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    Player 2 Arcade Bar

    4.5 (22 reviews)
    InexpensiveBars
    Open 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

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    PLAYER 2 ARCADE BAR ATMOSPHERE

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    Paul P.

    Since I was in WI to visit family we drove by to downtown Appleton and spotted Player 2 Arcade Bar, with an empty parking slot available (knock on wood). As we walked in, I saw rows after rows of classic video games and a few pinball machines in front. And the fun didn't end there... I'll slap down a review to cover the rest of that fun. Atmosphere is a nostalgia overload with '80s/90s movie posters and murals of video game characters. But you do have to be 21 years old or older to enter as the bartender will ask for your ID up front. I'm just over that so it doesn't worry me. The machines are pretty well maintained. Classics, pinball, fighting games and some shooters. Played the classic X-Men as Nightcrawler and the controls were spot-on. I wish there were more racing games though (Daytona, Crazy Taxi, etc). It would drive a bit more appeal. Unlike most barcades which have only a multi-game machine with a Raspberry Pi running illegally emulated games and shitty joysticks, this place has the games the way they were meant to be played. I mean, if I want to play Galaga, I want it by itself. If I want to play Street Fighter II, I want that game by itself. Machines run off tokens and nearly every game costs only 1 token. The pinball tables take 2 as they have a lot of play, and they're not rigged. Though I wish there were more racing games, Player 2 is a neat addition to Appleton's downtown as arcades are almost extinct there. Just make sure you're at least 21 and have your ID with you.

    Shooting games

    Thank you Player 2 for letting me relive my childhood...and have a beer! Player 2 is an incredibly amazing addition to downtown Appleton. As much as I love drinking beer, it's even better with a game. Player 2 has three rooms with a variety of arcade games. They have some of my favorite as a kid (X-Men, Rampage, NFL Blitz, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat), plus the classics like Galaga, Ms Packman, Donkey Kong, plus a few pinball machines. Most games cost a token ($0.25/token) and you buy tokens in $5 increments at the bar. I'd recommend bring a small zipper bag, or fanny pack to carry the tokens as they give it to you in a plastic cup. I get paranoid letting them sit around and someone accidentally takes them. The beer selection is fantastic...it's tall boy heaven! They have several coolers of only 16 oz tall boys of different craft breweries. Yeah they do have tapped beer, but in this atmosphere, I can foresee more accidents of spilled drinks and would rather have a can than glass. Be sure to check out their daily specials. Lots of good deals, not just for drinks but also tokens! I've been here twice and it has been littered with college kids, which makes sense since it's so close to Lawrence University and who doesn't like playing games. Even though it's a younger crowd, everyone is welcome as it's a super fun atmosphere! I hope for the best as it's unique for our area...so treasure the cool spots that we have here.

    Honey blonde ale.

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    1 year ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Super cool vibes. Bartenders, drinks and people are great. Super sweet spot, can't get this type of vibe anywhere else. Great job!

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    6 years ago

    A throw back for this old head. Plenty of vintage games and let's me relive being a kid. Drinks are cold. Service quick. Nice spot.

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Nick if such s wonderful bartender. Also, you can't go wrong w/ guitar hero and all the new pinball games & guitar hero!

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

    I like this place quite a bit.Theres a great selection of classic arcade games and pinball machines. Beer is priced fairly as well.

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    Review Highlights - Player 2 Arcade Bar

    All games only require one token (except the pinball machines, they take 2) so $5 tokens gets you pretty far.

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    Cleo's Brown Beam Tavern - Christmas all year long

    Cleo's Brown Beam Tavern

    (83 reviews)

    $$

    Cleo's is a must go to stop at least once in your life - the G.O.A.T. Of Christmas bars, decorated…read moreyear round. The decor inside is great, eclectic antiques all around. We luckily stayed in an air bnb upstairs so it was easy to come and go and try to avoid the rush, it's often busy - a very popular place. Delicious ice cream drinks, you have to get the dirty snowball!

    I don't think I could love this place any more if I tried! We were staying in Appleton for a game…read moreup at Lambeau, and we found Cleo's just wandering the streets looking around. The painted window saying "Home of the Dirty Snowball" absolutely piqued my interest! LOL! Actually, it was that, plus the two giant nutcracker decorations out front that caught my eye. I'm a fan of (Christmas) holiday decorations, so I wanted to see what else they had, after spying some string lights through the window. Inside, it's like a wonderland of holiday cheer! Lights and ornaments and decorations everywhere! Sitting at the bar under the lights, I really felt like I'd discovered some secret bar under the Christmas tree! The staff were friendly, helpful, and quick with the libations! Kind of that "keep it real" attitude, but not in the rude way... in the honest and up front way! There is no food to speak of, save for a Chex-pub mix blend, but the drinks are why you want to visit! The famous Dirty Snowball is like a shake, but without ice cream, made with cocoa and related liqueur flavors (I can't remember what-all is in it, but it's GOOOOOOOD!). I highly recommend it! I also tried the Cleo's Trio, which is one part Dirty Snowball, one part Brandy Old Fashioned, and one part Suffering Bastard, I think? Not in the same glass! But, more like a flight. You get a little taste of Wisconsin or at least Appleton. Each drink is basically a full version, though, so you might need only one! I don't know what your favorite bar looks like, but if I lived in Appleton, this one would be mine. I would be in there at least once a week, if for no other reason the ambiance and the company. Great people, great drinks, and a legacy for holiday décor that I hope lives on forever!

    Player 2 Arcade Bar - bars - Updated May 2026

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