1984
1984
4.5
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Thursday
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Friday
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
About
1984 is an 80s time machine - We feature classic 80s arcade games all set to free play! Pacman, Galaga, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Centipede, Frogger... over 60 Classics! Plus we have over 15 Pinball machines for 25-50¢. Entry Admission is $10.00 per person and gets you free play on our classic video games. Your admission is an all-night pass, no cost for re-entry on the same night. We also have Party Rooms for rental, and we do Private Events. Find us at 400 S. Jefferson across from the downtown YMCA.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
206 reviews
Excellent
148
Very good
44
Average
11
Poor
1
Terrible
2
M.A.C.
Poplar Bluff, MO3 contributions
May 2022 • Family
My 12yr old son and I had a great time playing some, if not all the games I played when I was his age. What a blast from the past. The pinball side was a lot of fun as well.
I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys classic video games.
I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys classic video games.
Written May 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TWB
Cincinnati, OH2,484 contributions
Dec 2019
Any time I am in the area I stop in here for at least part of a day. You buy an all day pass at the door and can come and go as you please. Neat. Snacks and soda for purchase. Two levels of hard to find arcade games. I am not personally a gamer, but this stop is never a bore. Nice people running the place.
Written October 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DJZackAttack
Saint Louis, MO112 contributions
Nov 2012 • Couples
Holy crap, I want to move to Springfield, Missouri. 1984 is there.
Not everyone will love this place -- video games are a relatively new form of entertainment, so if you're over 40, you'll be less likely to be excited about stepping into a place that oooooooozes the 1980s than I and my wife were. But the time we had at 1984 was MORE than worth the money we spent.
We were promptly greeted as we walked in -- the pay counter is right inside the main door, as is the merchandise -- on a Wednesday night in November. Staff was very friendly and helpful, and it was really quiet, which they said is odd for a Wednesday (they're closed on Sun, Mon, & Tues), but that meant we had the run of the place. For a $5.00 cover, we could play unlimited video games (pinball machines cost), and the selection they have includes some of the most memorable and popular video games from the 1980s, even some that were developed after the video game crash. Elevator Action, Donkey Kong & DK Jr., Zaxxon, Tron, SiniStar, Joust, Q*bert, Star Wars AND The Empire Strikes Back, Gyruss, Galaga (tabletop version), Pac Man & Ms. Pac Man, Space Invaders, Dig Dug, Asteroids & Asteroids Deluxe ... the list goes on, but you get the picture.
That's only part of it. They could have stopped at the games, but they turned this place into a full-on experience. Laser light effects and 80s music videos are playing (volume could have been louder, but it would have drowned out the awesome sounds of the machines). A giant leaderboard is behind the pay counter, and if you break a high score, your name goes on the board and you receive some exclusive swag. There are LOADS of 1980s paraphernalia all over the walls (see my photos), and even the bathroom got the 80s treatment. Completely unique experience.
There were a few machines that were out of order (they don't make these games new anymore), but at least one of the staff could be seen at any given time working on the electronics, trying to get them back into commission. I couldn't play Star Wars, which was one of my FAVORITE games from the 1980s, but there were so many other great games there that I really couldn't complain. My wife and I had fun playing each other on the Galaga tabletop console, too. There are a couple games I personally think they should add, like Super Mario Bros. and Rush n' Attack, but there's room for them to expand in the future, so here's hoping.
We were excited about our 3-day trip to Springfield, but in part because we found out about 1984 online. And I'm not kidding here -- we actually CHANGED OUR PLANS to make sure we could come down when this place was open. But our anticipation was nothing compared to the excitement we felt when we walked inside. You can tell a lot of love went into this place, and if you walk in here and aren't IMMEDIATELY transported back to a simpler time when a quarter could give you an adrenaline rush, then you have no soul and just may be a Cylon. They have newly-designed shirts, hats, and mugs, as well as custom buttons and 1980s-style sunglasses for great prices. Snacks and drinks are also available (no alcohol -- kids under 16 must be accompanied by a guardian). This place is seriously outstanding, and the owners should be proud of what they've put together.
I live in the St. Louis area, and a few people up there are trying to raise capital to open a video game bar. You can bet I'll check it out when it opens, but they should probably check this place out to get some ideas.
Not everyone will love this place -- video games are a relatively new form of entertainment, so if you're over 40, you'll be less likely to be excited about stepping into a place that oooooooozes the 1980s than I and my wife were. But the time we had at 1984 was MORE than worth the money we spent.
