Galloping Ghost Arcade

If you’re that 80’s kid that ditched school and went to the arcade or you want to show your kids where the madness started, then this is the place for you. All of your favorite old school arcade games in great condition. Brought my hubby and kids here. Was worried about keeping an eye on my kids and lost my hubby to NBA Jam! Should have packed a lunch. $ 15 unlimited play??? C’mon! Can’t beat that!

Very cool freeplay arcade with a great selection! I thoroughly enjoyed the Mortal Kombat section (which had the newest console sequels (e.g. 9, X) included) and a 6-​player death match game called «Grid» that I couldn’t stop playing with my friends. There were so many others that I haven’t even heard of that I wanted to try but unfortunately, I didn’t have the time. Will definitely visit again.

Had a friggin’ BLAST here for my 40^th bday last weekend! What a hoot! All the classics: Q-​Bert, all the Pac-​Mans, Jungle Hunt, all the Mario Bros, Tapper, Centipede, Penguin, Tapper, Joust, Moon Patrol, Dig Dug… the list goes on and on. This place is PACKED with every arcade game you remember! $ 15 –all you can play. People of all ages. It was a good time! Some friends were bummed they missed it so we will be back!

I went with a group of friends for the first time last night (on a Saturday.) We spent 6 hours taking everything in, and were able to play everything we wanted to, with little wait, if any. We all challenged, or were politely challenged by others, on multiplayer games. We made new friends over Vendetta, and remembered how tough Pong actually is. Since there is re-​entry, it’s nice to be able to grab a bite to eat, or a drink at Brixies (also highly recommending for it’s laid back atmosphere) before you take on that next round of Gauntlet with a full party. The staff was very friendly, helpful, and concise when explaining the layout, and general operational aspects of the machines. It was also fun to watch live play being streamed on Twitch (I believe) and people online, cheering along with everyone in person. This is definitely a great place to go on your own, and with any age of partner in crime, as long as they are tall enough to see the screens! I’m already planning on a date to go back and discover more!

My son heard about this place from a friend and we have made a point to come out here now and then ever since. They have expanded this year and it was better than ever! Whatever arcade game you used to play is probably here and it WILL take you back to that time — around 1985 for me. Every thing seems to be grouped logically and I would guess there are about 150 games here. Pinball machines are few. Staff is super friendly. The games that were on (mostly all) were in good working condition there was only 2 that I encountered problems with. The day we went was not crowded at all and we were there for 3.5 hours, it went by like a snap. We had to go but I could have easily spent more time there. Price has been 15 bucks for the last 3 years. Highly recommended !

Love, love, love this place. My wife heard about this place & took me here as a surprise for a date night. We had a blast. Played all the games we wanted for a flat fee of $ 15. Probably spent about 2 hours playing before we left for some food & drinks. Saw many games that I have not seen since I was in high school. Will definitely come back another time.

Love this place. 15 bucks for all day endless playing? Nothing wrong with that. So many different types of games and your around fellow gamers so it is a great environment. Unfortunately you can’t bring in outside food or drink but they do sell soda and such so that helps. One downside is that with all the games it can be a tad claustrophobic and can get a bit warm, but as long as you know what your walking into than you should have some fun.

My entire childhood as far as games in one place. Awesome staff. The prices are unbeatable pay once come and go as you like and all the games are set to free play. If a game is not working just tell any of the knowledgeable staff and they fix it for you on the spot. They have an achievment booklet also which can earn you freebies and discounts which on its own is a reason to get more than a daily pass. I can’t say enough great things about this place. My only gripe is I would always pass by this place and never stopped to check it out until this past year. Believe me I’m still kicking myself in the arse whenever I walk thru Meccas doors for that one. If you come in a group play Grid on the left side when you walk in you won’t regret it.

Ok, I’m not a big arcade person, nor did I own a video game system as a child (deprived? maybe.). However, I do remember playing some of these games, and I do feel a sense of nostalgia when I am here.
First off, $ 15 for all you can play games. Period. No coins, quarters, time limits, etc. Everyone here is very conscientious, at least from what I experienced. There are no game hogs so you can get to all of the games. Secondly, this place is huge. From the outside you think there are going to be 12 games. No. There are SO many games! It’s the largest arcade I have ever been to. They have whole sections dedicated to certain games (pinball, Mortal Kombat, etc.). Thirdly, so many world records have been broken here. This is where the nerdy side of me comes out. Each game has a card that tells you what the world record score is for that game, what the Galloping Ghost highest score is, and it will indicate if the world record was broken at their arcade. Pretty impressive!
No outside food or drinks are allowed, and they do not sell alcohol (sad day, but I get it). They do sell some candy. Good place to come and have some fun for a few hours!

