Playing Around at Dave & Buster’s: Part 1

Playing Games at Dave & Buster's: Part 1The idea of this blog series is to educate you on the over one hundred and fifty games that you can play at Dave & Buster’s Indianapolis. Games here range from old school classic arcade games to larger than life shooter games that have you on the edge of your seat every step of the way. The actual building that Dave & Buster’s sits in is huge and is literally filled with more games than you can wrap your could possibly play in one visit. So if you like what you read here, then go get busy and start playing!

(This will be a series of blogs that introduce five games at a time. I will play these games first hand, experience exactly what you will when you visit, and even provide you my personal feedback on the game itself. Also, at the end of each review I will provide you with the Dave & Buster’s credit price of the game as well as the Dave & Buster’s Gold credit price. This will give you a better understanding of what games cost and what to expect to spend when you visit Dave & Buster’s next.)

Sega Bass Fishing Challenge

The graphics in this game are not what you would expect from a modern day arcade game, but if you think about the concept of the game, you don’t really need that great of graphics to produce a quality experience. Once you swipe your Dave & Buster’s Power Card you are prompted to select the game type that you wish to play. You can choose between a one or four day competition. But you better hurry as you are limited to the amount of time you have to choose the game you desire. If you do not choose the computer will select whichever option you are currently highlighted on. Once you have selected the game you wish to play you then can select how many players will take part in that particular event. You can choose between one, two, three, or four players. Note that each player requires additional credits.

Once you get through this process you can select one of four fishing locations. You can choose between fishing the California Delta, fishing on Lake Havasu, on Lake Champlain, or heading out to Lake Tohopekaliga. Pick your gender (male or female) and you are ready to start fishing. You are greeted with a intro of the lake you are fishing on and then are promoted with some controls of the boat to get to your desired location for catching the best fish. Once you land on the dashboard itself you get a lot of information about the lake that can help you in catching the most fish. On the dashboard you have updated results from the tournament, updated weather, and the number of casts you get for the round. Note that you are allowed six total casts for the first round.

Once you catch a fish, get ready to move that track ball. Holy cow was that a workout. You are forced to move the ball in various directions as you are promoted on screen. Moving left, right, up and down has never been so much work! If you are lucky enough to get the fish to the boat, the fish is weighed to see if it is worth keeping for tournament results. You have no control over whether or not you want to keep the fish. The game decides this for you and you have no control over you keep or release the fish back into the water.

The first bass I reeled in weighed in at one pound seven ounces. Who knew that fishing on an arcade game could be so fun and so addicting! After you catch your first fish. After you have caught your first fish you are asked to enter your initials for the leaderboard.

After you are finished with the tournament you get the chance to play a bonus game. The bonus games (I played two) are timed and vary from popping balloons with your cast to long cast competitions! The games are presented to you in a random fashion so there is no saying which game you will get. However, the background music alone is worth playing the bonus round! The bonus games are timed at thirty seconds.

When it is all said and done it shows you the finished leaderboard focusing in on the total weight of all the fish you caught.  Then you are asked if you want to continue. If you wish to continue it will cost another round of credits. This process is timed as well so if you want to keep going make sure you hurry and swipe your card.

Dave & Buster’s Price – 3.7 Credits

Dave & Buster’s Gold Price – 3.3 Credits

POWERPUTT

I love golf and I love playing miniature golf about the same. So when I came across the game POWERPUTT I was immediately intrigued. The game is all about miniature golf and is focused on playing courses with the wildest and craziest of themes.  When you swipe your card you are happily introduced and asked to choose between one to eight players. You also have the option of selecting as many as four to sixteen players if there is a group wanting to play. Once you choose how many folks are playing it’s time to pick whether you are playing nine or eighteen holes. A typical round of golf, whether on an actual golf course or on a miniature golf course, is eighteen holes. But beware, the more holes you play the more credits it will require you to spend.

Once you enter all the appropriate funds you get to choose the course you wish too play. I decided to play Skull Island. The courses are all themed to their unique titles and you can choose from Freaky Tiki, Skull Island, or Dusty Trail.

Once the game begins you are shown some brief instructions on how to putt. Then it is game time! Be cautious when making your first putt. The first hole is rather easy, but you will not know your true power until you have putted a few times. Take this first hole to get used to the controls. It takes some getting used to but once you figure out aiming and the power you are good to go. Once you finish your first hole you are asked to enter your initials.

Once all of the players have finished it shows your current scores on a scorecard showing your relation to par. To be able to tell who is who, the player’s shirt and hat colors are unique. The player’s name also shows on the dashboard.

The graphics are pretty solid for this game, and makes you truly feel that you are on a mini putt course deep in the jungle. (Remember that we played the Skull Island course.) On the dashboard while playing you see the hole you are currently on, the par of that particular hole, and the number of shots you have made on that particular hole. It also shows your initials and your current relation to par for the round.

Dave & Buster’s Price – 7.4

Dave & Buster’s Gold Price – 6.7

Gold Tee 2009 Unplugged 20th Anniversary

This game is truly a classic when it comes to playing golf in an arcade. You cannot walk into too many bars and not see a Golden Tee machine sitting in the corner. Every machine seems to be different too, never being able to find the same version unless you walk into the same bar. But here at Dave & Buster’s you can play one of the newest editions, their 20th anniversary edition.

