Trying to Document Old Arcade Locations

[Black_Knight_2000]

Hello

This is a list I've been able to compile through old phone books, business registries, coin op flyer mailing lists and memories of Ontario arcades of days gone by. Also included in this list are some from other provinces. Most of these are Wizard's Castle locations. This list only includes closed/significantly changed locations, so there won't be Balm Beach's Georgian Grill or Vancouver's Movieland on this list. If you have anything to add or memories to share please do so.

Ontario


Toronto

Funland Location 1, West side of Yonge at Dundas on the strip

Funland Location 2, East side of Yonge at Dundas on the strip, peep show arcade on the second floor

Funland Location 3, one story underneath Sam the Chinese Food Man on the East side of Yonge between Dundas and Gerrard on the strip

Funland Location 4, West side of Yonge at Wellesley on the strip, one story underneath U Spa

The Pin Ball Spot, underneath Music World on Yonge near Sam the Record Man on the strip

The Q, Bloor/Yonge subway station

Amuse-o matic center, Union Station in hallway to food court

Royal York Hotel Arcade, inside PATH hallway

Vinnies, Adelaide and Duncan, now 500 pixels photo studio

Fun City, North York Center Subway Station

Wizards Castle, Woodbine Center, beside movie theater

Wizards Castle, STC, now Bourbon St. Grill/Carribean Queen

Wizards Castle, Yorkdale Mall, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Fairview Mall, now roughly Sport Chek/theater lobby

Wizards Castle, Dufferin Mall, now McDonalds

Wizards Castle, Cloverdale Mall, exact location unknown

Video Funland, 2645 eglinton plaza, now jewelry store

Video Amusements, in plaza across from Video Funland, exact location unknown

Video Invasion, Parkway Mall, exact location unknown

Video Invasion, 3500 Bathurst, now Savours Fresh Market

Video Invasion third location, location unknown


Mississauga

Arcadia, Square one, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Meadowvale Town Center, exact location unknown

Mickey's, along Dundas in Mississauga, exact location unknown

Unknown, Erin Mills town center, exact location unknown

Unknown, Sherway Gardens, exact location unknown


Brampton

Future World, Shoppers World, exact location unknown

Fun & Games, Shoppers world, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Westdale Mall, exact location unknown


Alliston

Nottawasaga Inn Resort, arcade cut in half with removal of hotel owned games, only rented games remain


Barrie

Wizards Castle, Kozlov Mall, in food court behind escalators. Food court now abandoned

Mall run machine area, Kozlov Mall outside Zellers lower level food court entrance. Food court now abandoned

Little Joes Pinball, Bayfield Mall, now Treetops Playground

Mall run machine row, bayfield mall near Miracle Food Mart

Tilt (not affiliated with American chain) Georgian Mall, now Ardene

Happy Man Arcade, downtown Barrie, now Made in Mexico

Unknown, 360 bayfield street, now mucho burrito


Elmvale

Elmvale Flea Market Arcade, arcade area now bathrooms


Wasaga Beach

Wasaga Waterworld Arcade, waterpark abandoned and later demolished

Georgian Inn Arcade, North side of Main St. at Beach Dr. on Main St. pedestrian mall, lost in 2004 fire.

Playland Arcade, south side of Main St. at Beach Dr. on Main St. pedestrian mall, lost in 2004 fire. Served as entrance to Playland Amusement Park

The Dardenella game row, along walls inside The Dardenella dance hall/roller rink, dance hall now walled off

Wasaga Dairy Arcade, Mosley St., arcade portion now closed off


Balm Beach

Wanda's Beach Hut, now abandoned, some games sold to neighbouring Georgian Grill Arcade


Collingwood

Just Push Play (original name unknown), originally arcade/pool hall, became admission price free play arcade in 2010's after sitting empty for years, building now abandoned again


Lion's Head

Unknown restaraunt/arcade, games removed in early 2010's


Grand Bend

Holiday Plaza, now abandoned


Waterloo

Wizards World, Conestoga Mall, exact location unknown

Front Row McGinnis, Waterloo, exact location unknown

Flynn's Arcade, Waterloo, exact location unknown


London

Smuggler's Alley, torn down in 1999

Ace Arcade, just down the street from Smuggler's Alley, now abandoned


Welland

Wizards Castle, Seaway Mall, exact location unknown


Fort Erie

Crystal Beach Arcade, Crystal Beach Amusement Park. Amusement park now housing development


Niagara

Circus World, Victoria Ave. beside the Vittoria hotel, now parking lot

House of Frankenstein arcade, now expanded gift shop

Ripley's arcade, now Ripley's Wax Hand Factory

Castle Dracula arcade, now expanded gift shop

Circus World, Clifton Hill, now MovieLand Wax Museum

Arbys arcade, now expanded Guinness Museum gift shop

Maple Leaf Village Arcade, Maple Leaf Village Amusement Park/Mall now Casino Niagara

Skylon Tower Arcade, in amusement park in base of Skylon
Tower, arcade significantly downsized after removal of rides

