Games

The gamer's guide to Manchester

Want to meet up with your mates for a gaming session after work? Head to these spots in Manchester.

Written by Jack Yarwood

4 min readPublished on 12.09.2017 · 13:44 UTC

Manchester is a city with a vibrant gaming scene – whether you want to meet up with your mates for a game of Mario Kart at your local bar, compete for high scores in the arcades or go to a gaming event, there’s always something happening.

Here’s our gamer’s guide to the best bars, arcades and events in Manchester.

The best bars

Hold Fast, Northern Quarter

Play N64 games at the Hold Fast bar
© The Hold Fast bar

Hold Fast is a fantastic bar for gamers that’s located in the Northern Quarter, inside a former bowler hat factory that’s been transformed into a hostel.

There are a bunch of retro consoles hooked up around the bar, which means you can play N64 games while sampling from the extensive cocktail menu. Open from 4pm to 12am (3am at weekends), it’s the perfect place to unwind and play some Mario Kart.

Address: 50 Newton St, Manchester M1 2EA

Website: hattershostels.com/hold-fast-bar Twitter: @holdfastbar

17 Below, Cross Street

17 Below isn’t the easiest place to find, but it’s totally worth the added effort. It's located in the sub-basement of Dogs ‘n’ Dough, just off Cross Street. In order to access it, you need to enter the Dogs ‘n’ Dough restaurant and walk downstairs as it doesn’t have an entrance of its own.

Once inside, though, you’ll find a bunch of arcade cabinets, such as Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, and Double Dragon – you can drink gaming-inspired cocktails, too. It’s one of Manchester’s best kept secrets, and a great spot for video game fans. It's open Wednesday to Sundays, check the website for opening times.

Address: 17 Bow Ln, Manchester, M2 4FW

Website: 17below.com Twitter: @17belowmcr

Fab Café, Portland Street

Fab Café is a cult TV-and-movie-themed bar that also has something special in store for gamers. Some of the tables in the bar are fitted with classic arcade games – there are also cabinets to play.

If you have an interest in geek culture, it’s a wonderful place to visit, so get down to Portland Street and chase those high scores.

Address: 111 Portland St, Manchester M1 6DN

Twitter: @FabCafeManc

Arcades

Namco Funscape, Trafford Centre

Namco Funscape in Manchester
© Jack Yarwood

Situated in the Trafford Centre, the Namco Funscape is a modern arcade space offering a range of activities. There are dancing games, racing simulators, and the latest fighting titles. There's also bowling, pool, and bumper cars, too.

The place can get pretty busy, but it’s a great place to play, and offers a lot of variety.

Address: 14, The Trafford Centre, The Orient, Stretford, Manchester M17 8ED

Website: namcofunscape.com, Twitter: @NamcoTrafford

Bury Arcade Club, Cork Street, Bury

The Bury Arcade Club is the largest classic video game arcade in the UK. That alone should be enough to sell you on it.

It’s open Friday 6pm-12am (for 18s and over only), Saturday 11am-11pm, and Sunday 11am-8pm. Entry is priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children. For that price, you’ll get access to an impressive array of games, including Super Hang On, Out Run, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, and lots of pinball machines.

All games are set to free play mode, so all you need is to press that credit button and you should be good to go.

Address: Cork St, Bury BL9 7BW

Website: arcadeclub.co.uk

Image: Drew Wilby

Regular Events

Manchester Gamers Unite, monthly at the Dive Bar

Manchester Gamers Unite started in 2016 with the aim to unite developers and gamers in the North West. Since then, it has hosted a meet-up every month at Dive Bar in the Northern Quarter, with local developers such as Ginger Biscuit Games, Huge Calf Studios, and Tri-Heart Interactive exhibiting their work, alongside larger studios like Ubisoft.

If you want to meet other gamers, play upcoming titles, or talk to developers about what excites them, Manchester Gamers Unite is the perfect venue. Their events are laid back and extremely welcoming to newcomers.

Facebook: @ManchesterGamersUnite

Gameopolis, bi-monthly at various venues

Gameopolis is a network for members of the game industry in Greater Manchester. It’s probably best known for its Jamchester event, an annual weekend-long game creation competition, but the founders also put on lots of other events.

They host bi-monthly events with keynote speakers, monthly meet-ups in bars around the city, and hold a North West Playtesters event twice a month where local devs playtest their games.

Interested in the development side of gaming, or just curious to see what local games are being made? Then keep an eye on @gameopolisMCR on Twitter. You won’t regret it.

Website: Gameopolis.org.uk