The mall arcade has made a huge comeback in Lower Manhattan, and it’s all happening inside of our very own Golden Mall (47 Broadway). Visitors to the downtown offshoot of the Flushing, Queens food mart — whose impact on the food scene was called “incalculable” by famed local food writer Robert Sietsema — will find options that would put any regular mall’s Panda Express to shame, with stalls selling handmade noodles, egg waffles, sushi, bubble tea, chicken steak and much more across two floors.
But the top floor is where the fun is, literally: The mall is home to the newest location of Max Fun Land, a neon wonderland of arcade games, prize machines, VR stations and more. Max Fun Land is a mini chain of arcades with locations across the city, and the Lower Manhattan outpost feels right at home in Golden Mall, with the kind of thrill-inducing games that have kept arcades popular in Asian countries even as their ubiquitousness declined in the United States. That means claw machines full of video game prizes and Funko Pops; heart-pounding action games that test your dance skills, DJing or guitar playing; and chances to digitally race on a number of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, horses and Jetskis. Several of the games are straight-from-Japan arcade cabinets, with instructions you have to either translate from Japanese or just figure out on your own.
The new spot gives Dave & Busters a run for its money in terms of large-scale amusement, with highlights including several shooting challenges, one of which uses real rubber balls to shoot at targets. For a state-of-the-art gaming experience, visitors can try one of three virtual reality stations, each with a menu of games and experiences to choose from.
Several games let you accumulate tickets that can be traded in for prizes from a vast prize wall, with winnable treasures including games and toys for kids and collectibles for all ages. The games work on a card system; prices start at $6 for 28 points and up to $110 for 799 points (some of the bigger games cost 50 points to play; others cost just 17). It’s a great time to be a mallrat again.
