This place is perfect for gaming aficionados who grew up in the late 70s and 80s. The nostalgia that hits you when you hear the sounds from all the games and the telltale "game over" music that cues you to enter your initials after a good round. Every time I felt excited to see a game and start playing, I would look over my shoulder to see another classic. I took photos of the ones that brought back strong memories of playing with my cousin at the bowling alley or the 7-Eleven, at the camp grounds and at the hotels, and even at the casinos when our parents were hitting the slots. $20 unlimited gaming is a steal for what you get here. I have no complaints. There are bathrooms in the back as well as a coat rack. There is plenty of space to feel comfortable taking your time. While there is no food, there are drinks available and they allow in and out privileges with your wristband. My wish would be that they find 720, the skateboarding game... Paperboy, and Crazy Taxi, and add them to the lineup. Also a few more shooters from the 90s, as those were quarter guzzlers that we could never finish with real money. I've been here twice and will be back again soon! read more

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Wow, I can't believe I waited this long to check this gem of a place out! There are SO MANY old arcade games AND plenty of great pinball machines to play! I was quite impressed that every game that I wanted to play was in perfect working order as I've gone to other businesses where multiple games are out of order. Scott was incredibly friendly and helpful and even went out of his way to suggest playing one of the games in a different mode that I didn't even know existed. We had hours of fun and can't wait to go back! Highly recommend!!! read more

Underground Retrocade - Arcades Near Me - West Dundee, Illinois

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It was really fun with a ton of old fashioned arcade games it also has a section where you can play air hockey and it has 2 floors fulls of games, it's really affordable and it makes you feel really happy as soon as you walk in. read more

That was my first time being in that underground retrocade and it brings back memories of playing Mortal Kombat and Pac-Man and everything else and inside that underground retro Cade me and my friend been there for hours playing pinball machine. I had a good time at that place and I will soon come back there again. I wish I could've taken pictures of it, but I never thought about that but you guys got my reviews on this place. It takes me back to the 90s and I know most of the arcades were back in the 80s, at least I had a good time playing those games for $20 not so bad all the Arcade you can play read more

I went here on November 29, 2024 and I was so amazed by the number of games here. The quality of the cabs was also very good to excellent. read more

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I am just know realizing I forgot to leave a review for this fantastic place from my last visit this past summer. My son and I were in nearby crystal lake looking for a place to spend a few hours and I found their website. I love video games and so does my son. They have most all the old classic games from pac man, galaga, to many more including some great pinball machines. We stayed for around 5 hours playing games until near closing. We both had a great rime playing on original machines at the underground. They also had a great jukebox on the second floor playing retro hits. read more

Solid game selection, has a lot of the original vintage games (Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaxian, Robotron). Great having a ski ball and air hokey table with unlimited play, and a pinball room. Could use a few more classics from the 90s. Overall, great place for the price with a chill vibe. read more

this has been the best place so far to feel like it did when I was a kid growing up in the 80s when arcades were at their prime. With that being said, it was still disappointing. That many of the games displays were shot or not working properly. It's definitely fun. The price has been raised to $20 I believe which to me doesn't feel worth it honestly. I understand why he needs to do that I'm sure things are all expensive and he has little choice. but it was much more fun when when it was $10 or $15 just felt made more sense for the experience provided. It's sad there aren't some really nice arcades left anywhere. But for two people at $40 hard to say if it's worth it. read more

The Underground Retrocade is a nostalgic haven for classic arcade game lovers, offering a meticulously curated collection of vintage machines like *Pac-Man*, *Donkey Kong*, *Galaga*, Robotron* (my favorite) and of course *Street Fighter*. The well-maintained machines and immersive 8-bit atmosphere truly reminded me of the arcades from youth where I spent a lot of quarters! I definitely will be back with my family. I had such a memorable time with my niece and nephew showing them the games I grew up with and playing against them. Sharing that piece of history with them and the fun we had is immeasurable. read more

