Okay Nomsters, let’s talk arcades. I’ve got a serious soft spot for a good arcade, whether it’s free-play cabinets, claw machines I have no business spending that much on, or a full-on bowling-and-games complex. Good news, Maryland’s got some real winners. So I rounded up four of my favorite arcades in Maryland for a fun day out (or a low-key date night). As usual, these are in no particular order, just spots I genuinely love and keep coming back to.
Whether you’re in Baltimore, out by Arundel Mills, over in Glen Burnie, or up in Towson, there’s something on this list for you. Some are pure nostalgia, some are all about winning something cute, and one’s basically an entire day of fun under one roof. Let’s get into it.
1. CrabtowneUSA (Glen Burnie)
Let me put you on a Maryland crab house with a full retro arcade tucked inside, because I can’t believe I didn’t get here sooner. Crabtowne’s got 100-plus games, and the lineup’s a straight nostalgia hit. I love Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and Street Fighter, and the Ninja Turtles and Pac-Man cabinets take me right back to my N64 days.
Deke and I came for date night and ended up totally geeking out, splitting off to play whatever we each wanted, lol. I dropped maybe $20 to $30 on the arcade and got a whole evening out of it, so the bang for your buck’s real, and you can grab a drink between rounds without leaving. There’s a secret arcade inside Mom’s in College Park I’m a big fan of, but this one’s closer to me and there’s even more going on. I haven’t eaten here yet and the crabs are still on my list, but we’ll 200% be back, and you’ll probably find me back solo too.
2. The Dugout Arcade (Baltimore)
Not gonna lie, part of me doesn’t want to tell you about this one, because it’s my favorite date night in Baltimore and I kind of want to keep it, lol. But if you’ve been hunting for a true free-play arcade in Maryland, The Dugout’s the one. You pay a flat cover at the door, $15 on weekdays and $20 on weekends, and every one of the 45-plus cabinets and pinball machines is set to free play for the rest of the day. No tokens, no quarters, no time limit.
It’s tucked inside Peabody Heights Brewery, which actually sits on the site of an old Baltimore Orioles ballpark, so you’ve got cold beer, house-made hard seltzer, and their Korean fusion truck Tuesday through Thursday while you play. The machine lineup mixes old-school classics with Japanese imports and it rotates, so there’s usually something new. The one thing to know is that the Bullpen pinball area runs separately on pay-to-play, so bring a little extra if you want to go deep. It’s all ages, and if you end up going a lot the Home Plate Club gets you in at half price. For a full night out, it’s an absolute STEAL.
3. Kako Claw Arundel Mills (Hanover)
If you’ve ever walked past a claw machine and thought yeah right, those are rigged, I need you to give Kako Claw at Arundel Mills a chance. Here’s the thing that sets it apart, these machines are actually skill-based. The claws have real grip and the prizes sit fairly, so you’re not just throwing money away.
It’s $1 per token and most machines take 2, with a $10 minimum to start, and the token packages give you bonus tokens if you’re really going for it ($50 gets you 55). The prize wall is too cute, think giant Snorlax plushies, anime figures, blind boxes, and keychains. My favorite part’s the trade-up program, where you swap a pile of small wins for one of the big plushies, and that’s exactly how I walked out with a massive Snorlax who now permanently lives on my couch. Zero regrets. Pro tip, go for whatever’s sitting closest to the chute, and parking at the mall’s free.
4. Round1 (Towson)
You guys know I LOVE arcades, and Round1 at Towson Town Center is the biggest one on this list by a mile. There’s bowling, billiards, karaoke, a party room, and a huge arcade floor all under one roof, plus a ginormous mix of Japanese machines you just don’t find at your average mall spot. Deke and I went for a date day and had an absolute BLAST.
My favorite thing in the building is the shooting game, which uses a real BB gun and hands you protective eyewear, and I’d go back for that alone. The prizes are the best selection I’ve seen in an arcade, though the claws are tough to actually win, so treat them as entertainment rather than a plan for getting a plushie home. Everything runs on a reloadable game card, which is how I ended up $57 deep in eight minutes, lol. Come in with a budget, Nomsters, I’m serious. They’re open till 2am daily and the garage is free, and there’s a whole dining area with Japanese options I was too stuffed to try, so I still owe you a report on that one.
Which one should you pick? It really depends what you’re after. For pure free-play value, The Dugout in Baltimore is hard to beat. For claw machines that actually feel winnable, Kako Claw at Arundel Mills is my pick. If you want retro cabinets with crabs and a cold drink, Crabtowne in Glen Burnie is a whole vibe, and Round1 in Towson is the move when you want bowling, karaoke, and a huge arcade floor in one place.
So there you have it, Nomsters, four Maryland arcades worth the trip. Did I miss your favorite? Let me know in the comments where you go to get your game on, and save this for your next date night or group hang.