Our Favorite Arcade Spots in Missoula
My kids are in that magical stage where nothing dazzles quite like the electronic whir and flashing lights of arcade games. While I can play a mean game of pinball, I’m not especially good at or passionate about arcades. Unfortunately, my kids don’t share my dispassion, so I spend the summer taking them to the various places in town to shoot Astroids and toss skeeballs, and I’ve begun to consider myself a connoisseur.
Behold: the fruits of my labor.
Big Sky Arcadia
2901 Brooks
I recently received tragic news that Fuddruckers closed. The arcade located in the back afforded my husband and I the chance to have uninterrupted conversations while we ate their burgers and delicious fry sauce. The silver lining to the sad news about Fuddruckers is that the arcade that was located in the back expanded and moved to Southgate Mall! If you had cards with tickets or points from Fuddruckers before they closed, bring them in because they’re still good!
Gild
515 South Higgins
Gild is by far my favorite arcade in town, and that’s not just because of the alcohol. Gild is a brewery on Missoula’s trendy Hip Strip that happens to have a basement full of classic arcade games. My favorite is Mortal Combat, and I promise that’s not just because I defeat my husband every time we play. Other classic games include Astroids and Pac-Man. When you’re not defeating your kids in front of machines that are at least three times as old as they are, the food is fantastic. Recent menu items include Mole Poblano, Chile en Nogada, and Pozole Rojo. The arcade at Gild is open Wednesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to close.
Westside Lanes & Fun Center
1615 Wyoming
Westside Lanes definitely makes it in my Top 5 Places to Take Kids to Burn Off Their Energy (working title), a list I’m compiling to help you stay sane this winter (you’re welcome). My kids love to toggle between bowling games and the abundant arcade, knocking down pins one minute, hunting dinosaurs the next. Grab a pizza at the concession stand and make an afternoon of it. Sanity saved.
The Hub
5505 Expressway
Boasting 55,000 square feet, the Hub is Missoula’s largest family entertainment center. It has two arcade rooms, one for young gamers with classics like pinball and skeeball mixed in with more contemporary digital games that feature racing and lassoes. The other side contains more age-appropriate games for teens and adults, featuring dinosaur hunts and motorcycle races and other thrilling arcades. But the Hub just isn’t an arcade. It also has indoor go carts, laser tag, and the Pit Stop for food.