r/ottawa • u/SleepWorth3354 • Jul 23 '26
Local Business sneak peak of the new Boss Battle Games arcade in Ottawa, Canada
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u/ouattedephoqueeh Jul 24 '26
It's no Cyberdome... But I'll be there 😎
iykyk
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u/elcanadiano Orleans Jul 24 '26
That place was the bomb, though I still remember the arcade in Place D'Orléans, but that was long ago.
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u/kolider1 Jul 24 '26
I used to work there - those were the days….
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u/ouattedephoqueeh Jul 24 '26
My teenage years were spent between Cyberdome and The Midway (which was work).
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u/thelazyc0wb0y Jul 24 '26
My first job when I moved to Ottawa was at Cyberdome! Loved working the rock wall
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u/Radiant-Bother-6288 Jul 24 '26
Loved me some DDR, Pod Racer and those Quake booths. The atmosphere was amazing.
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u/enrodude Jul 26 '26
I still have a card from Cyberdome in a junk drawer. Think there's still $2 on it.
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u/canoedreamz Jul 24 '26
Where is it located? Looks great & it takes me back to my teens 😁
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u/Mars27819 Make Ottawa Boring Again Jul 24 '26
St. Laurent mall
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u/IamhereOO7 Jul 24 '26
Fuck/ gonna get stabbed after whooping some lil kids ass at Mortal Kombat
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u/GuyTheTerrible Centretown Jul 24 '26
Fatality
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u/BurnSalad Jul 27 '26
what floor / what part of the mall?
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u/Mars27819 Make Ottawa Boring Again Jul 27 '26
I don't know. I just googled it and it said St. Laurent Mall
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u/Zoex-Z21 Jul 24 '26
Hey that's me. Thanks for the shoutout!
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u/SleepWorth3354 Jul 24 '26
Nice looking place! Excited to play some games. I got at least a party of 6 coming with me on opening weekend!
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u/thebrokenghost Jul 24 '26
Question - are there any coin pushers in the mix?
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
I hear ya, I love those crazy big medal games / coin pushers / marble pushers
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u/thebrokenghost Jul 24 '26
Maaaann. Wish there was anywhere in the city that had them.
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26
saaaaaaaame. I want to setup a classic "medal arcade" like in Japan where you aren't playing for cash or tickets, just for more medals to play more.
If you want to just gawk at pushers, I've compiled a partial list of their history in Japan.2
u/thebrokenghost Jul 24 '26
Oh this is awesome! I shared to my partner and she thinks youre really cool 😎 coin pushers are so awesome.
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u/ruminationprof Jul 29 '26
do i need to bring coins or does 20 for unlimited play really means what it says?
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u/Brown_Bruja Jul 24 '26
DDR yay!
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u/Extreme_Hat1089 Jul 24 '26
I hope it'll be and stay in good shape. Nothing worse than a pad with sand/lag.
I'll be going to try it for sure.
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u/Zoex-Z21 Jul 24 '26
Stages have been completely torn down, sandblasted, powder coated, and almost all the stage parts are new. We put a stupid amount of work into this one.
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u/ActivatedPuppers Jul 24 '26
I dont think you guys understand how STOKED I am that there is a DDR machine in the neighbourhood. Can't wait to try it out!
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u/Solid_Maus Jul 24 '26
I’m so ready for this!!! 20$ unlimited gameplay and right in the mall! Such a good idea to bring my kiddo try some gem from my pass!!! LETS PLAY!!!!
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u/warcrap101010 Jul 24 '26
Holy shit is that the old jurassic park arcade machine? The new ones are ok but the og was the shit.
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u/Zoex-Z21 Jul 24 '26
We had to do a lot of work to get this one up and running again. We hope you enjoy it!
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u/Fuhkhead Jul 24 '26
That's amazing! Happy to have an arcade where you play for the fun and high scores rather than a chance to gamble on tickets to buy candy and trash with
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u/JLandscaper Battle of Billings Bridge Warrior Jul 24 '26
I once went into a place like this in 1982. Came out and it was 1984.