If paying a single price ($15/person on the day we went) to enjoy a bunch of arcade classics sounds good to you, you'll like this spot. It was a pay once for the whole day price. They have a pretty solid lineup of arcade cabinets, spread out between two levels. Light gun games, fighters, racers, beat-'em-ups, classics, etc. Part of what brought us to check this out was pinball locator and a list of pins they had on site. We were sad to learn that a good number of them were out of service, and a few of the ones they had plugged in were barely playable. More than one had a dead flipper where you could not get a ball up a ramp. Bring the kids and enjoy the cabinets, but go elsewhere if you're hoping to include pinball fun in the mix. If you're willing to pay extra $$$ per play they do have a Mandalorian pin you can check out. read more

Like an oasis from the inhospitable desert of our 21st century existence, Underground Retrocade stands in stark contrast to everything that surrounds it. Enter and be transported back to a time and place of safety, comfort, and quarters. Only you don't need quarters anymore. No, with all games set to free play, it's as if you have the God Mode cheat code on YOURSELF! There's no other way to beat CarnEvil, and I'm pretty sure you'd need to take out a loan to get anywhere in Dragon's Lair. Here? No big deal. You die, you slam that Continue, and you keep rolling. Be sure to check out the pinball room, even if only for a few scant minutes. Whirlwind will blow you away and the newer Black Knight will knock your socks off. Shooters and co-ops upstairs, mostly standard cabinets and a handful of racers on the main floor. You have the money to spend here, just be sure you have the time. read more

I had a great time at the Retrocade and felt I got my money's worth. However, I am deducting a star because there are 5 pinball machines at the entrance that require an additional fee and are not covered by the $20 admission fee - Foo Fighters, Stranger Things, Ghostbusters, Black Knight, and one other machine - perhaps Star Wars Mandalorian? Look, maybe because these machines are newer and more popular, they feel the need to charge. That said, no mention of these machines and their 50-cent-per-play charge were mentioned on the website. read more

Games do not work very well. Need to be seriously refurbished. Pinball games are boring. $20 is too much money for nothing. read more

We are new in town and I happened to pass this place by when I was on my way to Home Depot. I thought I was pretty cool on the outside and told my family we wanted to check it out when we had time. We went over the past weekend and I would have to say we all had a blast! We decided to go late Sunday night couple hours before they closed and we had pretty much the whole place to ourselves. I like the fact that you play unlimited games and you pay one flat rate! It was definitely a blast from the past, Pac-Man, astroids, terminator with some of my favorite games. They even had ski ball! If you're thirsty grab yourself some flashback Mountain Dew or even tab! Definitely a place to check out awesome hang out place I'm definitely coming back read more

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This retro arcade will bring you back in time! For me there are so many memories playing these classic arcade games. My kids 6 & 15 love them also. These were the hay-day of arcade games and with unlimited play its an amazing way to have some fun. read more

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Probably the biggest steal around in West Dundee for a fun day. The pinball is amazing, the games are always kept in tip top shape, and the owner is just so cool. Homeboy will listen to me ramble for hours read more

Really great vibe, and fun to actually get to play some of these arcade games all the way through for once since it's just pay to get in, not per play! read more

Some games dont work, good games the ones that do work old guy at the entrance needs a funny bone

So fun. Loved all of the games. So many to choose from. Will be going back. Whole family had fun.

Had a ton of fun here last night! Loved the 6 player Xmen and 4 player TMNT Games upstairs. But, I spent the majority of my time in the pinball room and playing Fix it Felix. Bathrooms could use some work and I wish they had more hand sanitizer around the place. I liked that they had stools you could move to the different games but I wish they kept some upstairs! It also runs hot here so dress in light clothing! read more

Underground Retrocade - Pinball wizard! - Arcades Near Me - West Dundee, Illinois

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Brought my 9 year old boy here and we played all the old school games, all afternoon! Nice to have free play and not worry about tokens or other nonsense. read more

I actually drive 6 hours to visit the Underground Retrocade. The atmosphere is welcoming and nostalgic, the selection of games is incredible and well maintained, and the staff is awesome. If you're gonna believe any of these reviews, don't listen to the whiners. Listen to someone who knows and appreciates an awesome 80's arcade experience. The Retrocade is incredible. read more

