Who doesn’t love a good arcade? While we have gotten away from the days of my youth (yes, I’m old) of getting massive stacks of tokens to toss into machines for some amazing tickets, the majesty of a fully stocked arcade has never worn out.

I got a chance to play The Coin Game before it came out, and I was floored by how much it evoked the same feeling as walking into a Chuck E. Cheese or Dave & Buster’s. It uses the modern technology of having a card with money on it to pay for games, but they spit out actual tickets that you have to pick up off the floor.

There are games that you will no doubt recognize, such as the one where you have to drop 30 balls into rotating cups, coin pushers (including the ball variants), and claw machines.

The starter location, Larry’s Arcade, provides 12 different games, and I was immediately a kid again, unsure of what I wanted to play first. I didn’t know all of them, and The Coin Game completely nails that feeling of trying a game for the first time without any idea of what you’re actually supposed to do.

Fortunately, there is a handy tutorial system (pressing L3), which gives you the lowdown on how you’re supposed to play whatever flashing lights nonsense you’ve put your card into.

Aside from the multiple arcades, there is also a carnival for you to visit with the (most definitely rigged) games you would expect. This is a nice distraction, but those games never feel nearly as fun as returning to this volcano-themed ball pusher that pays out a remarkably high number of tickets (at the low price of $10 if you wanna max out the credits).

Outside of games, there are also activities that any kid on their birthday should expect. There are carnival rides, go-karts, minigolf, and even laser tag. Though I’m unsure if I can recommend that last one, as I apparently messed up when leaving the first time I tried it and got stuck in the inescapable backrooms.

I can’t say The Coin Game is flawless. Once you’re not playing games, the overall experience feels kinda iffy, but that all changes once you once again slide your card into something that is about to spit out some tickets. My only complaint is that games that involve throwing (like Skeeball) feel pretty wonky, but they aren’t big-ticket games anyway.

While there are many, many texture issues and horrifically blurry text all over the place, the games themselves are (except for the aforementioned throwing games) exceptionally well-crafted. I decided to try that one Safe Cracker(?) game, where you have to press the button when the line is over the dots, and it was perfectly responsive.

But aside from graphical/gameplay issues, the world of the game, called Islandville, is…unsettling. You’re the only human anywhere to be found, and I can’t tell if I’m supposed to read into that somehow. I don’t think there’s some underlying mystery to solve, but it does make everything feel a little off-putting.

There are two modes to pick from: Survival for Birthday. In Birthday mode, you are given essentially limitless cash, though you have to play one of those money collection games where fans blow bills all over your face to get more. However, that means you have essentially unlimited plays, and so you can just focus on getting tickets.

I know I will have to play Survival if I want to get all the trophies, as the list doesn’t look all that bad, but it feels so much better to just live in the world of a game where I can essentially burn money in my quest to rack up tickets.

That’s where The Coin Game really speaks to me. Yes, it is cool to have unlimited play time in games I enjoy, but that’s not the whole of it. The overall presentation gives the perfect feeling of being a kid again and having an amazing birthday where you get to do whatever you want.