What to Know
- Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- $5 for two hours of free play
"Ghosting," as it was understood back in early 1980s, meant one of two things, generally.
You were either settling in for one of those classic '80s horror films, in anticipation of being thoroughly ghosted by on-screen ghouls, or you were at the local arcade playing Pac-Man, where a persistent group of colorful ghosts attempted to end your dot-chomping reign.
So to say that you'll get ghosted should you visit Union Station on Saturday, Sept. 28 or Sunday, Sept. 29 is right on the money, and by "money" we mean a stack of shiny quarters.
For Retrocade Experience, a weekend devoted to the cabinet-cool arcade games of yore, is popping up at the historic train station, ready to bleep and blurp and zing and pling and whrrrr.
But before you chomp, chomp, chomp the dots on your way to the DTLA landmark, what should you know?
Well, quarters actually won't be necessary, but five bucks is a must. (We're not going to tell you not to keep a lucky quarter in your pocket, of course, which is tradition for many arcade aficionados.)
The Scene
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The fiver will fully cover your two-hour play session, so go on, get ghosted, over and over and over again.
The games? They'll be on "free play," so prepare to wield that joystick over 120 thrilling, ghosts-are-after-me minutes.
If you want to join the daily Pac-Man Tournament, that's on from 5 to 7 p.m. and costs a tenner to join. Yes, there's a trophy. Yes, you want it.
As for nachos and churros and the kind of snacks your mom may have let you buy back at the ol' corner arcade? Those will be for sale, too.
And, unlike the ol' corner arcade, cocktails themed to the arcade atmosphere will also be for sale.
Donkey Kong and Mortal Kombat will also be in the house, as well as a quartet of new Polycade cabinets featuring games like Asteroids.
Which poses this question: Which is more intense, Inky, Blinky, Pinky or Clyde hard on your tail or a giant space rock hurtling in the direction of your ship?
Ponder that, as you go Metro for the popular return of Retrocade at Union Station.