This is every adult kid’s dream come true. An entire building of full size 1980’s arcade games including Donkey Kong, Pac-​Man, Galaga, Asteroids, Street Fighter, etc. I wish that there were more pinball machines. A great way to spend a few hours for $ 15 fee.

Great selection of games but too expensive for most people. Sure $ 15 is not going to break people but depending on how long you plan to spend, it’s either a rip off or the best bargain around.
We had an hour to kill and several of us stopped by and had a great time but in an hour there was no way we would have spent $ 15 each on these old games. Four of us paid $ 60 for an hour and one of us really did not pay and was part of the group.
Now if you spend several hours playing then yes it’s a steal but I am left with this thought…
Since I would rather stop by for an hour or two, I will not go back because it’s too expensive. Are they limiting potential «short term» visits at maybe $ 10 an hour? A simple sticker could be used and worn with the experation time to allow this. It would also allow non participants to watch without a $ 15 admission price.
It’s also short on stools for the older crowd btw but that’s a minor issue. Some areas are much too crowded and the biggest issue… VERY few pinball machines!
Love the arcade but just being honest in that $ 15 for an hour visit means no return for many.

They had a vast selection of 80s style games, so if you’re into vintage gaming, this is the place for you. However, the layout is a bit confusing and some spaces can get pretty cramped and tight, if the place gets busy. We were there the other night, and it became a bit of a nuisance to constantly have to tell people to stop their game so that they can move out of the way for you to get through. I would imagine if you’re a bigger person or on the plus size of things, this would not be much of a size friendly place to visit. It would be helpful if they can space-​out the ends of the aisle more and not try to stuff as much games into one tight corner as possible. It looks messy and takes away from the whole experience.
Other than that issue, this place can keep you entertained for hours on end. Lot of classic games that you can’t find anywhere else. At times, it can be a bit overwhelming with the amount of games there is to choose from. This is the kind of arcade that you should check out first and get a scope of what they have, and then come back a second time and stick to the few games you actually like playing. All in all, it was a decent experience, and I do plan on coming back here to play my favorite games.

If you have ever played a video game in the 80s, it’s here.
Amazing selection of timeless games.
I honestly have never seen so many classic games in one space.
We will be back, again and again.

Imagine that the coolest place you have ever been to was a person. Now imagine that person eating a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Now imagine Galloping Ghost arcade walking up & slapping the plate out of their hand & taking that persons chocolate chip cookies. The point is that Galloping Ghost Arcade is by far the coolest place you could visit & it would make the coolest place you have been to look silly.
This place is not to be put in the same category as Gameworks or Dave & Busters. Frankly there really aren’t too many places that can be put in the same category as this place because it is so awesome.
It had been over ten years since I have been to any kind of arcade. This place however was by far the best arcade I have ever stepped foot in. After witnessing this place in person it made me feel that I had never been to a true arcade even when they were very popular in the 1990’s. To me it was the equivalent of going years only eating fast food but then one day you eat at a five star restaurant & it totally changes any experience you have had at any previous establishment.
I found this place online when I was on Unilocal looking to see if there were any good arcades in the area & I came across this gem. I checked out their website & it had a plethora of pictures & videos as well as a complete list of all of the arcade machines that they had available. The one factor that really made me want to go here is that they are the largest arcade in the country. So after seeing all of this I decided that this was definitely worth they trip to check it out.
They open at 11 A.M. so I decided to go early before there was a large crowd. Now imagine an arcade that you have seen in the movies or one that you visited in the 1990’s & think of all the machines that they had, then walk into this place & realize that this arcade is even bigger than anything you have seen in a movie or bigger than any arcade you could imagine.
I parked on a side street because they didn’t have street parking on this road. When I first walked in to this place it was like walking into an antique car museum it was so awesome. The staff was very friendly & welcoming. They give you a quick tutorial on the machines. All machines are set to free play but on some machines you have to press a little red button by the coin slot to activate the free play.
The price was $ 15 for as many games as you can play & unlimited time. All of the games were set to free play & you can play from 11 A.M. when they open until 2 A.M. until they close. You can leave & come back as long as you keep your receipt.
This arcade is the largest in the country with over 440 different arcade machines. They have almost any game you can think of & they also have some very rare arcade machines. The rarest game that they have is Primal Rage 2. Primal Rage 2 is only one of two arcade machines in existence.
Some other great classic that they just to name a few are Pac Man, Galaga, The Punisher, NFL Blitz 99, all of the Mortal Kombat machines. They have over 440 machines so chances are that they have the arcade game that you are looking to play.
Another big plus with this arcade is that when you talk to the staff or the owner you realize that they all really enjoy working here & really care about the place. They know what they are talking about & they really want to provide people with a fun & enjoyable experience. I truly believe that this is the premier arcade in the country.
This location is constantly adding new machines & always upgrading the art work or signs on the machine to make them as original as possible. This arcade is about to celebrate their five year anniversary. They opened up in August of 2010.
Also for the most part this is a pretty clean arcade. There is always people constantly touching things so of course it can’t be spotless but they do a great job of keeping it very clean. You never see trash or food laying around or on the ground. They sell snacks & drinks here & it is also located in an area where you can walk to get food & then come back to the arcade & play some more games. My first visit here I played for a few hours & then walked across the street & had breakfast at one of the restaurants. They also have a Chinese restaurant located next door. The location is right off of a main street so it isn’t hard to find either.
The staff here is very friendly & a few of them will tell you some pretty cool stories about how they obtained some of the machines & how some of the creators of the games will come in to the arcade some times. This arcade also offers weekly, monthly & yearly memberships. They do also have tournaments here for some of the more serious arcade gamers.
Overall this place is awesome. They have such a large selection of arcade machines & the staff is very friendly. I look forward to visiting this place many more times.