We were promptly greeted as we walked in -- the pay counter is right inside the main door, as is the merchandise -- on a Wednesday night in November. Staff was very friendly and helpful, and it was really quiet, which they said is odd for a Wednesday (they're closed on Sun, Mon, & Tues), but that meant we had the run of the place. For a $5.00 cover, we could play unlimited video games (pinball machines cost), and the selection they have includes some of the most memorable and popular video games from the 1980s, even some that were developed after the video game crash. Elevator Action, Donkey Kong & DK Jr., Zaxxon, Tron, SiniStar, Joust, Q*bert, Star Wars AND The Empire Strikes Back, Gyruss, Galaga (tabletop version), Pac Man & Ms. Pac Man, Space Invaders, Dig Dug, Asteroids & Asteroids Deluxe ... the list goes on, but you get the picture.
That's only part of it. They could have stopped at the games, but they turned this place into a full-on experience. Laser light effects and 80s music videos are playing (volume could have been louder, but it would have drowned out the awesome sounds of the machines). A giant leaderboard is behind the pay counter, and if you break a high score, your name goes on the board and you receive some exclusive swag. There are LOADS of 1980s paraphernalia all over the walls (see my photos), and even the bathroom got the 80s treatment. Completely unique experience.
There were a few machines that were out of order (they don't make these games new anymore), but at least one of the staff could be seen at any given time working on the electronics, trying to get them back into commission. I couldn't play Star Wars, which was one of my FAVORITE games from the 1980s, but there were so many other great games there that I really couldn't complain. My wife and I had fun playing each other on the Galaga tabletop console, too. There are a couple games I personally think they should add, like Super Mario Bros. and Rush n' Attack, but there's room for them to expand in the future, so here's hoping.
We were excited about our 3-day trip to Springfield, but in part because we found out about 1984 online. And I'm not kidding here -- we actually CHANGED OUR PLANS to make sure we could come down when this place was open. But our anticipation was nothing compared to the excitement we felt when we walked inside. You can tell a lot of love went into this place, and if you walk in here and aren't IMMEDIATELY transported back to a simpler time when a quarter could give you an adrenaline rush, then you have no soul and just may be a Cylon. They have newly-designed shirts, hats, and mugs, as well as custom buttons and 1980s-style sunglasses for great prices. Snacks and drinks are also available (no alcohol -- kids under 16 must be accompanied by a guardian). This place is seriously outstanding, and the owners should be proud of what they've put together.
I live in the St. Louis area, and a few people up there are trying to raise capital to open a video game bar. You can bet I'll check it out when it opens, but they should probably check this place out to get some ideas.
Written November 15, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jennifer12343
springfield1 contribution
Feb 2011
This place is awful. Went there with my husband and another couple on a date night. We paid $5 a piece for a total of $20. We were there maybe 10 min. and left. It is much smaller than I would have thought and a good portion of the machines didn't work. Any machine that did work had someone on it. They didn't even have any of the popular machines from the 80's. On top of all that they have a book displayed that makes fun of there customers suggestions. One comment said this place is gross and most machines don't even work, they wrote next to it "and you paid 5 bucks to tell us that". It's no wonder they charge 5 bucks at the door, if we were using quarters we would be out maybe 1 dollar instead of 20.
Written February 25, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are some incorrect and misleading statements in this review that I would like to address, but first I want to say, we are very sorry to hear that you did not enjoy our place.
When someone stays such a short time, we usually take notice and ask if they are coming back later. Since our admission cost of $5 per person is an all-day pass (you can come and go as needed without having to pay again to get back in), we do have people that come and go. If we had know that you were dissatisfied and were leaving, we would have offered you a refund of your admission cost. I would offer you some free passes to come back, but according to the rules of TripAdvisor I cannot do that. It would appear that I'm trying to bribe you to change your review, so I cannot make that offer here -- or I would.
To say that a "good portion" of our machines were not in working IS NOT true. In February, according to our records - the most machines that were down were maybe 3 to 5 at the most. We have over FIFTY video games and 6 pinballs. Our pinballs do breakdown a lot as they are 30+ years old, but we repair them as quickly as possible, sometimes we have to find parts. Video games break down everyday, often while we are open. We repair what we can quickly, but often it requires opening up the machine and digging into them - this cannot be done while we are open - but we resolve these matters as soon as we can. Even if we had 5 machines down that would not be "a good portion" - it would be less than 10%.
