The best game bars in Manchester

Manchester is awash with bars. There are bars specialising in all kinds of music from hip-hop, soul, and pop to show tunes and musicals. Some bars offer obscure real ales while others offer prosecco on arrival. There are bars where the entertainment is provided through variety shows and comedy acts, but also ones where you make your own entertainment. Game bars have become increasingly popular and Manchester, always on trend, has a range of game bars to indulge all kinds of players and styles.

Arcade Games

Arcade gaming is becoming popular again recently as gaming itself has moved towards a more multiplayer setting, so attending arcades and playing competitively against friends have come back into fashion. Gaming is a revolution, and the remasters of popular games show that the appetite for gaming never leaves. 17 Below offers a variety of arcade games, from Donkey Kong and Space Invaders to some that are more obscure. The bar even serves gaming-themed cocktails and has an atmosphere reminiscent of classic arcades. Fab Café is a pop culture-themed bar that offers hidden arcades in tables and real cabinets to appeal to their pop culture-obsessed clientele. However, arcades can be as intensive and competitive or as relaxing and fun as you let them.

eSports Gaming

eSports is relatively new to the mass market, though those in the know have been playing competitively for years, with viewers even taking bets on matches as they would with traditional sports. Shooters Bar offers not just the opportunity to indulge in eSports, but also the chance to occasionally watch professional eSports too. These can range from Twitch streams of games such as FIFA, Dota 2, and League of Legends. The rise in popularity of games like Fortnite and the popularity growth of battle royale gaming means there is a greater audience and appetite for these kinds of events, which will hopefully grow the eSports scene in Manchester. The eSports industry is burgeoning to the point where taking bets on matches is as commonplace as football or any other sport, with things like the Mr Green App offering eSports betting as on of the 70+ sports available for betting on.

Console Gaming

Hold Fast offers a variety of console gaming in Manchester, specialising in retro consoles such as the Nintendo 64. Mario remains one of the most profitable franchises in gaming history and the appeal of Mario Kart today is as strong as it was upon its release. The nostalgia factor is a huge pull and can help a group of friends reconnect with the old times, or make fond new memories through the association with the popular and universally loved franchise. Some more competitive games are also available to test friendships and relationships alike – with the added pressure of competing in public. Console gaming remains popular, and while there are a variety of console games to play in multiplayer mode at home, sometimes a change of scenery and a hark back to the past could make the experience more enjoyable.

Most people have some aspect of gaming that they enjoy and with such a variety in Manchester – from arcade gaming, to eSports, to console gaming, there is no shortage of opportunities to get involved with the Manchester gaming scene.