If you like classic video games, this is the place to come and play. The name Neon Retro Arcade is well suited! It's a small place, exceptionally clean and family friendly. Staff alike were very friendly and helpful. We came early evening but do not let my pics fool you- this place gets busy and crowded. It's really light on your wallet too; all you can play for a full hour. (Pay per player) Restrooms available. Parking structure directly across the street. Highly recommended! read more

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Neon Retro Arcade is an Old Town/Old Pasadena must. It's a kid friendly hub, but just as fun for adults if not more. Open daily from Noon til 10pm, 7 days a week. Everything is set to free play with a paid admission fee. You can do hourly pay or a set price for all day play. There's probably about 60 different arcade style games ranging in many decades including 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s favorites. Pinball, Mario Kart, Mortal Kombat, Marvel Vs Capcom (my jam), Super Smash Bros, Basketball Pro, Pac Man, NFL Blitz, Rampage (arcade game of my youth), Donkey Kong, Tron, The Simpsons and so many others. Soft drinks, great lighting, a spacious layout. Neon Retro offers cool holiday deals and specials, hosts fun events, IG giveaways and keeps the fun going all year long. It's still only $15 for unlimited hourly play or $25 for a day pass. No food is served here other than snacks (think chips and candy), but so many places closeby to eat before or after your Neon Retro Arcade fun!! It's not a barcade like EightyTwo or Player One so it's alcohol free. They're all welcoming and very personable. I do know they have a capacity limit and weekend tend to be the busiest until around 4 or 5 pm. Nights and weekends are definitely lower in foot traffic, but still great energy. I don't make it over too often, but highly recommend experiencing once or thrice. They just had a cool 50% off hourly prices for Bonus Level Loyalty Club members, and yes it's free to be a member :) Local street (meter), paid lot and garage parking available. Gender-neutral restrooms. Great for groups or just you. read more

Tried something new thanks to the Los Angeles Adventure Bucket List Scratch-Off Cards and ended up at Neon Retro Arcade. Came here last night for a date night. Such a fun/ cute experience. Definitely brought out my inner kid. The arcade had a good amount of games, good energy, and was perfect for a spontaneous night out. I have passed by this place many times and honestly wouldn't have gone if it wasn't on the card, so I'm glad it pushed me to try something different. Play for adults I believe was $15 for an hour. Located on Raymond Ave in between Colorado Blvd & Green St. You can find meter parking if you're lucky or park at the structure nearby. read more

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Bought a group pack for a group of 10. It's $20 per person for two hours instead of the $15 for one hour or $25 for all day. For a group of 10 adults, I figured two hours was enough. And it was! My group arrived mostly together, but they gave me a wrist band for my friend that was running late and a voucher for a friend who ended up not joining. There's some drinks and snacks available for purchase, but they don't let you bring your own food. We went to a restaurant after the fact so appreciated them having a place to store my cake. This isn't a barcade so you're sharing the space with kids and their parents, but every time I've been here, it's been nice to see different generations play together (at worst some kids have hogged the consoles, but adults do the same lol). If you're aiming to mostly be around adults, weekday nights are your best bet and special events. Some games need some R&R, but most were in good to great condition. Everyone in my group had a blast and honestly it's nice to have an outing without alcohol where you can revert back to your childhood self for a bit! read more

Neon Retro Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

I had to kill some time with my son and found this place on Yelp. I though I would had to buy tokens and keep him entertained but to my surprise you pay by the hour. Its $15 for an hour and its unlimited play. My son pretty much tried every game here and he truly enjoyed it. Love that its not rowdy like D&B or other arcades. Would come back. read more