Instead of going to the emporium for a friends birthday celebration. My friends opted to stay away from the crazy, wonderful, drunken, escapades of Chicago’s Saint Patrick’s day weekend celebrations.
The galloping ghost is a much different scene, with a classic old school video game arcade vibe. It’s a very chilled, laid back environment. All the employees were very nice, & helpful with any questions I had. All The Customers were extremely nice, & considerate of others that were waiting to game as well.
It can be a bit overwhelming by all the options of arcade games though,
Well at least to me it was lol, I wasn’t expecting so many classic arcade games.
I was excited to have that reminiscent feeling having a pocketful of tokens here &‘feeling like I was in Vegas lol.
But they don’t do tokens here, the machines are altered to be continuously played without feeding them all your tokens. so I guess that’s pretty nice.
Upon entering the establishment, you pay the front desk $ 15 dollars, then you’re set free to do as you please (within reason). & play as long as your heart desires or until you start failing & losing. Then it’s on the next! The $ 15 deal for the amount of games they have, & how late they’re open till (2am) is reasonable.
Also it gets increasingly hot in the backroom, & don’t come here hungry. They don’t sell nutritionist food or any liquor. I don’t drink alcohol so it doesn’t bother me they don’t sell it. But it’s always fun getting your friends wasted on their birthday lol.
Max out before you come here, don’t come here hungry. I made the mistake lol.
they don’t have a kitchen to make & sell food. But They do sell different candies, chips & bottle water/​pop. But If you want more nutritious foods eat before you come here, or hit up one on the joints open late in the area after a good old gaming session
But overall I had a good experience here & would recommend others to check this place out if you’re a gamer

What a cool place. I didn’t expect a place like this at the location. I was driving and driving wondering where it would end up. I was expecting it to be in a big plaza.
Anyway, it’s a simple arcade place where you can play the classic games. Lots of personality here and the staff is friendly. With the prices, they’re definitely my trying to rip you off. I came here for just a family hangout and only my stepson was really going to play. The staff didn’t monitor us with wristbands or anything. They just charged is for one person too. I appreciate that they didn’t try to just have is pay a cover charge just because we are here.

The Ghost has become one of my favorite haunts (get it?) in this area, but I hadn’t been since they’d expanded! Remember in my last review the complaint of broken machines crowding the aisles? Now the only crowds are the insatiable players jammed around the additional games that fill the extra space! It’s still a bit tight in some corners, and when little kids go flying through it’s everyone for themselves. Still, now there’s room for a bunch of pinball machines, and even more retro fun!
I will say they need to keep an eye on whether things are working (and I don’t mean machines that are turned off); a couple screens were going schitzo, so I alerted the staff, but I don’t know how quickly there’s follow-​up.
Still, there’s a lot of variety here, and for less than $ 20 you can have a full day of fun; they are open til 2 a.m. on the week-​ends! So whenever you want to get your retro game on, giddyup on down to the Galloping Ghost!

