Free something is uncommon at an airport nowadays. However at Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA), vacationers can now settle in and play retro Atari-era video video games comparable to Ms. Pac-Man and Donkey Kong earlier than their flights totally free.
The video games can be found on the not too long ago opened Sky Gamerz gaming lounge in SEA’s North Satellite tv for pc terminal — the departure level for a lot of Alaska Airways flights.
On one facet of the Sky Gamerz venue, there’s a conventional bar with large-screen TVs enjoying sports activities and information channels. The opposite facet, which is open to folks of all ages, has particular person tables with side-by-side retro gaming stations that permit anybody to play totally free.
Gamers might select from an inventory of traditional video games, together with Tremendous Mario Bros, Ms. Pac-Man, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Again, Asteroids and Video Pinball. To play, a traveler merely must commerce their ID for a loaner sport cartridge.
“One man got here in, began at one finish and performed each sport we had,” stated Mario Pujals, the lounge’s on-site normal supervisor.
Whereas gamers aren’t required to make a meals or drink buy, the well-priced, inventive menu — designed by meals and beverage firm SSP — has all the things from craft cocktails and beers to poke nachos, pulled pork sliders and Nutella-filled French toast.
Idea creators
Sky Gamerz is the brainchild of H. Lamar Willis and Jonathan Ford, who function the lounge’s director of gaming and director of operations, respectively.
They’d been working an organization in Atlanta that introduced video video games to weddings, birthday events and different occasions inside a 32-foot-long climate-controlled trailer. The trailer was outfitted with 55-inch flat-screen TVs and each sort of gaming console, together with Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo.
They thought the same concept would possibly work in airports.
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“As soon as we took into consideration that enterprise vacationers are your most frequent vacationers, we knew we needed to concentrate on retro gaming,” Willis stated. “We believed that enterprise vacationers would find it irresistible, and that youthful vacationers would take pleasure in being launched to it.”
And so they suspected it could be a success if the gaming was free.
The duo initially secured a slot for his or her idea at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL), however the location confronted delays as a result of coronavirus pandemic and different points. So, they partnered with SSP, which operates at many airports, and developed the concept to roll out the primary location at SEA.
Step inside Sky Gamerz, and you’ll discover leather-based chairs (good for lengthy gaming stints), colourful neon tube lighting (that might be adjusted for varied events) and a retail wall with gaming-themed merchandise comparable to headphones, energy cords and T-shirts.
There’s even a small VIP room at the back of the venue good for households with small youngsters or anybody who desires slightly privateness.
Whereas no buy is important whereas enjoying the retro Atari video games, Sky Gamerz makes it tempting and straightforward to order a small plate, full meal or deal with. Throughout our go to, we noticed (after which determined to style take a look at) what could also be one of the best worth dessert at SEA airport: the Sky Gamerz ice cream sandwich.
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HARRIET BASKAS/FOR THE POINTS GUY
The ice cream sandwich (made recent for every order) consists of 4 ounces of vanilla ice cream stuffed between two massive, heat chocolate chunk cookies.
Our Sky Gamerz information simply occurred to have a tape measure with him. So, once we have been alarmed on the dimension of our hefty dessert, he measured it at greater than 4 inches throughout — good for sharing. At simply $8 (plus tax), it is a superb worth for a dessert at just about any airport.
Different airports with gaming facilities
Now that it’s open at SEA, Sky Gamerz plans to open its second department at ATL someday in 2026.
Vacationers can discover video gaming areas at different airports as effectively. You’ll discover arcade-style gaming corners in some airports and full-fledged video gaming lounges at airports in Singapore and Dubai.
Again within the U.S., online game lounge firm Gameway presents areas with particular person gaming stations at New York Metropolis’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK), Houston’s William P. Interest Airport (HOU), two places at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT), two places at Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) and, quickly, Chicago’s Halfway Worldwide Airport (MDW).
As a pleasant bonus, Gameway has a partnership with Precedence Go and, relying on the placement, cardholders might get a complimentary hour to play video video games, plus a snack.