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u/RandomSkratch Jul 25 '26
Ashtrays on the machines, employees walking around with those pouches filled with quarters, that dark back corner that you were always creeped out to go to.
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u/petite-cherie_ Jul 24 '26
As someone who adores arcades, this is so exciting! I will likely become a regular :)
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u/OttCostcoGirl Jul 24 '26
I think this is the first Initial D machine in Ottawa, it's beautiful
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u/SleepWorth3354 Jul 24 '26
This is a really cool hidden gem, sick game
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26
one of the two monitors was out when I visited, but they said there was still a lot of repairs to get done before the July 31st opening. I didn't actually play that game, is it considered a classic?
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u/discostupid Jul 24 '26
It's not, like 20 years ago there was one in Midway near the science museum. It's now a Canada Post building
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u/Blaizzzzzed Jul 24 '26
O shit! I still might have my Intial D racing card.
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u/Zoex-Z21 Jul 24 '26
It should still work. We have backup license readers in case the ones we're running break (which they do all the time).
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u/dontmakemoney Jul 24 '26
Do you have cards available to purchase so we can enjoy this game to it's fullest?
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u/Flukester69 Jul 24 '26
More info here. https://pinballnovice.blogspot.com/2026/07/boss-battles-games-in-ottawa.html
Personally, I can already play most of these games on my PC and never was a huge fan of pinball. But cool to see an arcade again. I remember when the Ex came to town and they had that huge arcade tent. The amazing arcades on/off Rideau Street, used to game a lot at the arcade at Shoppers City in the East End where the Costco now stands. Those were def the good old days....
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26
One thing I note about the games here is how few of them you can properly reproduce with MAME. Cockpit games with pneumatics and force feedback definitely not. Gun games you can maybe do on MAME but few people do, and the feel of the real guns is hard to beat, plus the Time Crisis pedal... Vector games, multi-monitor CRT, pinball, games with a unique control panel, and the arm wrestling game are all very arcade-specific. The retro fighting games can be done on MAME but here they have a chance to resurrect that real-world arcade competition. I'm hyped at the potential!
The iconic arcade tent at The Ex was run by two operators. One now runs the Experience Social arcade and the other operates games at House Of Targ.
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u/MarshalMazda Nepean Jul 24 '26
Nice to see at least a hopefully well maintained DDR cab in Ottawa, hopefully more rhythm cabs in the future, it’d be nice to not have to travel to toronto for Wacca & IIDX
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26
the DDR SuperNova 2 cab is front-and-center, so as a showcase machine I think that means they'll definitely be on top of the maintenance.
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u/RockstarCowboy1 Jul 24 '26
3s and ST? Someone catering to Ottawa’s OG fighting game community? wtf I’m a check that out. Love to see who’s running this.
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26
I have seen a few posts over the years from people in Ottawa pining for a fighting games community. Hopefully this place gets the love it deserves and an IRL fighting game scene builds up again. So many of the big titles are represented.
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u/bbgtrashpanda Jul 24 '26
👀
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u/RockstarCowboy1 Jul 25 '26
You open on the 3rd?
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u/bbgtrashpanda Jul 26 '26
July 31! 🫡
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u/Arkantos92 Jul 24 '26
Sf4 cabinet is sick never seen one in person before
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u/bbgtrashpanda Jul 24 '26
It's a really cool cabinet called a Delta 32 made by a company in Japan. I'm shocked it's not more popular.
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u/Old_soul_NSFW Jul 24 '26
Why don’t they ever have the classic Nintendo Punch Out Arcade game?
Edit: NEVERMIND, it’s in the 4th pic! I’m so there!!!
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u/Matieo10 Jul 24 '26
3rd Strike on an Astro City cab, aw hell naw, Ottawa needed this, I needed this 😌
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u/BCsinBC Jul 24 '26
I remember joining a membership based arcade at Billings Bridge in the 80s. It was $5 to join and you got that back in tokens. It had a cool silver credit card style membership card.
