Arcade Shooting Gallery
Here are amusement arcades and entertainment venues across the UK that have a traditional arcade shooting gallery. Check our listings below to shoot targets with friends!
A traditional arcade shooting gallery is an electro-mechanical shooting game attraction commonly found in amusement arcades, piers, and theme parks across the UK. Unlike modern light gun video games, these galleries are usually permanent installations that use physical moving targets that react when hit. Players typically use air or infrared guns to shoot at targets such as:
- Spinning or pop-up targets (rows of ducks, cans, or bottles)
- Animatronic figures that move when hit (cowboys, pirates, skeletons, or animals)
- Bells, lights, or sound effects triggered by successful shots (fire or dynamite)
These games date back to the early 20th century, often featuring long rifle-shaped pretend guns mounted or connected to the playing counter, with mechanical or digital scoring. While older versions used metal projectiles (like BBs), most modern versions use infrared sensors to detect hits, making them safer.
In recent decades, the arcade shooting gallery has somewhat declined from the UK amusement scene, largely due to a combination of factors. One significant reason for this decline is that traditional shooting galleries take up a lot of space and are not portable. This lack of flexibility makes them less attractive to arcade owners, especially when compared to newer machines that are more compact and relocatable, ideal for modern venues. Modern day closed loop shooting galleries or similar shooting games now exist that use modern technology to provide more immersive experience of the traditional gameplay, whilst also offering both ticket redemption and instant prizes, which are more appealing to arcade shooting fans. Examples of modern arcade shooting galleries include Sega Shoot-it Win-it which can be found at the Tower Cinema Arcade in Skegness or The Sideshow 1889 which can be found at the Funtopia Arcade Southend. Also, many modern arcade shoot-um-ups also provide similar gameplay such as Raw Thrills the Walking Dead or Terminator Salvation and many newer ticket redemption games such as Nerf Arcade and Space Invaders Frenzy.
Looking to enjoy an arcade shooting gallery? Rest assured there are still many widely available at amusement arcades, seaside piers and theme parks across the UK. Still holding the torch strong for arcade shooting galleries is Blackpool, where visitors can experience some very interesting variations including the Dead Mans Cove at the Funland Arcade, Scarface’s Genuine Auto Repairs at the Central Pier Arcade and Treasure Cove at Blackpool’s North Pier Arcade. If you are looking for a more modern-day variant, then be sure to check the colourful Professor Goggins at the Skegness Pier Arcade. There are many more arcade shooting galleries still in existence across the UK today. We would love to add more to our listings so please let us know where you discover them!
Modern Ticket Prize Versions
Play in big groups
Mock Weapons Feel Real
Activate Targets