I will leave 3 stars for the sentimental value..1 star for never going back again because I have never been as creeped out as I was the guy who takes money and watches cameras looks like his name is Todd.Asked me why I keep my ball alive through paddling..which is the deffenition of pinball.Could not wait to kick me out of there on my tenth wedding anniversary because he noticed tje children were gone and wanted to go home..he said my paddling causes him to work more..He behaves like he like Michael Bolton and wants to go home and watch cartoons.Insulting visit my Great Uncle raised me to respect pinball he built and designed machines and my heart of steel is quite large this place is not.Covered in filth and stinks and worst of all only 5 pinball machines.Worth 20$ one time if Todd guy doesn't pick on you to go home early.I won't be back but someone should check the codes there. read more

An absolutely great arcade. I didn't have time to stay in long, but I do like the selection of games here, and the fact that I noticed some games I'd never seen at Galloping Ghost, Headquarters, Emporium, or anywhere else in the Chicago area, such as Kangaroo and Fix It Felix Jr. If only they had F-Zero AX, but I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed I run into that game I never quite played years ago when it was at one arcade and disappeared as of my next visit, one day. Another plus too that since I didn't have a lot of time on the day I visited, that there is an admission fee for just an hour here($10), vs. being here all day. But I liked this place so much, that I hope I have more time the next time I'm out in this area, so that I can purchase a $15 admission for all day. Even noticed after I left on the Yelp app, that there's a check-in special for a free soda specifically if you purchase a $15 all day admission. That's a special I'll definitely take advantage of, next time I go here! Nice downtowns to walk around(both West and East Dundee) that this arcade is located in, which reminds me of Geneva, Elgin, and other Fox River communities. Glad I could tell most of the arcade machines survived the flooding that their original East Dundee location got, and successfully made the move over to this location. BTW, I could tell all the pinball games they owned(something like 5-6 machines) were working, unlike at the time what a past reviewer mentioned. And I was told by the person working at the front counter(unsure if it was the owner, or not) that they were planning to make the space towards the front part of the 2nd floor that overlooks Main St(aka IL Hwy. 72) a party room, but that they hadn't started construction on that yet. I'll also note that there are 2 floors of arcade games, at this place. read more

Underground Retrocade - Second floor, looking towards back. - Arcades Near Me - West Dundee, Illinois

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Scott (owner) has slowly built up an impressive collection with a comfortable spread out and relaxing environment. It's a good mix of arcade, pinball, and even the retro home gaming experience. His website is kept updated with a list of what he currently has. What sets this place apart is how he really tries to bring that feeling of the 80's arcades with his decorations, playing deep cut music, playing video on the TV's, offering snacks and drinks for purchase. The owner is really nice and friendly, and you actually see him working on his games. If he's not running tournaments, he's trying his best to bring a new gaming experience (even if it's only on loan for a short time). Very few people are as dedicated to a business as he is. read more

This place is so much fun that we lost track of time! So many classic arcade games that are so much fun to play. The price is great and we didn't even get to play all of the games. It's a great date night place or a night out with friends! read more

I've taken my grandchildren (ages 15 and 11) twice now - each time they visit me they ask to go there. The assortment of games is GREAT! New ones get added all the time. The age range is from youngsters to adults like me in my 50's and older. The other patrons are always courteous and I never worry about the kids going off to play their own games. The price is unbeatable - $15 for unlimited all day play - we typically spend 4 - 5 hours there each time. GOOD FUN FOR ALL! read more

Was in today. Great place. I have" seen that many playable pinball machines in one forever. Thank you

Real review from a real person. All my reviews are based on food quality. (But this isn't food so I guess gaming in this situation. PRICING: $15 for every machine. Great machines, even little classic machines. Also, come back whenever that same day with the wristband you don't need to wear. PLACE: Clean, obviously wash your hands and don't touch your face since everyone is touching the machines. Bring hand sanitizer I guess, no issues though. GAMES: Yes. Best place for a date or hang with friends. Go play that game, go play this, even four people, y'all can go against each other in a Simpsons bowling game or Mortal Kombat. If you love gaming, and classic games, this is the freaking place for you!! Overall, best place we have in this town. read more

