We were recently contacted by Kongs for help on a new project. After the huge success of their first arcade machine venture in Bristol, which opened in 2014, they were looking to open the next bar in their franchise across the bridge in central Cardiff.
We were so excited to be involved.
Situated on the main strip at St Mary’s Street, central Cardiff, Kongs is a welcome change from the norm. Following the same successful concept as their Bristol site, Kongs Cardiff serves a mixture of local craft beers and drinks as well as pop-up food offerings (currently Burger Theory).
Along with the drinks and food, Kongs houses a plethora of retro arcade machines, table tennis and foosball to keep customers entertained throughout the evening. It's the perfect competitive socialising venue.
Table Tennis
Kongs Cardiff has not one but two Cornilleau 510 table tennis tables, which is a static table tennis table that looks as good as it plays. The wheelchair-friendly table features a 7mm matt playing surface, meaning the tables have a great bounce which ensures a cracking game. The tables are available to play for free from Sunday to Thursday in half hour slots, and cost £5 on Friday and Saturdays.
Foosball
No gaming bar is complete without a foosball table, so Kongs went for a classic with the Garlando Coperto Deluxe. Designed and manufactured in Italy, the Coperto Deluxe has one of the most iconic designs of any football table available today. Featuring solid wood legs, high quality laminate ply and players made from indestructible moplem, the table is extremely robust. The playing area is also covered by an anti-break glass shroud, reducing the noise and ensuring the playing surface remains clean and in pristine condition. The price of play is 50p.
OutRun 2 Twin Arcade Machine
A favourite here at Home Leisure Direct and a great addition to Kongs Cardiff is the fantastic OutRun 2 twin machine. OutRun 2 is a worthy follow-up to the original 1986 classic, and one of the most addictive racing games in arcade history. This instalment is extremely fast-paced with iconic music and great gameplay. Their fantastic model is ready to play for £1 per credit.
Retro Arcade Cabinets
The Bristol Kongs is famous for its retro arcade offerings - with seven classic machines available to play - but at Kongs Cardiff they have stepped their game up with ten classics: Donkey Kong, Track & Field, Double Dragon, Mortal Kombat, 1942, Street Fighter 2, Pac-Man, NBA Jam, Alien vs Predator and Super Pang.
What makes these machines special is the fact that they use original game boards, so there's no emulation, no slowdown and no compromise, just the exact experience you would have got back in the day. They have a great mix of games for all ages, with my personal favourite being NBA Jam with the full four player game available.
These machines really bring the retro bar together and give customers a chance to relive their youth spent in arcades up and down the country. All machines charge £1 for two credits, which is one of the best prices that we've come across.
So, if you're looking for a great night out with a twist, Kongs Cardiff is for you. Keep an eye on our blog for more installations like this over the next few months!
Do you want to find out more about how competitive socialising like this can benefit your business? Home Leisure Direct are hosting the UKs first event, Competitive Socialising 2020, to bring together the key players in the industry to speak about the opportunities that competitive socialising could bring to your business.