Arcade with 'cutting-edge' Japanese games is finally coming to metro Phoenix. Here's where

KiMi Robinson, Arizona Republic
·2 min read

An entertainment venue with "cutting-edge" Japanese arcade games, bowling, ping pong, karaoke, darts and other social games plans to open its first metro Phoenix location.

Round1 Bowling & Amusement is slated to open at Arrowhead Towne Center in Glendale. It will be the first Round1 in metro Phoenix and the second in Arizona. The Tucson location opened in 2019 and offers bowling, arcade games, karaoke and billiards.

Round1 is expected to open in spring 2024 in Glendale and, according to the Phoenix Business Journal, take over the former Forever 21 store in the south side of the center.

There are more than 100 Round1 venues across Japan, according to its website. Its first U.S. outpost opened in Southern California in 2010.

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What to expect at Round1: arcade, bowling, big prizes

Like other arcades, Round1 uses game cards to store game play credits, and winning games allows you to rack up tickets that can be used toward prizes (the highest-priced ones can include Roombas and Kitchen Aid mixers).

Besides game play, Round1 venues also have food and drink (including alcoholic) options.

Activities such as bowling, billiards, karaoke, ping pong and darts require a separate fee. Super fans can consider investing in a digital club membership, which provides discounts and rewards.

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Round1's first Spo-Cha in Arizona

The Glendale location will be home to the first Round1 Sports Challenge (shortened to Spo-Cha) in Arizona. Spo-Cha is described on Round1's website as "an indoor sports complex, catering to all your recreational needs under one roof."

Spo-Cha offers all-you-can-play packages with allotted time frames that range from 90 minutes to all day. It's not clear yet what activities the Arrowhead Towne Center venue will offer; the full list of sports includes:

  • Mechanical bull.

  • Trampoline.

  • Batting cages.

  • Roller rink.

  • Dodgeball.

Reach Entertainment Reporter KiMi Robinson at kimi.robinson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimirobin and Instagram @ReporterKiMi.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Round1 arcade, bowling is coming to Phoenix area. Here's when