I'm 43 so the Golden Age of the arcade is very much a part of my childhood. The wife and I took the kid (8yrs) to check this place out. Its awesome! This place has pretty much every game you'd remember playing. I used to LOVE this game Stocker (I loved any car game but Stocker ruled hard) this game was here. A bunch also I forgot about. This place is as close to a time machine as it gets. Place is no frills....a few large rooms with arcade games...that's it. The games all have a switch to get you going....no coins or anything needed. $15 gets you unlimited play all games, ALL DAY.....and you can go out to one of the several surrounding bars & restaurants and go back in with a wrist band. I wasn't sure in the PS4 age if the 8yr old would like these games but he loved them! He's been itching to go back from the second we left. Fun stuff! read more

Took my 10 (almost 11) year old son there on a cold Saturday afternoon. My son loves video games (Xbox, Minecraft, Roblox)- and I wasn't sure how he would take to these retro-games with their poor graphics. I remember the games from the 80s. We both had a really good time. We spent about 3 1/2 hours there and I felt like we got our money's worth. An observation is how much smarter the game programmers probably were- focusing on physics engines,etc to keep the games interesting and addictive - whereas modern games are a lot to do with photo-realistic graphics and no regard to bloated programming. Can't wait to go back - and as others have said - great parent/child bonding opportunity. read more

I've been to this place a few times. I can honestly say that this place is everything I thought and want it to be. The $15 door fee becomes a vague memory within my first few minutes... I think it's awesome that I can game for an hour, leave for 1-2 hours and enjoy a couple of pops at a local establishment, and waltz back in as if I'd never left. Anyways, if you liked arcades as an 70's-80's-90's kid growing up, this should make you feel right at home. Even down to "the smell". And I mean that as a compliment!!! It's absolutely suitable for kids of newer generations, too... read more

Very fun and the man who runs it was nice! def a good place to have memories of old arcade games!

Retro down to its core!! Awesome memories great selection of games! Frogger Pacman, Donkey kong, Tron etc. read more

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It's nice to know the UR is still going strong. Came back after a rather embarassingly long hiatus to discover Scott has not only managed to keep his fine establishment up to the excellent yesteryear standards he opened with, but improved his game with some excellent decor celebrating everything great about the arcade scene of the 70s, 80s, and 90s as well as classic console gaming available on the flat screen TVs at the front of the first floor. And of course, he's still got that excellent butterscotch beer I dream about for only $2! Admission is still just $15 for the best casual retro arcade night out in West Dundee, so what are you waiting for? read more

Great old-school arcade. They have all the classics: Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Q*bert, Frogger, etc., as well as some newer (90's) stuff and a hand-full of pinball machines. $15 gets you unlimited play all day, and you can come-and-go as you like. Each machine has a little index card on top of it with the name of the person who has the local high score for that game. It adds a little extra fun for those of us who have a competitive streak. I have a few of the house high scores, and I welcome anyone to try and come steal them from me. :) Scott, the owner, is super nice and very helpful. It's just a great place to hang out. read more

