Free something is uncommon at an airport today. However at Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA), vacationers can now settle in and play retro Atari-era video video games similar to Ms. Pac-Man and Donkey Kong earlier than their flights free of charge.
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 free of charge.
Gamers could select from a listing 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 usually are not required to make a meals or drink buy, the well-priced, artistic menu — designed by meals and beverage firm SSP — has all the pieces 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 thought 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 like it, and that youthful vacationers would get pleasure from being launched to it.”
They usually 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 one can find leather-based chairs (good for lengthy gaming stints), colourful neon tube lighting (that will probably be adjusted for numerous events) and a retail wall with gaming-themed merchandise similar to headphones, energy cords and T-shirts.
There may be even a small VIP room at the back of the venue good for households with small children or anybody who needs just a little privateness.
Whereas no buy is critical 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 check) what could also be the most effective 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 giant, 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 nicely. 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 affords areas with particular person gaming stations at New York Metropolis’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK), Houston’s William P. Pastime Airport (HOU), two areas at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT), two areas at Dallas Fort Value 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 could get a complimentary hour to play video video games, plus a snack.
