The next time you consider inviting friends over for “game night,” forget the hassle of hosting and take it out on the town. Gather a group and hit the lanes — no, not bowling. Retro games like shuffleboard and bocce are today’s fun fads. Or, channel your childhood and catch a round of mini golf or blast your way to the high score at a classic arcade. Whatever you do, these seven spots are guaranteed to score with the player in you.
Mini golf at Brooklyn Crab
Boasting an 18-hole course, this tri-level seafood shack-zilla, Brooklyn Crab, is NYC’s Pebble Beach of bar mini golf. Work up an appetite making par, then head upstairs to celebrate your hole-in-one with an indulgent lobster and crab “Royale for Two” platter ($95). If mini golf isn’t your thing, Brooklyn Crab offers bocce, beanbag “cornhole,” shuffleboard tables and a sandbox, so grab a pail and shovel and go nuts. 24 Reed St., Red Hook, 718-643-2722, brooklyncrab.com
Skee-ball at Full Circle
Coney Island kid favorite, skee-ball, grows up at Full Circle, where dexterous rollers occasionally compete in “Brewskee-Ball” tournaments for cold, hard cash. Grab a can of beer and head to the back room for triple lane action. For those keen to combine skee-ball skills and smarts, stop into Full Circle on a Tuesday night for “rolling trivia” and score your way to a $75 bar tab prize. 318 Grand St., Williamsburg, 347-725-4588, fullcirclebar.com
Interactive puzzle game at Escape the Room NYC
You’re locked in a dimly lit room with red walls, straight out of a Victorian mystery novel. You and your team (between six and 10 players) have 60 minutes to uncover clues and solve puzzles with one end goal: to find the way out. Based on a popular game genre, Escape the Room NYC sends wannabe sleuths into an immersive, hidden object brain-bender. Choose from three tension-filled scenarios: an office, a spy agency or a Victorian home and see if you have what it takes to escape. $28 per player; 25 W. 31st St., 11th Floor, escapetheroomnyc.com
Shuffleboard at the Royal Palms
Shuffleboard ClubChannel your inner Floridian in Gowanus at the city’s pioneer shuffleboard club. Embrace the breezy, cruise ship vibe by pushing pucks, or “biscuits,” down one of the Royal Palms’ 10 aqua-blue courts. Slide up to the bar for umbrella-laden cocktails or grab a bite from a rotating roster of local food trucks. Lanes are first-come, first-serve except on league nights (Monday and Tuesdays). $40/hour per lane; 514 Union St., Gowanus, 347-223-4410, royalpalmsshuffle.com
Bocce at Floyd NY
Come for the free bocce, stay for the beer cheese. Roll your ball down Floyd NY’s 40-foot packed clay court, and hope your aim is good enough to clinch a “kiss” for the win. Regulars love the bar’s cheap beer, laid back vibe and addictive Kentucky-style beer cheese (cheddar, beer and spice). For more bocce action, try your luck at Union Hall, Floyd’s sister bar and restaurant in Park Slope. 131 Atlantic Ave., Cobble Hill, 718-858-5810, floydny.com
Arcade games at Barcade
Williamsburg’s spacious bar and retro arcade offers an impressive selection of draft beers and nearly 50 classic games, from Asteroids to Double Dragon. It’s the perfect place to kick back with a microbrew and destroy your opponents/save the princess. Since opening 10 years ago, the bar has since expanded to Jersey City and Philadelphia. A Manhattan outpost is also opening soon in Chelsea, with a second reportedly eyed for St. Mark’s. 388 Union Ave., Williamsburg, 718-302-6464, barcadebrooklyn.com
Pinball at Modern Pinball
For pinball purists, it doesn’t get better than Modern Pinball. The all-pinball gaming center in Murray Hill doubles as a sales showroom. You won’t find food or drinks here, just straight up bumpers, balls and blinking lights of 30 new and classic machines. Leave your quarters at home; unlimited play per person begins at $12 for one hour and $19 for up to three hours. Flipper fanatics can buy an all-day pass for $29. 362 Third Ave., 646-415-8440, modernpinballnyc.com
