-Kombat fighting game Time Killers. We shot up zombies and monsters in CarnEvil. We defeated the baddies in various Metal Slug games. We blasted each other in T-Mek, sitting side by side in a climb-in cabinet with vibrating seat transducers that made you "feel" explosions. We shot enemy fighters out of the sky on Afterburner. We felt the road move beneath us on the tilting seated version of Rad Mobile. It was pure magic. And I could keep going there forever. But one day, that arcade's doors were closed. The PlayStation and the N64 had been out now for at least a couple of years. And I had noticed that the Die Hard arcade game was literally IDENTICAL to the version at home. You before had games that were close - like Killer Instinct on the SNES vs the arcade version, but the arcade version was always way better. But not anymore it would seem. And slowly, the other local arcades closed. And in their place years later Dave & Busters came to be. But Dave & Busters was far more focused on "ticket" and "novelty" games. You would find lots of skeeball machines, lots of chance games, but no fighter cabinets, no Afterburner, no T-Mek. And now, you actually find giant 40" touch screen ports of hit iOS games like Angry Birds and Doodle Jump... It would seem that there was no hope for anyone looking for a real arcade. ...Until I heard about "Free Play." Sure it doesn't have any big riding style classic cabinets like Afterburner, but they do have an incredible selection of many other machines that you would not find anywhere else... And they say they are going to always be on the lookout for more machines. And the food is awesome. Loved the Cuban sandwich and a Matilda beer. It may not be perfect... yet, but when I walked out after checking out a pretty packed REAL arcade for a few hours, I had this feeling that Free Play is on its way to becoming something amazing. Maybe I have finally found a new place to celebrate my birthday again. Maybe my son will want to have his birthday here someday... read more

Had to check this place out. It was a ton of fun and a great place for a wide range of people, singles, couples, families. Definitely brought back a lot of great memories from my childhood with over 60 arcade games like Joust, Frogger, Centipede, Spy Hunter, Ms. Pacman, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. Mortal Kombat and they even had Mike Tyson's Punchout and much much more. They play 80's music, serve craft beer and wine, as well as some bar food. I'll definitely be back and would recommend Free Play to anyone - for $10+tax, you get to play as many games as you want - it's pretty damn awesome! read more

All the arcade machines from my childhood made my heart smile. The bar selection made my face smile. Just a really fun place for adults and kids to play games, without the overcrowd feeling of places like D&B. Plus your entry band is good for the entire day, so you could essentially come with the kids, go grab something to eat, drop them off at a friend's for a sleepover and go play with adults only. Not that I've done that or anything *sips tea* Next time in the area, I will definitely go back. read more

Great potential with a few hiccups Children of the 80's and 90's understand and appreciate video games in a way that the current generation just can't. We didn't have huge flat-screens and augmented reality; it was game cabinets, visible pixels, the token machine and junk food at the counter. The culture was great then and still is now. Went Sunday evening for my birthday - needed to relive some childhood geekiness - and had a crew of 14. Free Play is a lot like what Flynn's from the Tron movies would be if he were into craft beer! Descriptions above are all correct. The playlist is solid 80's & early 90's, the vibe is geek heyday, the menu upscale on the cheap. There are some spots to improve with the place but overall it's pretty slick. Here are the deets: Experience: - Some have reported lines to get in. We never had any. - Seating is quite limited (with strange policies) so be ready for that. - Food and beverages were served quickly. Good flavor. - Some have reported game-hogging and bad attitudes. We never had any. - Your wristband gets you in/out privileges all day to hit any local alternative food - there's a Baskin Robbins a few doors down. Pros: - Very large game variety, both decades well-represented - Pinball machines in the back - Good food selection and quality. Sandwiches, little plates, good stuff. - Plenty of LOCAL BEERS available (whoever does the ordering knows what they are doing) and the prices are far cheaper than expected - 10 buck entry charge is reasonable - Merch Cons: - Some machines need TLC (bad pinball bumper, bad joystick sensor) - having some to swap out would be good - Machines packed tight - not much elbow room - Machine volume - they are WAY quiet! The awesome playlist needs those beeps and boops to go along with it! - Server problems - female bartender was great but bearded male server made us put back the extra table we pulled together to sit the group due to it being "unfair" and needing it for a "dinner rush". That table sat unused the rest of the night while 14 crowded around room for only 8. Suggestions: - Leaderboards for the main games, perhaps some tournament action too - More pinball - improve the seating options - benches, stools at the bar, something. I'd return. If they tackled some issues I'd return A LOT. I checked the Tron machine; no secret passage. Bummer. read more

Sooooooo much fun! $11.00 to play old school games as many times as you want! They also a have a good food and beverage selection. They serve non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks! You'll love this place!!! read more