To say "they don't even have any of the popular machines from the 80s" is COMPLETELY not true. Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, Asteroid, Centipede, Joust, Tron, Elevator Action, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong, Jr., Defender, .... I could go on and on. We have a HUGE selection and represent a MAJORITY of the popular titles of the 80's.
We also do not "make fun" of our customers. We have a book titled "The Big Book of Sarcasm" in the front explaining what the book is all about. We have responses to our customers suggestions that range from serious to silly. We've never had anyone reactive negatively to this book. It is a source of a lot of laughs. People write things to try and get in the book. They will say silly or wild things. We turn a lot of attempts away each month. It has to be funny or original. The suggestion card you quoted was misquoted. I know the suggestion card you are talking about, but I do not have the book in front of me, so I will not misquote it again. If you were offended by this, I am sorry. Most everyone takes sarcasm in the light it was written - to be funny.
We do not consider ourselves "as waste of money." We've been in business six years this July 2011, and had thousands of satisfied customers. People have driven hundreds of miles to see us, stayed in hotels overnight to spend two days with us, and change their travel plans to include a stop by our place on the way. We must be doing something right.
Thank you.
Written May 4, 2011
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mrsm0223
Jefferson City, Missouri, USA3 contributions
We had learned about 1984 from the Top Ten Things to Do in Springfield. I was actually kind of excited about taking my children, ages 12-16, there for a retro day. Upon arrival, the outside looks kind of neat, in the historical district, but when you walk in... OMG, it was like what on might expect from a backroom of a cheesy gentleman's club or poker club. It was dark, dirty and dirty. The staff member that we dealt with was a teen himself who did nothing to make us feel welcome. Several of the games were out if order. Just thinking of 1984 makes my skin crawl.
Written February 22, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow, I haven't been blasted like that since my last game of Missile Command!
OMG... We are so not a gentleman's club, the only poles we have are Pole Position 1 and Pole Position 2. Dark and dirty we are not, ask any of the families, church groups, schools and regulars that come back week after week for family fun in a positive and exciting atmosphere. We do have a teen working for us and he is a fine example of hard working youth and we are proud to have him representing us.... we will ask him to smile more :)
I welcome everyone to come into 1984 and judge us for yourself, if your not happy with our customer service, cleanliness or selection of games we will give you your money back.
Written February 24, 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
adv80203
24 contributions
My 11 year old boys were dying to go here, and they had a great time, but it wasn't a good place for my 2 year old. It seemed like the employees did not like that we brought our 2 year old. They wanted us to hold his hand the whole time, which is impossible, so I went to the car and waited with him. Older kids will have a blast, but don't take younger ones!
Written April 8, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bobby T
Norman, OK2 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
Back to the Future 2 postulated that by now we would have "80s diners" full of max headroom 80s nostalgia. But that makes no sense. Kids in the 50s may have hung out in diners, but any child of the 80s knows the arcade is where you want to be.
So in a sense the retro 80s arcade is our generation's equivalent of the 50s diner.
And this is the best one I have ever been to. It is hard to keep those machines in working order so I was really impressed by the condition of the machines there. Some were closed for repair but the ones that were on were in top condition. Lots of my favorite games. My wife put up with me spending three hours reliving my childhood. 😀
So in a sense the retro 80s arcade is our generation's equivalent of the 50s diner.
And this is the best one I have ever been to. It is hard to keep those machines in working order so I was really impressed by the condition of the machines there. Some were closed for repair but the ones that were on were in top condition. Lots of my favorite games. My wife put up with me spending three hours reliving my childhood. 😀
Written June 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
moroadwarrior
Southwest Missouri30 contributions
Dec 2016
I have been to 1984 several times. I usually visit a couple of times for year. An amazing value for an afternoon or evening out. Great for couples, families, office party or birthday parties (kids or adults) because everyone can play, everyone has fun. A super-friendly atmosphere for everyone.
Written December 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John N
Jefferson City, MO21 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
Thank you 1984. My wife and I were there recently. We made a trip to Springfield from about two and half hours away to do some shopping and have a nice meal. It was capped off with a trip to 1984. What a wonderful place!
I'm in my early fifites and six years older than my wife. When in my mid-late teens it was nothing to spend the evening at the local video arcade. I loved playing Galaga, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Tempest, and a many others. We found them all here. And then some. I told her my stories about my time spent playing these games and all the fun that I had.