Came here with a decently sized group as the activity for a birthday celebration before dinner at a nearby restaurant on a Sunday evening. Unsure how they handled making sure they weren't overcrowded or people were waiting too long to get a chance at the games but they did a great job and I never felt like I had to wait (or wait too long) for a machine to be available. They have a large variety of games from more modern ones like Switchs in the back, older versions of Mario Kart, older games in general like Pac-Man and my personal favorite Burger Time. Loads of pinball machines too. The entire facility (and bathroom) were very clean and the ambient noise was never too loud and I never had to yell to talk to someone next to me. Some games will have slightly sticky or unresponsive switches but it's just what happens with the amount of people that use these machines. We had an issue with a pinball machine and they were very quick to come help fix it and immediately get us back to playing. Overall a solid experience, not what I'd actively look for myself, but would gladly go again if someone else wanted to. read more

My son (9 y/o) enjoyed his birthday party at Neon Retro Arcade. It was easy to make our group reservation on the website. We came with in with 12 kids for two hours and they all had a great time. The arcade is small enough that we were able to easily keep an eye on everyone, while also having enough games and variety to keep them all entertained. Highly recommend! read more

$15 for 1 hour of play is really fun! Unlimited amount of play at one game. No need coins or anything. There is shooting games, pin ball machines, fighting games, etc. Very Fun! There is a restroom. Place is clean. Parking at parking garage is $1 for 2 hours. read more

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I went to Neon Retro Arcade recently with a pal. We purchased our tickets online. We bought individual tickets to play games for 2 hours. We had fun. We played arcade games as well as games on consoles. I like that there was a Valentine's Day photo op at the time. The place is a bit small, but we were still able to navigate it just fine. read more

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We were wandering around old town Pasadena, and discovered this place. It was a hot day, and they have strong air conditioning. The cashier is friendly, and he explained to us that it would be $15 per person per hour with all free play. There were lot of retro games (e.g. street fighters, police academy, Mario carts etc.). We spend a fun hour in this place. There are a few parking structures around the old town Pasadena area. Will come back again. read more

Neon Retro Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This place is so fun. They have a good assortment of old video games from the 80's and 90's along with some pinball machines. It's located near lots of restaurants and parking structures. It wasn't too loud and they had a decent bathroom. We experienced the joy sticks were giving us delayed reactions on some of the games so that was a little frustrating but they're old machines so it's to be expected. Overall we had tons of fun. The games are set to free game mode by the way so no coins or play cards needed. read more

Neon Retro Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This arcade shop in Old Town Pasadena is a nice way to spend some time. It's not too big, but they have a good variety of arcade games and PlayStation consoles for you at $15/hour. It's a good date spot with many two player games. I'm not much of a game person, but enjoyed the basketball and racing games. The hour flew by here. The tricky thing is that most parking in the area is also charged by the hour, so you don't want to spend too long here. Although they do offer some snacks and beverages, I do wish they had a bar here (but I suppose drunk people are hazardous). read more

So fun! You pay for the time you're in there and you can play any of the games. My son had a blast

Well maintained and fun video game arcade you can pay by the hour or an all day pass. They have mostly classic arcade and a few pinball machines with a mix of contemporary and some older pinballs. I know they also will switch out cabinets from time to time so from visit to visit your choice of games can differ. Right now they have Mario kart in the front which is always fun. They have merch and soft drinks for sale as well. In the back they have console set up for some couch gaming as well. Any gamer would have a great time here. read more

Awesome! Just awesome. I recommend this arcade. They have nice staff here, and all of the games in here is free play. You should go!

Great 90's vibe inside this quaint arcade situated a block south of Old Town Pasadena. Friendly counter staff, clean machines, and a good mix of classic arcade games, unique pinball machines, and even a couple of wall TVs with Xbox/Playstation games. Customer bathroom inside. Reasonably priced hourly rates. Stayed a little over an hour and the time flew by. Perfect stop for some good laughs. read more

Neon Retro Arcade - Wall TV/Xbox area - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I went here for my birthday last month and it was amazing. I was hooked on the Galaga, Q*Bert, Donkey Kong, Centipede, and Tetris arcade cabinets. It was really really cool because it was my first time going to a Retro Arcade (first time I remember at least) and my first time playing Galaga, Tetris, Donkey Kong, and Centipede on real, authentic, original arcade cabinets. The Galaga cabinet's screen was dim and blue tinted, but that's cool because it signifies that the cabinet is old, original, and is prolly from the 80s instead of a new one with the same stuff in and on it. The alien ships also left a cool trail behind them when swooping, which looked as if they were moving right infront of you. Me and my friends loved it. I plan on returning soon. Five stars. read more