First off, I have been here twice. The first time with my six year old and we had fun. We played games for almost two hours, left to eat dinner, came back another hour or so. The second time I had fun but honestly I was a bit put off. I'll tell you why in a bit. The games bring me back to my childhood! However I obviously cannot play like I used to. I can rock anything on an Xbox 360 but could not get past Level Three on Ms. Pac Man. Nostalgic. $15 is great for an all day pass but they should seriously look into a different kind of pricing. Both times I was there I could count on my hands the number of people that were in there. I think they would fare better by offering hourly/block/etc. pricing. I'm in marketing, no one wants the commitment of "all day" unless they are serious old-school gamers or stuck in town with no fake ID. Both times the men at the door were pretty unfriendly, stand offish and made me feel like a burden for entering the door. Lovely. Place is HOT. Sweltering even. Ground floor is almost tolerable but you hit that second floor and you are sweating bullets within a minute. They even have huge fans on the stairs...which do not help. I know they have air somewhere but it must have been set at 85 or all the crucial vents were blocked. I felt like passing out. Bathroom is unisex and not kept up well. Smelled like a sewer. I could only bring myself to wash my hands. NOT good for younger kids. I'm sorry. It isn't. Second time I went I realized that for sure. I went with my sister and her two daughters (10 and 15) and my son (6). We hit the pinball room and even as we were teaching the kids how to use it (or step away if you can't abide by the rules) the man working the door was there. Asking the kids to come by him. Yep, two girls and a kid with Asperger's are going to talk to a strange man they have never met. Good luck with that. He should have spoken with me or my sister first, the adults, so we could have helped him. And we would have, of course. We were there to have fun with our families, not cause problems. After that it went downhill. Said man took a seat by one of the bar chairs near the entrance to the pinball area. The kids did not want to stay because they were upset and uncomfortable so we obviously left. I get it, they do not want anyone ruining their games - I wouldn't either. But no one likes being watched like that. It was embarrassing. We all left feeling quite small. All in all no. Even without my son I doubt I will be back here. It's unfriendly, hot as Hades and the fact I am locked-in to a day pass or nothing is just not for me. read more

Took my son and daughter here with friends for a birthday party. Mind you their policy is that smaller children need to be accompanied by an adult. Well it came down to this the manager on duty told me since I didn't pay that I needed to leave or sit at the front door. Now how in the hell can I watch my children from outside the building or standing at the front door. Unreal, on top of that there was garbage everywhere. Especially downstairs pizza boxes cups wrappers etc. Gross! Plus parking is a joke as well A great concept but the manager is a complete a hole. Would not recommend this place to anyone a very bad experience for both me and my kids read more

This is now my favorite arcade in the Chicagoland area. A couple years ago it would have been Galloping Ghost, but Underground has added a great deal of high quality games to their arsenal, making them so much better then their competition. Of course, no game is great unless it works. Almost every game on Underground's floor is completely operational. GG always seems to have 25 games or so with a 'not working' sign on them and they're very slow to repair them. Another nice thing about Underground is that you have a huge amount of space around you. The aisles at GG are jammed together so it's customary to get bumped when busy. Underground also has a couple of sofa's up front when you want to take a break, a coat rack (novel idea huh?...GG doesn't offer one) and the ability to play XBox. I'm done with GG...Underground has my full attention now. read more

I am not a gamer. At all. Never had video games growing up and any experience I had with them were at friend's houses and maybe a pinball machine or pacman at the local pizza joint. So I'm not big into them. However, this place was great! My boyfriend, his brother and I were planning on going to Chuck E. Cheese (lol) because they felt like gaming it up, until a friend mentioned this place being right around the corner. Heck, why not! Located in the middle of a strip of shops on Main Street of West Dundee, it can be easy to miss (we were pointed in the right direction by a bar a few doors down). There are two floors of games, I'd say over 70 for sure, most of which (from my understanding from my more game-savvy friends) are classic childhood games. Pinball, Pacman, Area 51, X-Men, Asteroids, you name it. For all of this, you pay $15 and that gives you unlimited play time for the day! A perk is you are given a wristband so if you want to step out for a bite to eat elsewhere you can come back! Also, checking in gets you a free can of soda, yay! Staff was nice, gave us a brief summary as we paid about the games and also the treatment of them (these things aren't invincible, so naturally they don't want customers, including their children, banging senselessly on them). I admit I'm a little baffled at how $15 a person keeps this place up and running, but I don't know, maybe it gets really busy, though it wasn't when we went. This place has long hours, don't remember them exactly off the top of my head, but during the week it sounds like it's open until 11pm and on weekends (Friday-Saturday/Sunday?) until 1am! So if you're in a gaming mood, totally give Underground Retrocade a try. Even I, a non-gamer, thought it was great fun. read more

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