To find places to enjoy the latest arcade games has become increasingly tough with what home consoles and computers can do, but for that hangout experience, GRETA Bar delivers in that front. I would not have known about them unless they have an impressive marketing team to draw in the tourists. And when Fan Expo Vancouver helped bring awareness to this island nerd, I had to check it out! I returned recently to see how different it is when they are not hosting an event with this convention, and it has the feel of a sports bar more so than a true nerd’s hangout.
And when this franchise type operation includes Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto, I’m sure catering to a specific type of geek is easier than figuring out who to cater to in Vancouver’s Gastown. When this city’s version of Fan Expo thought this place is appropriate for an after-party of sorts, the success may well be mixed. I have yet to see this convention settle upon a dedicated operation to run an event. When a few previous businesses they have worked with closed their doors years later, I hope that’s not a sign.
I spent more time playing Space Invaders Frenzy more than any other. It’s the perfect game for retro gaming enthusiasts to enjoy. Although it came out in 2017, to locate such a cabinet meant asking on Reddit boards and travelling to that city! I loved how Missile Command got integrated, and once the screen got super crazy with UFOs and aliens charging down the screen, sniping isn’t easy. Thankfully, the two player option makes everything easier, because I doubt I can make it past stage five!
The space contained other shoot ’em ups. I found Jurassic Park and House of the Dead. Besides classic Pac-Man, I found four pinball games and gravitated to the Godzilla one.
When bar patrons are cheering at the television than for someone making a high score, I have to wonder if the idea for this operation has lost its focus. I miss the days when nationals for games like Street Fighter (which this local operation has) existed. As a result, the people who come here are pretty much your typical bar patrons rather than nerds. I stood out since I was wearing my occult bomber jacket, and whether the glances were justified, being here felt like being in high school again.
When I visited Mox Boarding House where the bar/restaurant is separate from the gaming section, I felt more at home here than at GRETA. That’s because they made their dining section separate from the gamer’s tables. As for how Storm Crow Tavern’s Vancouver operation compared when they were still open, I can’t say. Their location was nowhere near downtown. From what I heard, their concept is better–people can have soft alcoholic drinks while playing board games. But sadly, the pandemic and staffing problems forced the owners to shut down.
Interestingly, those entrepreneurs decided to startup Arcana Bar and later came GRETA. Both operations make up a new “nerd” intersection in Gastown, and hopefully a few more ideas can pop up to create a new centre for patrons to visit. According to Google Maps, are a few other arcades like The Rec Room and The Den – Arcade & Drinkery, I can go to. Maybe I’ll have that a special trip over to figure out what’s changed over the decades for these parlours operating in the big city. After EXP Bar’s closure, I need a place to stretch my legs after the show!
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