There was a time when video games were a communal joy when the local arcade or internet cafe was the center of many people’s fondest childhood memories. For 2000’s kids like me, it was the local Timezone in Ayala Cebu. An older generation will recall the Pacmans, Tetrises, and Donkey Kongs of the 80s and 90s immortalized in period pieces like Stranger Things.
For both young and young at heart, VAIS Barcade promises both the excitement of a Friday night out with the nostalgic wonder of our beloved games in the days before social media. Run by dynamic entrepreneurs April and Rhea, VAIS Barcade is part of a rising crop of exciting and creative new establishments in what appears to be a burgeoning creative and arts hotspot in the city.
“VAIS Barcade is the first bar and arcade in Cebu where you can enjoy drinking, partying, and playing at the same time,” Rhea says. “What sets it apart from other bars in the city is its unique concept of incorporating the arcade games from a bar because we want to give our customers a different experience of partying, most especially our 90s babies out there.”
Perfect for a barkada’s night out, VAIS is chalked full of both analog and digital games for every decade and generation. One console has over 1,000 retro arcade games from the ’80s and ’90s, complete with timeless classics like Super Mario Bros and Pacman. Millennials and Gen Z kids who grew up in the 2000s may remember the sidescroller run-and-gun game Metal Slug, or enjoy the XBOX with games like Marvel vs. Capcom.
Tired of video games? Tables can request a deck of playing cards, UNO cards, or a Jenga tower to accompany drinks with a little bit of childhood excitement. You can play with the old-fashioned pinball machine. There is even a special table fitted with a cage and a soccer ball where two people can play a kind of makeshift foosball with their feet.
Equally exciting and colorful are the cocktails and delectable food options. Sure crowd pleasers include the Cotton Candy, a sweet cocktail covered by full cotton candy, and the VAIS highball with an accompanying gummy bear as a garnish. VAIS’ street food platter is the perfect assortment of familiar Pinoy finger foods- fish balls, dynamite lumpia, and tempura which complements the overall playful nature of the barcade. “For the dishes, we have our very own Steak Stones, where you get to experience cooking steaks on your own. There is also Rib Eye, but this one is plated and also our appetizers,” April adds.
VAIS’ social media is both savvy and Gen Z-focused complete with memes and catchy promotions, but how does VAIS capture a younger crowd who may not have grown up with arcades? “Actually, what we’ve seen a lot so far are 90s kids who want to recapture their childhood,” VAIS also added via their Instagram page. “Actually there are quite a few parents who bring their children just to experience old-school games.”
Exciting events for the whole barkada
On top of games, food, and drinks, VAIS also hosts a number of weekly events. “We actually have game nights every weekend where there would sort of be a mini tournament in our arcades. We also hold exclusive events which you can book on our social media pages.”
Video game-themed events like Kapow Friday and Thwack Saturday are sure to keep an exciting and lively crowd coming, as well as a host of DJs to ensure that crowds continue to dance the night away.
If anything, VAIS Barcade is proof that the joy and excitement of childhood nostalgia do not have to stay in the past. If you’re looking for a chance to hang out with friends and re-experience the wonder of the arcade with its neon colors and its world of endless opportunities as an adult, then VAIS is the place for you.
Photography Kyrra Kho
