Ground Kontrol vs. Quarterworld: Which Portland Arcade Reigns Supreme?
Ground Kontrol |
Quarterworld |
|
Footprint |
2,600 square feet | 7,400 square feet |
Video Games |
53 | 55 |
Pinball Games |
26 | 31 |
Rarest Game |
Aliens (1990) “I’ve never seen it since the mid-’90s. The most unique thing on the floor.” —Art Santana, Ground Kontrol promotions manager |
Ninja Baseball Bat Man (1993) “Only 43 were ever imported into the US.” —Logan Bowden, Quarterworld operations manager |
Most Popular
|
Pac-Man Battle Royale (2010) |
"The boxing game where you punch the bag. It's like a street fight here on a Friday night. People are waiting three rows deep." |
Beers! |
8 taps; 9 bottles & cans | 8 taps; 10 bottles & cans |
Family Friendly? |
All ages until 5 p.m. | All ages until 8 p.m. |
Menu Highlight |
Frito pie | Deep-fried PBJ |
Expansion Plans |
Adding 4,000 square feet by taking over the former Backspace café, with 60 new games and 12 new beer taps |
None currently. However, Quarterworld owns more than 1,000 game cabinets it doesn’t have space for ... yet. |
Hidden Gem |
Dragon’s Lair (1983) |
Fisherman’s Bait (1998) “You troll around on a boat and sink a hook, and then you have to reel this sucker in. The control panel is a fishing reel. You can feel the tension of the fish. You get done playing the game and you’re like, ‘I’m not going to the gym.’” |
Claim to Fame |
Authenticity. “We really care about preserving classic arcade culture and introducing it to new generations. If we put a game on the floor it’s because we really care about it.” |
Inclusiveness. “We’re all getting older and having kids. Mom can go to the lounge and have a few martinis. The way we put it is it’s a reverse-engineered Chuck E. Cheese.” |
*Ground Kontrol actually opened in 1999—but with different owners and at a different location.
**Quarterworld actually opened in 1996, as a regional game supplier for bars and restaurants.
