Arcade Paradise Switch Review – Who Knew Doing Laundry Could Be So Fun!

Traveling to an arcade to play games all night with friends isn’t something we see anymore, unfortunately. With the gaming industry being an ever-changing field, it’s hard to keep track of what’s current, and with the majority of people gaming alone at home, it’s no surprise that gaming arcades are a niche place now.

So, what if I told you that you could sit in the comfort of your own home and play old-school arcade games? Not only that, but fulfil that little dream you had of running your very own arcade? Well, that’s where Arcade Paradise comes in – just with the bonus of doing laundry…

Does it satisfy that retro gaming itch? Or is it a game that should have stayed in the past? Let’s find out in this Nintendo Link review!

Arcade Paradise combines a 90’s retro arcade game and a light-management sim to make a wonderful quaint gaming experience. The story is simple: you take the role of Ashley, and her father (voiced by Geralt of Rivia) has left her in charge of running his former pride and joy, the laundromat known as King Wash, but Ashley has other plans. Her dream is to open her own arcade, although her father isn’t keen on this idea. So, a compromise is made (I use compromise very loosely), and she decides to turn the back room of the laundromat into an arcade, making an arcade/laundromat store. Strange combination, no?

Starting out, you have a very run-down store with dirty floors, rubbish everywhere and only three arcade machines in a small back room with little custom. But stick with it, and this little place will quickly become the place you want to spend all of your time. Not to mention that the more time and effort you put into it, the more you will get out, being able to expand further and further until this is no longer a run-down store that nobody wants to visit.

Regarding day-to-day tasks, Ashley will be required to wash and dry laundry, pick up rubbish, unclog toilets and even remove chewing gum from various places. Doing these things will reward you with money you can put into savings to purchase upgrades, new arcade machines, or generally spruce up the place.

You might think these sound like really mundane tasks that you wouldn’t get any joy from, and if this were real life, you would be right. But for some strange reason, Arcade Paradise makes you feel these tasks are essential, and in doing so, they become rather addictive. Not to mention that by doing these tasks, you can purchase a new snazzy arcade machine which makes washing dirty laundry worth it. Apart from gum pulling, this can sometimes take longer than it should…

It’s not all work-and-no-play, though, as when all the tedious work is done (or even if it’s not), you can reward yourself by playing on any of the arcade machines you have available in the arcade section of your store. Each of the over thirty-five arcade machines available to unlock in the game are fully playable, and it’s such a fantastic way to break up the gameplay. Getting bored of something you’re doing? Go and play another game! Gameception!

The quality of the arcade games within Arcade Paradise are so good that they could quite easily be their own standalone games. It’s pretty clear they take inspiration from popular arcade titles from back when, and that’s fine. KnucklesNKnees is a game similar to Streets of Rage, and Blobs from Space takes inspiration from Space Invaders. These games were very well received back in the day and still are now. So, why wouldn’t you want to play a similar game?

What amazes me even further is that most games you can purchase can be played 2-player via local co-op, something I hadn’t expected to be available.

Now, for something cool for those achievement hunters out there. Each arcade game has its own set of quests to complete, increasing that particular machine’s popularity, meaning more people will use it, and you will then earn more money from it. Some quests are earlier to tick off than others, but it’s a way for the game to encourage you to play the various machines it offers. You will also have a selection of daily quests to complete, rewarding you with extra money.

You will get visitors in both the laundromat and the arcade from time to time, but unfortunately, you’re unable to interact with them in any way. It would have been nice even to get a brief conversation with them to bring a little more realism, but instead, when you walk toward another character, they fizzle out in front of your very eyes. At first, I thought this was a glitch, and I’m not entirely sure why this happens.

For the most part, everything runs great in Arcade Paradise. Everything did what it should, but there were a few moments where the controls would feel a little clanky. Sometimes I would have to click a specific button twice to get it to register, but apart from that, everything ran fine.

Overall, Arcade Paradise is an excellent game with a ton of depth that I highly recommend to players who grew up in the 80s and 90s. With over thirty-five addictive games to keep you occupied and the ability to upgrade your laundromat and arcade how you see fit, this one will keep you busy for many hours.

Arcade Paradise Switch Review provided by Nintendo Link
Publisher: Wired Productions
Developer: Nosebleed Interactive
Release Date: August 11, 2022
Price: $19.99, £15.99
Game Size: 3051MB