Visiting from out of town and staying at a nearby hotel, we were looking for a place the kids might enjoy. This fit the bill perfectly. $15 for each of us for an hour. Gal gave us an extra ten minutes cause we had to wait a bit to get checked in. There were only a couple other folks in there on a Wednesday afternoon so the four of us had no problem getting on any game we wanted. Pinball machines for me. Only one wasn't working right. Place was clean. Best part was the AC was working just fine cause it was so HOT out. An hour was just the right amount of time for everyone to play what they wanted to. read more

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Just stopped in here tonight and loved this place more than I thought I would. It definitely brings out the big kid in you. Perfect for an adult date night, middle aged kids or teens. I wish there were more places like this around, a hidden gem in Pasadena for sure. If you're reading this I highly recommend you try it out. I will be back in the future. Prices are $15 for one hour and $25 for all day play. read more

I've been looking forward to seeing the inside of this arcade for a few months now. I had less than an hour of free time and wanted to play a game or two. The only drawback I found out is that you can't just put a couple of quarters in and play one game you play by the hour or you get an all day pass. I looked around at some of my favorite games from the 80's but left disappointed. read more

Came with friends after dinner and had fun playing games we haven't seen in years. All games are available for play with the entrance fee of either $15 for an hour or $25 all day. No food menu- some candy type snacks and a few soft drinks and water available for purchase near register. We stayed an hour and felt it was enough time to play a variety of games including pinball machines. It was a lot of fun. Clean restroom on site. Street parking or nearby parking structure available. Fun for adults and kids. read more

Neon Retro Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My husband and I bought "adventure cards" online for Christmas this year. We were looking for a fun afternoon and we found it here! Truth to tell, I am more of a pinball person than an arcade game person but the machines they had fit the bill. We bought the all day pass- a STEAL @ $25- All games are free with admission- and played for almost two hours. Small, well kept shop with plenty of variety. We will go back. I totally forgot how to play PacMan ! Thanks to Christian for the warm welcome and the information. read more

My two boys, 10 and 11 years old LOVE this spot. As a parent, I am just happy that there is a space for them to play pinball, video games, and game consoles in a space that isn't too small but not too large. We have visited other All You Can Play Arcades and it is priced the best and has the most variety. When you have two excited kids, you want to give them the freedom to explore and roam around on their own and you can do that at Neon Retro Arcade. Pasadena is our GO TO staycation spot and Neon Retro has to be part of the plan. I just pay for the all-day pass and we have the freedom to go in and out of the arcade. It is just a stress-free thing to do for my family and a parent LOVE it to pieces. read more

Neon Retro Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

My husband and I came here for a date night. It was our first time, so we weren't sure exactly what to expect. There a lots of games to play with a lot of variety. The staff were both super nice. We were able to bring in our cups that we had from home with our own drinks. They have some small snacks/sweets for purchase at a pretty reasonable price. The price to play is a great price for how much you can play in that time. We did the one hour because we were going to dinner after, but we easily could have hung out for another hour! Definitely recommend checking this place out! read more

We had a really really good time. What stands out is the cleanliness and nice smell and feeling in the place, which isn't typical of arcades. The machines were clean and beautiful, especially the pinball machines. Everything is really loved, you can see by the owners. Just a word as a tip, some of the joysticks or buttons were sticky. Maybe a little bit of servicing needs to be done on them? Particularly the Police and X-Men games. Hope this helps! read more

Neon Retro Arcade - This particular pinball machine was so beautifully done, Jaws - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