We went with the idea that we would be there an hour or so and then leave for the drive back home. Was I ever wrong. We were there for nearly three hours!
We arrived when they opened their doors. The man taking the admission fee told us how it worked. Having read a bit about it was just like he said. They charge $7.50 to play the video games. Pinball is pay per game (.50) per game but that is due to upkeep of the machines. But on the video games you just hit a big blue button to get your credit and then off you go.
There was a large variety of games over the two stories of the building. I'd go from one to the next. Some games I played better than others but it was still fun nonetheless.
The price of $7.50? For a video game? How much do you pay for a movie? In my hometown a matinee is $7.50. The $15 we paid to play it was well worth it. The same price of a movie.
Is it kid friendly? Yes, Is is smoke-free? Yes. Is it affordable? Yes. Is a fun time to be had by all? Yes.
Would I go back? To relive some of my misspent youth and make some new memories I would go back in a heartbeat. And perhaps stay a little longer.
I'm in my early fifites and six years older than my wife. When in my mid-late teens it was nothing to spend the evening at the local video arcade. I loved playing Galaga, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Tempest, and a many others. We found them all here. And then some. I told her my stories about my time spent playing these games and all the fun that I had.
We went with the idea that we would be there an hour or so and then leave for the drive back home. Was I ever wrong. We were there for nearly three hours!
We arrived when they opened their doors. The man taking the admission fee told us how it worked. Having read a bit about it was just like he said. They charge $7.50 to play the video games. Pinball is pay per game (.50) per game but that is due to upkeep of the machines. But on the video games you just hit a big blue button to get your credit and then off you go.
There was a large variety of games over the two stories of the building. I'd go from one to the next. Some games I played better than others but it was still fun nonetheless.
The price of $7.50? For a video game? How much do you pay for a movie? In my hometown a matinee is $7.50. The $15 we paid to play it was well worth it. The same price of a movie.
Is it kid friendly? Yes, Is is smoke-free? Yes. Is it affordable? Yes. Is a fun time to be had by all? Yes.
Would I go back? To relive some of my misspent youth and make some new memories I would go back in a heartbeat. And perhaps stay a little longer.
Written May 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
spenchea
United States75 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
If you just want a little time to be goofy, then this is your place. They have a lot of the games from the 80s, not just the standard Asteroids, Space Invaders, etc. It's just a place you can have fun and relive a little of the competition you had with yourself while plugging endless quarters into the machine so you can reach the next level and ultimately your three initials on the board. This time, there's no plugging of quarters...your $5 entry fee lets you enjoy all the games and glory/frustration of beating (or not) each level; all you have to do is push the one or two player button and you're on your way!!
They have two floors of games, some obscure and some standards...yes...you can still joust, if you want. A few of the games are a little tempermemtal...but aren't we all 30 years later?!
We planned to just stay an hour or so and two and a half hours later we decided to call it...plus it was starting to fill up with families. It was awesome to see so many parents bringing their young kids to play these originals and the kids weren't the least bit bored. They were all into the games. They were a challenge to them...these old-school games with their simplicity!
The major downside was their very limited selection of pinball games. There is a small room with maybe 10 games. They were working on putting together their "new" Spinal Tap pinball, bummer...that's one I would have been excited about playing...even at the 50-75 cent price.
There's plenty of on-street parking, however the later you arrive the harder it will be to find a spot since this is in a bar/club/restaurant area.
They have two floors of games, some obscure and some standards...yes...you can still joust, if you want. A few of the games are a little tempermemtal...but aren't we all 30 years later?!
We planned to just stay an hour or so and two and a half hours later we decided to call it...plus it was starting to fill up with families. It was awesome to see so many parents bringing their young kids to play these originals and the kids weren't the least bit bored. They were all into the games. They were a challenge to them...these old-school games with their simplicity!
The major downside was their very limited selection of pinball games. There is a small room with maybe 10 games. They were working on putting together their "new" Spinal Tap pinball, bummer...that's one I would have been excited about playing...even at the 50-75 cent price.
There's plenty of on-street parking, however the later you arrive the harder it will be to find a spot since this is in a bar/club/restaurant area.
Written May 25, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Retro video games and pinball machines. You play a flat fee and play the arcade (video) games free. The Pinball machines you pay extra. A very nice friendly fun environment. It is all inside and there are no rides. It is a game hall not an amusement park.
Written June 8, 2015
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