Game Works Should be Unemployed

Viva Las Vegas! My girlfriend and I decided to take a week off to unwind in lovely Las Vegas. We're not big gamblers, or anything, but knew that we'd be able to see some shows, see some sights, and maybe, just maybe, happen upon an arcade or two. So when we came across the mega-hyped Game Works on the Vegas strip, I was psyched. After all, what could be better than the biggest arcade in all of Vegas?

It turns out just about anything! Game Works, in a word (heck, make it two), absolutely sucks.

For starters, it's way too expensive. Once you get in, you're out $10 without batting an eye. All games run on a card system (which is standard for most larger arcades), so it's not like you can just go in and blow a couple of bucks. And the games are far more expensive than any other arcade I've visited, with prices ranging from $.50 (for classics) to $2.00 or more.

As if that wasn't bad enough, most games have been turned up to maximum difficulty settings, presumably to get more plays through per hour. Pinball machines, for example, have the autosave feature shut off; this standard feature in almost any pin built after 1990 allows a relaunch if you lose the ball too quickly. Apparently, GW felt that was too generous, and so it's out. Other games are more difficult as well ­ their Asteroids machine, for example, deployed the super fast, super small and accurate ships before I could even finish the first round!

Of course, mentioning Asteroids leads to a good point ­ GW has lots of classic machines. These are great to play if you're a MIDGET. All the classics (save for Asteroids) have been placed in wood grain, old TYME looking cabinets that are about two feet shorter than the original cabinets. This makes them all but impossible to play without sitting in a chair, which is both uncomfortable and still not quite right height wise. Pathetic.

The biggest problem, though, was the horrific upkeep of the machines. Monitors were blown everywhere you look. Some games wouldn't accept the cards. Controllers were broken all over. Pinball machines were in really bad shape. You'd think for the prices GW charges, they'd at least have the machines in good working order. You'd be wrong.

My advice? Avoid Game Works at all costs! It's a complete waste of money. Better, if not necessarily bigger, arcades can be found at almost any of the major hotels, with my personal favorites being at Excalibur, Treasure Island, and the grand daddy of them all, New York New York. Plus, you can even ride a GREAT roller coaster at NYNY.

Now THAT'S entertainment!