**Just a heads up--this review is based only on the pinball section. *** (The workers I've met are very nice and the general arcade is solid.) I really want to enjoy the pinball lineup here, but it's consistently disappointing. Unless it's a brand new machine, there's usually at least one major feature not working. Even the fairly new X-Men machine had issues right out of the box that still haven't been addressed. I understand pinball is tough and costly to maintain--especially in a freeplay setting--but other arcades manage to keep their machines in better shape, so it's definitely doable. This place clearly does good business, and I think it's worth investing some of that back into proper pinball upkeep. If the games aren't playing right, it ends up feeling like pinball is just being treated as an aesthetic piece instead of something people come to play. I'd honestly be fine paying extra for properly maintained machines--whether it's a separate pinball wristband or setting them to cost a quarter per play. If things were better maintained, I'd be here a few times a month instead of just dropping in every few months to see if anything's been fixed and being disappointed again. Please consider hiring more experienced pinball techs, keeping up with Stern code updates (Insider Connected would help), and checking and updating Pinball Map (app or website) for player feedback. The demand and value are there--just give the games the care they deserve. read more

$15 an hour, or $25 all day pass. Would have gone for the all day pass had we not arrived an hour before closing! I'm a sucker for a good deal. I love the pinball machines, but my date was more into the nostalgic video games. We absolutely loved Ninja Turtles and completed the entire game! There is always going to be a wait for Mario Kart, but my date was able to play the Batman racing game where you get to pick your fave Batmobile! It was pretty awesome. What would make Neon Retro Arcade better? Maybe adding snacks and energy drinks; I was really jonesing for a Redbull or Monster. read more

it was a fun time going down memory lane playing all the classics and for the value it's well worth it every single arcade cabinet and pinball machine is clean the lighting is pretty decent inside surprisingly not too noisy there's a bathroom on site it's well worth a visit! read more

What a great experience! Came here to hang with a friend. You pay up front and get a wrist band with a time written on it. $15/hr is totally reasonable for the hour. The place is clean, doesn't have that Chuck E. Cheese smell (iykyk) and they have a clean bathroom and lots of sanitizer about. Great selection of games, only two were down in the whole place! Impressive. The music was also amazing and fun. Very fitting for the selection of games and taking you back to childhood. My friend and I were talking, their system is kinda honor based as no one said anything when our time came. It would cost but they could do a card or bracelet that's coded w the time, or pay when you leave but that's also honor based. Just want to make sure they're in business for years to come. Amazing throwback!! read more

Neon Retro Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Pasadena, California

I had a positive first experience here because they had several throwback games that I like such as Centipede, Donkey Kong, and Pac-Man. I like that you can pay a flat fee. I chose the 1-hour option for $15. It's so convenient because you don't have to bother putting coins or tokens in the machine. You pay at the counter and they put a timer wristband on you. I would totally go back here the next time I'm in Old Pasadena. read more

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Accommodating stuff . The area and game arcades are clean . Safe place for kids to play . Affordable . 1 hour is 15 usd only