Jungle Miniature Golf's Arcade, Lundy's Lane, now abandoned

Typhoon Lagoon Arcade, in waterpark gift shop, Lundy's Lane, waterpark now outdoor mall


St. Catherines

Prudhomme's Landing Arcade, QEW, waterpark abandoned in early 2010's, buildings demolished in 2016


Hamilton

Bingham's Waterpark Arcade, QEW, arcade portion now closed off



Edmonton

Wizards Castle, WEM, now Newplay

Circuit Circus, WEM, now Newplay

Wizards Castle, Millwoods Town Center, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Heritage Mall, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Kingsway Mall, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, HUB mall, exact location unknown

Video Gym, Southgate Mall, exact location unknown

Capilano Mall, Circus Circus, exact location unknown


Calgary

Ganges, Northmount drive, beside drive in

Easy St., Sunridge Mall, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Sunridge mall, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Market Mall, exact location unknown

Huggy Bear arcade, Market Mall, exact location unknown

Laser Illusions, Marlborough Mall, exact location unknown

Cosmic Corral, North Hill mall, now TD

Laser Illusions, Southcenter, behind escalators

Wizards Castle, Chinook Center, now Starbucks

Easy St., Chinook Center, exact location unknown

Laser Illusions, Calgary Eaton Center, exact location unknown

Wizards Castle, Circle park Mall, exact location unknown

Gravity Zone arcade, underneath Lydias

Command HQ, location unknown

Game World, location unknown


Saskatoon

Wizards Castle, Lawson Heights Mall, across from RBC


Vancouver

Wizards Castle, Richmond Square Mall, exact location unknown

Ladner Arcade, location unknown

Lord Nelson's Arcade, Lansdowne Mall, exact location unknown

Stargate 5, Richmond Center, exact location Unknown

If you have any other locations to add or memories to share please do so!

 

[luch]

very nice , thank you

 

[mcuzz]

Bramalea city center in Brampton had 2 arcades, not sure of the names but one was for sure near the food court.
If anyone has Apple Music, I made this arcade playlist to reminisce while I play in my now home arcade.

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/playlist/arcade-jukebox-late-70s-early-80s-best-rock/pl.u-leyl2aLTjg4pYJ

 

[Black_Knight_2000]

Bramalea city center in Brampton had 2 arcades, not sure of the names but one was for sure near the food court.
If anyone has Apple Music, I made this arcade playlist to reminisce while I play in my now home arcade.

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/playlist/arcade-jukebox-late-70s-early-80s-best-rock/pl.u-leyl2aLTjg4pYJ

Thanks, I actually meant to have the BCC arcades in the list. One was a Wizard's Castle and the other one's name still remains unknown, however people think it's name was space or future themed. While I'm at it I have a few more to add. The first is the arcade inside the Bowlerama in Barrie's Bayfield Mall. The arcade room was a large, lowered room at the back. It was walled off in the mid 2000s. There was a bowling alley in Toronto's Dufferin Mall that also had a large arcade. The bowling alley is gone now. Don Mills Mall had no arcade inside but Don Mills Bowl in the parking lot had a separate arcade building/massive pool hall that was kind of an expansion out the side. The mall and bowling alley were torn down recently to build a new outdoor mall. The last is O'Connor Bowl in Toronto on O'Connor. The two story 1950's bowling establishment had a crowded arcade room but with great selection. The building was demolished last year to make way for condos despite the voice of many Torontonians.

 

[BMHouze]

Fun & Games had 3 locations (1 in each mall) in Tillsonburg. Both gone now.

Ever summer we went to a huge mall on Ohio that jad an arcade/game area/wing.
I remember it had one of those stand up to the holster gunslinger games, loved the old shooting galleries.

 

[Hammerhead]

Ace Arcade, 396 Clarence St, London - now a parking lot

https://www.google.ca/maps/@42.9838...4!1saasJDYGyYOrifvsdDj1uQA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[luch]

Webb bowl Royal York Plaza 1500 Royal York Rd , Pinball Games and bowling 1960's to early 80's bowling alley is now closed and gone

 

[tommyv]

The Finch West Mall at Finch and Weston in North York opened in 1972 and had an arcade. A bit of googling tells me that it was called "Guidion’s Pinball and Billiard Arcade", although I don't recall the billiard part. Pretty sure that the arcade lasted through the 70s, not sure how long it went on after that. The mall has been gone since 2006 or so.

 

[tommyv]

From my mis-spent university days in Waterloo, my favourite places to play were in the arcade room in the UW Campus Centre (it may have had a name, I don't remember) and the same Campus Centre had two machines in the pub (we called it the Bomb Shelter, it may have had a real name). There was also a variety shop on King St across from Waterloo Square called Tommy's, the back room was an arcade with a good number of machines. This was all between 1975 and 1979.

I worked in Conestoga Mall when it first opened in 1978. I worked in a record store called Flipside. The arcade was just inside the main King St doors, on your right as you walked. There was a CIBC branch just across from it. The mall has had a serious makeover since those days, that area looks to have been completely reconfigured. I don't remember the arcade being called Wizard's Castle at the time, but couldn't tell you what it was. EDIT: Just found an economic study from 1980. Wizard's Castle is not listed as a tenant, but there is something called 'Games'.

