While the rise of arcades with alcohol and food licenses means there’s no shortage of places to get your gamer on in and around Greater Manchester, from where we’re playing few can match 1UP for sheer authenticity. A laidback and — crucially — user friendly place, the address wears heart on sleeve with the simple tagline: a games bar created for game geeks, by game geeks.
“1UP is a tailored gaming bar created to encourage people like us to socialise and game together, but much more than that, it is a haven for people with an interest in all aspects of gaming culture to come and share in collective enthusiasm for whatever your poison is,” the team behind this Didsbury address explain on their website. “A place to inspire creativity in an exciting and comfortable space and be yourself in whatever interest you have; 1UP is filled with little nuggets of game geek culture. See if you can spot them all!”
To put all that another way, think boardgames, pinball, Dungeons & Dragons, Pokémon cards, and 1970s and 80s video games. And that’s just level one.
Playable titles run right through to the latest releases and platforms, and 1UP also has several unique assets — like special moves but for the gaming bar world. There’s an eight-person Dungeons & Dragons table, with cupholders, character sheet slots, power outlets, a dungeon master screen with personal throne, laptop tray and manual books holder. Then you have the only publicly accessible Stranger Things pinball machine in the UK (other pinballs are available), UV ping-pong and beer-pong in a darkly-lit room, and a host of special events, tournaments and competitions. Comedy, music and quiz nights also regularly feature in the programme, too. All that aside, expect a great selection of beers, wines, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks, alongside bar food, and excellent coffee.