I have been hearing about this place from a few people, so my date and I decided to stop in on a Saturday night around 8pm, just a few hours before closing. There is street parking on Raymond Ave. as well as a few parking structures within walking distance. Parking for the first 2 hours of parking there is $1. The place was relatively quiet, with a handful of patrons playing the games. The woman at the front desk was not very friendly, especially when I had a few questions about the place. We were told it was $15/hour ($25 for All Day) to play any of the games we wanted. I asked her if there were any discounts until closing and she flatly said, "No." I paid $30 for both of us for the hour and we were given wristbands with a "Free Games until 9pm" Sharpie marking. No "Have a good time," or "Enjoy!" Definitely an omen for this evening. THE GOOD: As a child of the 80s, it's so great to see a lot of the old school classic games that I grew up with, stuffing countless quarters and consuming endless hours. Donkey Kong, Galaga, Kung-Fu Master, Pac-Man, NBA Hang Time, Tetris, Super Mario and the like. There were also a Mario Kart racer, a few pinball options, a basketball shooter game, and a few Wii systems in the back with leather couches. That's about it. THE BAD: The pricing. $15/hour seems quite high giving the experience, especially two hours before closing time. Providing half-off or $5/hour "low surge" pricing, especially during the close of business or other slow periods would increase the amount of foot traffic and give customers an incentive to check it out. I also think some type of discount for locals, students, etc. would drive more foot traffic. Cleanliness. When we visited, the place was pretty dirty. The bathroom had trash and filth on the floor, no paper towels and was almost unusable. They don't serve any food or drinks (other than a small candy option or two when you check in), yet there were aluminum cans, water bottles, food wrappers etc. near the Wii couching areas and around some of the video games near the back. With only one inattentive person up front, you can see where this is a big fail and hurts the experience for the customer. Game Functionality. More than a handful of the 40 games were not functional. Two of the pinball games (Godzilla and Munsters) had flippers and plungers that did not work - at all. Also, several of joysticks (Indiana Jones) were not responsive or had defective buttons which made the games unplayable. My date and rotated through all of the games in about 40 minutes and honestly, were both bored and decided to leave without even an acknowledgement or a "thank you for coming" from the young woman who checked us in up front, as she was too busy on her cell phone to look up. Honestly, I wouldn't give this place a second look unless they really changed some of these glaring issues and offered me some type of incentive to return. This particular Saturday night definitely felt like the House of the Dead. I'm just not sure if it was an off-night, or the norm for this Arcade. read more

Neat selection. Nice staff. Great date night or just hanging with friends. Only request? Stay open later on the weekends at least. Definitely would get strays waiting to go into clubs or groups strolling after dinner. read more

Had a great time with my son here it's small, but nevertheless, they had all the best arcade games and pinballs definitely coming back

Absolutely love this place. My now husband and I came here back when we were dating a few years ago and now we brought out 3 year old and baby. The baby didn't get to enjoy but the 3 year old definitely did. We had such a great time and the hour went by quick. We would have stayed longer but my little ones were checked out and ready for a nap. You can pay for one hour or for the full day. If you're in the area I definitely suggest stopping by to visit. read more

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Brought the kids here on a rainy day and we had so much fun. We started with the hour. I'm always looking for new things to do with the kids, glad I found this. We will be back read more

Awesome place . Pin ball machines work great. High scores are really high, so if your like me and want a challenge this is the place to go !

We made a reservation for 4 people for my son's birthday treat. Unfortunately, one of our party couldn't make it last minute, so I asked if I could get a refund, despite they specify no refunds. Cristina was gracious enough to give us one all-day pass for another day. That alone gets a 5-star rating, thanks Cristina! As for the arcade, the selection was really great. My son really enjoyed himself and I had a lot of fun myself playing so many games from my youth, including Mortal Kombat, which he hadn't played before, turns out he was really good at, but then he seems to pick up these games pretty quick. We even played some new shooter games, which were super fun! There are also a few pinball machines with fun themes like Godzilla, Pulp Fiction (never seen that one before), and Jaws. My only sadness was there was no sound for Galaga and Super Mario Bros. I know these games are old, so it was fine. Son didn't care lol...We shall be back! read more

Fun to go back in time and play these games. Kids enjoyed it as well, staff was very friendly.

I like the fact that you can buy a session and then all the games are free (no nickels required). That has a good and bad aspect to it because if it is full of people, there is no incentive for someone to move off a machine for lack of funds. Luckily for us, it wasn't too crowded and people were respectful, cycling off the machines after a few plays so that others could give them a try. They had a great mix of games including classics (Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Burger Time) and some odd niche games like the almost impossible to win Dungeons and Dragons where you basically play a cartoon and try to jump at the flashy parts of the screen. One thing that was a bummer was a few games were out of order. I know it's hard to find parts and technicians for these older machines, but I think about 1/2 of their pinballs games were out and that was one of the main reasons we were there. That being said, great place, cool concept, friendly staff and super cool merch. I did buy a sticker for my Hydroflask on the way out. read more

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