I still love this place, but I have to say I wasn’t a fan of the fact they charge $ 2 for bottled water here, and dinging this place down a half star. I almost didn’t buy it, and only reluctantly did in the end. You’d be better off getting a small bottle at one of the nearby gas stations or the 7 – 11 by Brixie’s, and chugging it down (lol) before coming here, since they don’t allow outside food or drink. Food and snack menu is still kinda limited here, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the rising business from people at Ghost was why Tony’s Breakfast Café chose to go ²⁴⁄₇? :)
I hope they are able to do their expansion plans, despite that I noticed their Kickstarter page a while back sadly failed. Also if you’re wondering about how to be able to finally see the annex just west of here that houses all their pinball games, I believe you have to go on a busier night like Friday or Saturday. It was shut down on at least one past Sunday visit, within the last 1 – 2 years.
Hoping they are able to do their expansion plans, since I do agree with another reviewer that it’d be nice to move the pinball room over to the current back area where they work on the games, and turning the current pinball annex just west of the main arcade into the new space where they work on games. There must be a way they could reconfigure this place in the future, to allow for this. Maybe remove a few games from the west wall and add a big enough door, to allow for easy moving of downed games to that area?

I like old arcade games. I have no skill or strategy unless button mashing and making weird noises count. I also like being social with gaming. That said, I prefer the barcades of Chicago way more than this arcade in the suburb.
The drive wasn’t horrible on a Sunday night, but paying $ 15 for three hours of gaming seemed kind of steep considering the atmosphere. It was really warm inside.
I have vertigo, so trying to make the most of my money with video games doesn’t really work. I just can’t stare at a video game screen for that long. Most of the games they have here were definite quartersluts, especially if you wanted to complete a level, but I prefer a more relaxed style of gaming.
I was surprised that this place doesn’t allow you to bring outside food/​drink, considering their options are very limited. Also their no gum policy reminds me of being in middle school detention (not something that I actually ever experienced… especially not with dozens of arcade games nearby).
I wasn’t sure about the whole parking situation; I parked at the side of the building.
Overall, I’d give this place three stars for my experience here, but the variety of unique games they have definitely deserves a star of its own.

I want to start out with a disclaimer, my review is penned from a somewhat unique perspective. Like most reviewers I am a child of the 70’s who was immediately taken back to my youth (this alone would have made it a 5 star review). Unfortunately I am also a 20 year veteran in the amusement machine and arcade business. So, it is the details that brings this review down a few stars.
You can read other reviews for all the great things, I do not disagree with them, it is an incredible selection of games, some quite rare, and I applaud the owners for making them available. Now on with my observations.
1. A lot of games seem to be conversions from other cabinets. This is not a bad thing, this happened quite frequently over the decades of the life of the arcades. However, many of these conversions seemed incomplete. Most notably, I noticed many games with either ill fitting bezels, which affected the playability of the game, or even worse, no bezel at all. This revealed the crude make up of the cabinet. Unpainted plywood and particle board is not very aesthetic to the reborn 14 year old in me. I’m sure the operator is aware, but Happ controls sells plastic bezels. Also, based on the number of non working projects I saw, I’m sure your technicians could scrape enough bezels from other cabinets to use on the game floor. This brings up my next note–
2. The Game Floor– Where does it end, and where does the repair shop start? I understand this amount of equipment can be quite overwhelming. But it seems to me that you should have a distinct area not accessible to the public for repairs. This could also be a safety issue. Having so many games open for repairs, not only are tools scattered everywhere but could you imagine if one of your young customers were to remove an anode from an undischarged monitor? Find an area for repair, closed from the public, and do your work in there. Move inoperable games off of the floor into the shop.
3. JAMMA– It’s no doubt that JAMMA was the death of the arcade machine. I also appreciate that it is a part of the history of the arcade machines, but you have a LOT of JAMMA. I would estimate at least 10% of your inventory is a simple JAMMA space shooter– rebranded about 30 times. I appreciate your inventory, but if you cleaned out some of the repetitive games, you could have more $$ for your kickstarter– more room for repairs, and also room for another suggestion.
4. Parents Area– I assume that you serve some food, I saw an oven and have read reviews that say you do. If you cleared out some of your JAMMA, you could make room for a nice area for parents to hang out, or families to enjoy a lunch from your snack bar.
5. Game Details– When I was there, I saw 3 – 4 employees. All just kinda hanging out at the retail counter. I can assume at least one of these folks is a tech? So many monitors need either adjusted (Free) or recapped (15 – 20 $). Brightness, focus, or just plain dead monitors. A lot of monitors have the vertical or horizontal so far off that the game is unplayable. Brightness seems to be an issue on a lot. (Asteroids, DKjr) — these are simple fixes usually. A tech might want to spend some time on a weekly basis checking and adjusting monitors for optimal game play. Now would also be a good time to check switches. A lot of machines have inoperable switches.
6. Finally– clean up the front counter of clutter, make it inviting for people It looks too much like an employee break room.
Again, thank you for amassing this collection and making it available.