Situated in Brisbane, 1UP Arcade is Australia’s largest retro arcade, with over 200 arcades games and pinballs that were the rage in the late 1970s to 80s. The popularity of arcade games declined as soon as home gaming consoles hit the market in the late 90s.

“The games that were around either got trashed, sent to the trash heap, or ended up in people's storage sheds, private collections.” Said Stephen Holmes, owner of the arcade, “We have a lot of work to do when we bring a machine in, but again, there's a real sense of pride of getting that machine back operating to be enjoyed again in a public space like they were designed to be.”

In recent years, retro arcades have made a comeback, drawing in gamers to rediscover the charm of classic titles.

“I think with retro games, there's certainly fuelled by nostalgia. That's a strong driver for people who played them growing up.” he said, “But we also have a lot of families. We have parents who are able to, for the first time, coming through and to show their children the games that they grew up with and they love.”

The resurgence of the arcade scene is taking place in Australia and it has become a vibrant hub where people can relive the magic of vintage games.

“I guess eventually, yes, they can't keep running forever, but while they can we'll keep repairing them, we'll keep them going, and we're really running on it.”