With the rise of juvenile crime and a new curfew being enforced in Natchitoches, a place for teens and college kids to hang out outside of school might be exactly what the town needs.

Arcade Natchitoches, located 5129 University Parkway, opened this year on Jan. 1, 2024. The arcade brings hope of a new place for kids to be entertained, after the loss of the bowling alley a few years ago. The arcade has Flying Duck Duckpin Bowling, a batting cage simulator, claw machines, video games, a basketball game and a virtual reality roller coaster simulator.

Every child under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them, and the arcade has a capacity limit of 40 people. The fee to enter is $20 per person, which then gets put on your game card in the form of credits. $20 dollars equals 100 credits, and the games range from five to 25 credits.

The arcade also has Jerry’s Pizza, which sells pizza, cookies and drinks. The arcade is available to rent out for parties, in which you can have pizza for the group.

I visited Arcade Natchitoches on a Thursday night with a friend, and we had the whole arcade to ourselves. We tried everything out except the batting cages, and overall, we had a lot of fun. It was easy to find parking in between the hotels, and the worker who checked us out was very nice.

For $20, we had over an hour of fun, and all the games were in great condition. I loved duckpin bowling, and I found it a lot easier than regular bowling.

This is a great place for college students to hang out on the weekdays and even the weekend. Although it is a little far from campus, students can ride together. I recommend eating before or after, because the pizza is a little pricey. But don’t worry about the location of the arcade. You are right by French Market Express, Popeyes and Wendy’s so you have a lot of options for cheaper dining, which is important for parents with lots of kids and college students alike.

The claw machines are not rigged for you to lose every time, I left with three prizes and my friend left with over five. They even have a smaller claw machine that you get to play until you get a prize, which is great for younger children.

Overall, Arcade Natchitoches is a great place for college students who may not be into the bar scene, or just want to have safe fun. Just spending $20 leaves you having fun, and you always have the option to add more money onto your card.

If you and your friends are looking for something new to try out, I highly recommend Arcade Natchitoches. I hope that this the beginning to Natchitoches bringing more activity places for kids and college students to have fun at.