First impressions of the Cineplex Toronto Rec Room
Cineplex Rec Room just opened up in Toronto. They took over the space that used to be the Leon’s Roundhouse Location. It’s on Bremner across from the Ripley’s aquarium and Skydome. Yes I still call it the Skydome. Shit most people I know still do.
When approaching the Rec Room, you can be forgiven for mistaking it as a night club, or strip joint. The first thing you’ll see is two guys that look like bouncers. They are fully decked out in the typical tuxedo style garb, waiting to greet you from behind the rope line. My first thought at 3:20pm on a Friday was am I dressed too casual for this place?
Now I know a little bit about the Cineplex Rec Room. From my understanding it is just another version of a Dave & Buster’s. So really their shouldn’t be anything wrong with wearing shorts and a collared T-shirt. Still for just a moment I thought I might be denied entry. Thankfully I wasn’t.
Once inside my suspicions were correct. What I had expected to see was all there. There were a lot of interesting games. Many of the titles were familiar to me, but they had quite a few new games as well. They had a pretty even mix of Video games, and games of chance or skill that earn you “tickets”. Similar to Dave & Buster’s you need to purchase credits in order to play any of the games. The more you buy, the better the value. So my buddy Weber and I just pooled our money and purchased a single reloadable game card. They have taken full advantage of the newest technology. Instead of receiving a magnetic strip swipe card. You are instead provided with a small tap card. Not only does it transfer credits to play games. It also keeps track of the number of tickets you win. I’m torn between loving the simplicity of it, and missing the satisfaction of watching machines slowly spit out ticket after ticket when you win big. Another point of concern with the tap card is it’s ability to pay for a game without you even realizing it. Depending on your height, if you keep the tap card in your pocket and lean against a machine. You could accidentally pay for a game. I witnessed the same guy do it twice while watching his friend play one game, as he leaned against another. Of course I helped out the best way possible. In order to keep those credits from going to waste. I stepped up and played each game so that he wouldn’t be disturbed, and could continue watching his friend play. You’re welcome.
The main area has a long bar which serves an indoor lounge, as well as an outdoor patio. Having that outdoor space is a huge bonus in my book.
There are two restaurants, one fast food casual, and one for dining in. The first thing that really caught my eye when I walked in was a 6ft Pac-Man machine that two players can actually play simultaneously!
Playing together to clear each level actually required a fair amount of teamwork. Shouting orders to one another to keep ourselves alive, and splitting the level into his section and mine was absolutely key to winning.
There are quite a few competitive games at the Rec Room. The most popular of which was Super Mario kart. It was so popular in fact that we didn’t actually get an opportunity to play it. This was the first issue I had with Rec Room. In comparison to a Dave & Buster’s, the Games area is much smaller. It won’t take too many people before it’s packed. Now it was opening week so you would expect a slightly larger crowd. Still 4:00pm on a Friday shouldn’t have you waiting to play every popular game.
We decided to try our luck at a few of the ticket games while waiting for some of the more popular games to clear. Something I noticed right away is the large number of Progressive jackpot games. The highest of which was over 3000 tickets! The temptation to try and hit the jackpot was very high. With all those tickets you can have a swag buying spree in the swag shop right after. I couldn’t help myself so I gave it a few tries. On my third attempt, wouldn’t you know it, I timed that game absolutely perfect. Well almost perfect, and walked away with squat. Whoever wins Zombie arm owes me 24 credits.
One of the attractions I was most interested in was their virtual reality experience The Void. The opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a Ghostbuster zapping ghosts is just too good to pass up. Well unfortunately I did. First of all it isn’t easy to find when you first enter. Weber and I got so caught up with downing beers, and playing the newest version of Cruisin U.S.A. that by the time we were done. The line up at The Void was just too long for us to wait.
Now would I recommend that you visit the Rec Room and experience it for yourself? Definitely. I’ll be back soon and next time the first thing I’ll do is try out The Void. If you plan on going I would suggest picking an off peak time, or planning on staying for quite a while. Bring a few friends along, and if you find a game you like. Stick with it until you’ve had your fill. You might not get back on it again if you leave.