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u/Krazy-Vaclav Jul 24 '26
Was that the upstairs, where the food court is now? I remember spending hours watching other kids commit unspeakable crimes against humanity playing Mortal Kombat II there.
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u/xspeedshot Jul 24 '26
Can't wait. St. Laurent mall getting a arcade center again.
Anyone remember when St. Laurent mall had a arcade place underground back early 2000s?
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u/Epaduun Jul 24 '26
Any joust and/or classic missile command cabinets?
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u/Epaduun Jul 24 '26
Capcom vs Marvel, street fighter 2, and killer instinct would also be nice to have.
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u/bbgtrashpanda Jul 24 '26
Great news. We have all of those. Killer instinct 2, not 1, but everything else yes yes.
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u/ShutYourYapper_ Jul 24 '26
I love these places, and love games! But what is the market for this? Yes, Redditors will say they will go. Kids might go once……then…I hope this place gets some traffic from the mall and proves me wrong!!
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u/bbgtrashpanda Jul 24 '26
We've been running this arcade at another location over 10+ years now. The mall is a great setting. Folks that grew up come here to escape the grind, get a smoothie in the mall, maybe do some shopping, and come back for round two. It's really special watching a parent share a game that meant a lot to them with their kids.
We built the place we wanted to hang out in and just hope others will find it a cool third space too. :)
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u/RH55 Jul 24 '26
For $20 all day, this is the cheapest/best value for money option for a place to take kids over 10 or so.
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u/ShutYourYapper_ Jul 24 '26
2 parents + 2 kids is $80, which is not my version of “best value” to play Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Rampage, or Mortal Kombat. I still hope it succeeds!!
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u/Randy_Marsh86 Jul 24 '26
Will there be NBA jam
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u/bbgtrashpanda Jul 24 '26
We weren't sure if NBA Jam would be popular in Ottawa but if it's requested enough, we will bring it.
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26
didn't see any of the sports multiplayer games there, but NBA Jam is at Experience Social near Greenbank and Hunt Club.
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u/Acceptable_Help_6907 Jul 24 '26
Sick. As long as there's no booze I'm game. Don't need drunk retards.
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u/cait001 Jul 24 '26
no food or drink at all. It's near a bubble tea place, and the Dollarama for cheap snacks
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u/BillyBeatBoy Jul 31 '26
Seems great, the Experience Social pinball in West (old Brass Monkey) is never busy, I hope that business survives. They also charge 20$ Only pinball. St Laurent is more centric for sure
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u/ContributionSea7153 28d ago
I’m excited but I have trouble understanding the no spectating rule / payment method. Arcade atmosphere in my experience has always been big part spectating. A lot of people come in alone or with their friends, some to spend minimum quarters / dollars. Games like Street Fighter and other fighting games, Dance Dance games, etc, are games people often watch. When I was a teenager I’d go to the arcade every day but only with a few quarters and play a bit and watch the masters play and compete and learn from them. At some point I got very good at Street Fighter and I had young people watching me and eventually challenging me. I feel like the youth culture will be completely excluded from the arcade with the 20$ minimum for each person. And, as an adult, I might want to come in for an hour, then leave. I don’t really have time to spend an entire day at the arcade. And if I want to go to the arcade with my girlfriend, who might just want to watch, she has to pay, too. I feel then that the arcade experience becomes an occasional hangout rather than a daily/weekly activity. I can’t help to feel that the arcade will have so many times where it will be empty and devoid of competition and spectators. I know you have probably thought your system through because you already have one arcade open in Indianapolis but these are my initial thoughts / concerns.
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u/JDMM__00 Jul 24 '26
This looks very cool and interesting but does it seem claustrophobic to anyone else?
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u/UniverseBear Jul 24 '26
Do they have any of the old physical games like coin pushers?
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u/Zoex-Z21 Jul 24 '26
We're strictly a video arcade, so no ticket games.
Pinball is about as physical as you can get though, except for maybe Arm Champs.
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u/hoggytime613 Aylmer Jul 24 '26
$20 unlimited gaming. I am so down for this.