Once you swipe your card you are asked how many players will be teeing off. You can choose between one, two, three, or four players, which is similar to the limit in real golf with only allowing a maximum of four players per group on the course at the same time. (There are some courses that allow five people to play in the same group, but you will not find that option very often.) Then you can choose to play golf, which is a quarter a hole, a course sampler which is the same price, or head over to the practice facility for another quarter to hone your skills. If you have never played Golden Tee before, I suggest the driving range to get used to the controls before heading out to the golf course.

Next up is selecting a course to play. You can choose from Grand Savannah, Woodland Farms, Black Hills, Sunny Wood Golf Club, Bonnie Moor, or from a list of classic Golden Tee courses like Bayou Bay Country Club, Summit Lakes Country Club, Mission Springs Country Club, Eagle Crest Golf Resort, or Cypress Cove Country Club. There is definitely not a lack of courses to choose from.

When the game begins you are shown, similar to the POWERPUTT, how to swing the club. When you are standing on the first tee you are also given a video demonstration from a previous Golden Tee world champion. Then you are greeted by Chris Dimarco from the PGA Tour. They will be your commentators for the round. Note that on the dashboard they have all sorts of information laid out for you. You are shown the wind, which club you have in your hands, the distance to the pin, the golfer’s name, your current relation to par for the round, your current stroke, the par of the hole, and even the hole number. Even on the left hand side you can see an overview of the hole you are playing and the current green slope. The folks over at Golden Tee are not messing around and provide you with more than enough information.

After each shot you are given a replay showing a different angle than what you saw when hitting your shot. This can get annoying over a few holes so just hit the start button to move to your next shot. Also remember, as with most arcade games, you are limited to the amount of time you can take to hit your next shot. (Speaking of annoying, the audience in the background clapping and booing gets old pretty quick too. Of course, you cannot control what they do. If you get sick of hearing people boo, you could always hit better shots!)

After you tap in you are asked to enter your initials. Then you are shown the official tournament leaderboard and your scorecard for the round. This will keep stats for you throughout the round. Let’s move on to the second hole. If you do not want to play a full round, simply swipe your card once and you will be given access to three holes rather than having to pay for a full round. After a few holes though your palm will start to hurt anyway, especially if you are a first timer. This game can get pretty intense and if you are interested in learning more about game before you head into Dave & Buster’s, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that show you how intense this game can get.

Dave & Buster’s Price – 3.7

Dave & Buster’s Gold Price – 3.3

Puck Off

There are few bars around town that have the actual tables like are featured in Puck Off, but nowhere besides Dave & Buster’s can you play this addictive game on a computer screen. The concept behind the game featured in Puck Off is you have two teams with two players per team. You are faced with a long narrow wooden board that is covered in salt. Then each player takes his or her metal puck and tosses it down to the other end of the plank. Each side has a scoring panel on it and the opposing team can’t do much of anything but watch as you toss your puck to the other end. The amount of salt does in fact affect the speed in which the puck travels, but other than that is all about skill and finesse.

When you first swipe your card and hit the start button you can choose between practice mode, playing the computer, playing another person with you, and even playing remotely if the facility allows for the wireless Internet connectivity. Unfortunately Dave & Buster’s does not have that as an option. (As a matter of fact Dave & Buster’s public Wi-Fi is locked so you cannot access it on your smart phones or laptops either.)

Once you select the number of players you can choose between different game modes. First is Lucky 13. This is where you start with a high score and work your way back to zero. Once you make your way down the line you must finish on the number zero or you have to start over at your original number. During this game you are only allowed seven throws. The game also tracks your track ball revolutions per minute to help you judge the speed on your future throws.

Other game modes include Bumper, where the player must bounce the puck off the bumper before landing in the scoring zone, Pyramid where the scoring is based on a pyramid style scoring zone, Pro and Beginner which just base the level of skill in which you are tossing the puck to the other side. With all of these different formats in the practice mode alone think about how much fun you will have when actually playing someone else. This game can get addicting as you are always trying to perfect your toss.

Dave & Buster’s Price – 3.7

Dave & Buster’s Gold Price – 3.3

Typhoon

When you first walk up to Typhoon you feel as if you are approaching an amusement park ride at King’s Island or Cedar Point. The machine is huge, has two reclining seats, two huge fans, and a sound system that will surely wake the neighbors. No worries about being comfortable when you first sit down into these huge plastic seats. The chairs have back and head rests that aid in your total comfort while riding this simulation. But once you swipe the card you better be ready for something that you would not expect from an arcade.

Once you pick your desired motion ride, sit back, relax, and get ready to be completely entertained for the next few minutes! You can choose between Ravine Racer, Canyon Coaster, Astro Pinball, Super Jets, Haunted Mine, or Road Fury for your motion ride experience. You will have fans blowing in your face, speakers all around you, and a complete high definition experience right in front of you. You are requested, before the ride begins, to hold on, as this ride might get bumpy. It does in fact get bumpy, and based on the particular ride you choose to take it gets pretty intense. Don’t worry however, the game is not dangerous.

The ride itself is quite long but for the amount of credits it eats from your Power Card it should be an extended experience. You will spend a fair share of your credits to sit in this thing, and for a game that produces no tickets (which can be used for a variety of prizes in the Dave & Buster’s gift shop) you expect some sort of incredible simulation.

The ride is fun, one that I highly suggest you take a journey on. But do it with a friend, as riding this by yourself might seem a little weird and off-putting to your fellow gamers. Hold on tight, as you are about to go for the ride of a lifetime. Welcome to Typhoon.

Dave & Buster’s Price – 16.0

Dave & Buster’s Gold Price – 14.4