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Arcades, VR & Gaming in Birmingham

Most of this is packed close to the centre, so you can walk between a few in an afternoon. The Pinball Factory has machines from the 1980s onwards, though it only opens four days a week, and Sandbox VR puts you and up to five mates in haptic vests to fight through Stranger Things or a dinosaur jungle. NQ64 Laser Quest mixes retro tokens, pinball and a laser arena, with snacks and soft drinks at the bar and no entry fee. For something further out, Fun City in Dudley has laser tag, VR escape rooms and an unlimited summer pass if you fancy losing a whole afternoon. For younger kids, Crazy Cube Game takes squads of ten-year-olds and up through full-body VR missions with wind, heat and shaking floors, and Boom Battle Bar on Broad Street covers axe throwing, crazy golf and beer pong, with a 7pm cut-off for under-18s so evenings shift to an older crowd. NQ64 Arcade Bar is an 18+ venue, a retro arcade and bar with Laser Quest downstairs, apart from one Sunday morning session for kids. If you want teens and adults only, Matrix VR is 16-plus, with 360-degree rotating cinema seats near the Bullring.

✓ 10 places✦ 2 free to visit