Yep. Three floors of video games set to free play…say what! I mean if you’re going to a party but you’re not a party person and then this happens. Hidden in an old industrial area now full of up and coming artists and shops and clubs in a part of Liverpool known as ‘The Baltic Triangle’ is a pub. Hidden within that pub is a video game need fest. ArCains. (No, they’re not paying me to write this)

Moments after the first lager had hit my lips I found myself battling at Pac Man, then shuffleboard which, being a physical game required a different kind of skill. Onwards to the haptic interface that is a ride upon plastic motorbike for a race or two through snow and pixelated jungles. In a moment of quiet I found the old school original Space Invaders and remembered very quickly how bad at it I’ve always been! Pong was next. This time a physical representation of the OG of all video games. Too easy. It was about now that I realised a)I had not eaten and that lager was going to my head and b)there were two more floors of games. I had originally thought the £18 entrance a bit steep for one room but nooooo there was so much more. All the games were set to free play and as such you’d well ‘ad your money’s worth (as they say in Liverpool) by the time you left. TBH we are planning another visit once the schools have gone back. Less kids embarrassingly beating me at Mario Kart although the fact that it was more like actual driving than on the console at home meant I was able to win a few rounds which never normally happens. The top floor had a wall of PC games hoked up. Clearly this was for the serious players who seemed somewhat less boisterous than the rest of the place. My advice, take earplugs or, better, just join in with the screams and squeals be a kid again (or at least a moody teenager)

Onward to the Baltic Market inside another of the old brewery buildings. Grab a table scan the number with the app and place your order. All four at our table ate from a different street food stall. All meals delivered to the table as they were prepared. Naturally everyone was eating everyone else’s food. There’s a drink selection too. Saturday night it was rammed and loud and we were, at least, outside avoiding the worst of the pumping sound system.

The ‘party’ was dispersed across several tables including those who represented the vanguard at our next venue, Sugar and Dice (nope, not sponsored) hidden behind Liverpool’s Nordic Church and a haven of sweet treats and coffee (although they have upped their bar game since last I was there). cake, yes please, tea for me I’m diving tomorrow, and a round of Cockroach Poker, Fluxx and something suitable for the kids on the next table that I never did learn the name of. Board games havens such as this often form a focus of any visit to a new town. Usually the coffee and cake is excellent and the clientele are happy to chat and give you great hints about local (possibly hidden) places of interest. The premise is simple buy your refreshments pay a small deposit or rent a chunk of time at a table and you may try out any of the 100s of board games they have in stock. Many such places will sell games too. I can get very boring about board games but board games are never boring. If you find yourself in a given location see if they have a board game café. I bet you’ll make a new friend and learn a new game.

I wonder if we’ll find a games café on our big trip…(I just checked. the answer is a definite yes) I know there’s a pack of cards on the carry on…do we have room for another one… just a small one…