• Slug: BC-CNS-Retro Gaming, 670 words.
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By Stella Subasic
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – In the heart of downtown Phoenix, modern spaces are bringing retro gaming back to life, drawing crowds of all ages.

Leading this trend are Cobra Arcade Bar and Stardust Pinbar, establishments that have successfully merged vintage video games with a modern bar atmosphere. The combination has captivated locals and tourists, transforming downtown Phoenix into a destination for nostalgic entertainment.

Marcus Boykin, Cobra’s assistant general manager, has witnessed this transformation firsthand since the bar’s inception. “We hit the ground running,” Boykin said. “From our soft openings in January 2016, we’ve had lines out the door on weekends, and it hasn’t slowed down since.”

The idea behind Cobra Arcade Bar is simple and unique: blend a bar with an arcade filled with classic video games. The bar’s co-owner, Ariel Bracamonte, an avid collector of arcade games, has amassed a large collection over the years.

“He had this concept of combining a bar with a video game arcade,” Boykin said. “And then he just got with a couple of investors and here we are.”

Cobra, located in the heart of Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row arts district, was a pioneer in its area. “There was nothing like it downtown when we opened,” Boykin said. “It was the whole concept of video games and bars, like that’s just every kid’s dream.”

Some of the classics, like NBA Jam, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga and Street Fighter are favorites, but the owner also introduces new games to keep things fresh for patrons. “(Bracamonte) amassed a lot,” Boykin said, “a few warehouses just storing them.”

For many, the experience is enhanced by an authentic token system, evoking memories of a past era, “just like it was back in the 1980s arcade,” Boykin said.

Cobra’s success has inspired similar ventures, including Stardust Pinbar, known for its extensive collection of pinball machines. Bracamonte opened Stardust in 2019, focusing on implementing a Davd Bowie theme.

Stardust’s entrance mimics a speakeasy style, where visitors enter through Ziggy’s Pizza and go through a freezer door to enter Stardust.

Though Stardust Pinbar offers a more family-friendly environment during the day, it transitions to a club in the evening, allowing adults to indulge in the nostalgic nightlife scene.

The rise in popularity of retro gaming and pinball machines is also evident in the success of Firebird Pinball, run by Kris Bliznick and Leslie Newell. Their passion for pinball machines began when they lived in Tucson. Bliznick was a mechanical engineer working at a solar company, and Newell was a journalist.

They transitioned from hobbyists in the early 2000s to business owners in 2010 and have become the go-to service for pinball enthusiasts in the Valley. “We had our second kid, we both quit our jobs at our professional jobs and started the business, sold the house and moved to Phoenix,” Newell said.

They offer on-site and in-home repair services, including full restorations and artistic additions for all brands, makes and models of electronic arcade pinball machines.

With retro gaming making a resurgence in modern spaces, prices for machines, new or broken have increased. “I used to be able to get a broken machine for $100 or $300 or $500. Now you can’t find a broken one for under a thousand or more,” Bliznick said.

“Every year from 2008 to 2012, I’m like, this has to be peak. It’s going to have to come down, and it didn’t. And then COVID exaggerated it even more,” he said.

Bliznick and Newell helped set up a few pinball machines for Bracamonte when he first opened Cobra Bar Arcade and Stardust Pinbar.

Cobra Arcade Bar has become a destination not just for locals, but also for tourists. “We get a lot of out-of-town visitors, especially during events like Comic-Con (Fan Fusion) and the Super Bowl,” Boykin said.

Even in its eighth year, the arcade remains vibrant and popular. “We’ve been here eight and a half years now and are still kickin,” Boykin said.

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