ABOUT US

Blast from the Past Arcade is more than just any arcade, it is a tribute to a bygone era. A place full of pinball machines, arcade games, consoles, toys, board games, magazines, nostalgia and simple childhood joy!
It's all about saving something that wasn't around when we were kids. Proper arcades were already long dead, but now we're keeping it going for us big kids to jump back in time and for a new generation to have a truly awesome place to hang out!

The concept of Blast from the Past originally came around back in 2009 when, already 80s obsessed owner Rye, was just 13 years old and sold all their Hornby trains and Lego to purchase their first machines from eBay. A VideoMaster arcade machine with a Neo-Geo 2 slot and a 1975 Williams Triple Strike pinball machine!

This began a life long love of arcades, their history, their culture, their impact on technology, their contributions to the world, the evolution of video games, the introduction of the digital age, but above all, a huge passion for pinball!

As the years passed more and more machines were found, saved and sympathetically restored and cared for by Rye. As their knowledge on how to repair and maintain these machines grew, so did the collection and their vision of the arcade got clearer and clearer!

As the world came out of Lockdown in 2022, Rye decided the time was right and took the risk to open up their collection to the public and try to turn a passion into a business!

A life long dream was finally realised, Blast from the Past Arcade was born and opened on August 24th 2022 in Halifax, UK!

Since the arcade opened up in it's first home, it has grown and moved several times becoming a staple business in Halifax!
Being featured on Channel 5, BBC Look North, Susan Calman's Grand Day Out, The BBC Breakfast show and numerous radio stations! As well as being used as a backdrop for promotional photoshoots, music videos, documentaries and even having the living room scanned to be used in virtual reality therapy for care homes!

The arcade is still ran daily by Rye with the help from their wonderful friends and family who do everything they can to help keep this gem shining bright in Halifax!

Everything we do we do here we do ourselves, from painting, fitting carpets, maintaining machines to creating posters, videos and making displays.

Blast from the Past always has been and always will be a passion project ran by people who have the upmost respect for these machines, the era and absolutely love this place and the community we've built around it!

So get your visit booked in and help support this true classic 80s arcade experience!