Here's a reddit link to a short discussion that includes info about Flynn's and Zappers. Both were after my time in the area..
https://www.reddit.com/r/waterloo/comments/53wm6w/anyone_know_about_old_arcades_in_kw_xpost/

 

[Rockin]

Arcadia in Square One was on the lower level near the original main entrance, which was about halfway between Wallmart and The Bay now.
There also was one on the north side of Dundas, just west of Hurontario in Mississauga for a while, a second one opened a few doors down but didn't last very long. I don't remember the name of either.
Thanks for the list and foggy memories.

 

[Black_Knight_2000]

Arcadia in Square One was on the lower level near the original main entrance, which was about halfway between Wallmart and The Bay now.
There also was one on the north side of Dundas, just west of Hurontario in Mississauga for a while, a second one opened a few doors down but didn't last very long. I don't remember the name of either.
Thanks for the list and foggy memories.

One of them would be Mickey's listed above as the "arcade on Dundas in Mississauga, exact location unknown". Thanks for the help.

 

[Black_Knight_2000]

From my mis-spent university days in Waterloo, my favourite places to play were in the arcade room in the UW Campus Centre (it may have had a name, I don't remember) and the same Campus Centre had two machines in the pub (we called it the Bomb Shelter, it may have had a real name). There was also a variety shop on King St across from Waterloo Square called Tommy's, the back room was an arcade with a good number of machines. This was all between 1975 and 1979.

I worked in Conestoga Mall when it first opened in 1978. I worked in a record store called Flipside. The arcade was just inside the main King St doors, on your right as you walked. There was a CIBC branch just across from it. The mall has had a serious makeover since those days, that area looks to have been completely reconfigured. I don't remember the arcade being called Wizard's Castle at the time, but couldn't tell you what it was. EDIT: Just found an economic study from 1980. Wizard's Castle is not listed as a tenant, but there is something called 'Games'.

Here's a reddit link to a short discussion that includes info about Flynn's and Zappers. Both were after my time in the area..
https://www.reddit.com/r/waterloo/comments/53wm6w/anyone_know_about_old_arcades_in_kw_xpost/

Thanks for the article. It looks like the arcade on campus was a second Flynn's location. The downtown Flynn's was next to Zappers too according to the article. Also mentions an arcade in the bowling alley under waterloo town square. The arcade in Conestoga Mall was called "Wizard's World", not Wizard's Castle. Probably a knock off . The Wizards Castle brand wasnt big enough to inspire a knock off until the mid 80s, so the arcade in Conestoga may have been calles "Games" originally and underwent a name change after the nationwide success of Wizard's Castle. Thanks for the article!

 

[mitch_a]

Yup zappers downtown kitchener, burned down and moved down the street, burned down again I think then moved down the street again then closed for good.

 

[Hammerhead]

Unknown arcade, Argyle Mall, London, mall is now a strip mall

Unknown arcade, 4049 Hamilton Rd, Dorchester, now a Chinese takeout

Unknown arcade, Mt Brydges, now a Thai restaurant

The Wiz, White Oaks Mall, London

Wizards, Dundas Street, downtown London

Wizards 2, Dundas Street, downtown London

 

[singlezero]

in orillia there were a few ,

my first was top hat billiards. played my first captn fantastic, playboy and kiss they had about 7 or 8 pins and a few arcade games
electric flipper west st orillia
arcade in orillia square mall(cant remember name)
Tommys mississaga st

 

[spiroagnew]

I've marked the location of the Wizard's Castle on the retro map of the Seaway Mall in Welland with a black arrow.

 

[spiroagnew]

For Niagara Falls, also add:

King Waldorf's Palace - Marineland - 7657 Portage Rd, Niagara Falls, ON

There was also an arcade space at the Niagara Square mall at the Zellers entrance in the early-to-mid-90s. They sold used CDs and video games, as well as having a really decent collection of pins and vids. I can't remember the name for the life of me, though.

 

[Black_Knight_2000]

For Niagara Falls, also add:

King Waldorf's Palace - Marineland - 7657 Portage Rd, Niagara Falls, ON

There was also an arcade space at the Niagara Square mall at the Zellers entrance in the early-to-mid-90s. They sold used CDs and video games, as well as having a really decent collection of pins and vids. I can't remember the name for the life of me, though.

Thanks for the info on the Seaway Wizard's. I didn't add King Waldorf's to the list because it's still there and actually has a decent number of old school games still. Thanks also for the Niagara Square info.

 

[Hammerhead]

Ace Arcade, 396 Clarence St, London - now a parking lot

https://www.google.ca/maps/@42.9838...4!1saasJDYGyYOrifvsdDj1uQA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[Hugthemouse]

Growing up in Peterborough...

80's
Space World in Landsdowne Place Mall
Western World on George Street
Pappas Billiards on George Street with 4 or 5 pins along back wall

90's
Space World moved to smaller store next door with different name I cannot remember...dumped incredible amounts of quarters into Addams Family there