The Forum Amusement Arcade Bridlington

The Bridlington Forum is a large entertainment venue situated on the Esplanade in the centre of Bridlington's pedestrianised tourist area. It is an extensive leisure complex with a wide range of amenities and attractions, including a cinema, ten-pin bowling, a trampoline park and, of course, a fantastic amusement arcade. There are also bar and restaurant options inside the venue. In addition, they offer children's party packages, and there is also a full-service gym (Levels) within the same building.

The Forum (which was formerly known as Joyland) also has another entrance on the bustling town centre road, The Promenade, which is convenient for parents dropping off children or for those looking to nip into the adult gaming area via its dedicated entrance after visiting one of the town's great pubs. The venue appears to offer step-free access from both entrances, and its spacious layout makes it wheelchair friendly. 

Arcade Layout

Entering from the Esplanade, visitors are welcomed into a large open-plan gaming area with high ceilings and a huge range of modern arcade machines with separate adult gaming section. The venue extends around several connected spaces, with access to the bowling, cinema, bounce park and a café serving snacks and drinks from the centre of the ground floor.

Stairs lead up to the Lodge Bar and Restaurant, while the Promenade side of the venue sits at a lower elevation with ramps and stairs providing easy access between areas. There is also a passenger lift to the Lodge and wheelchair-accessible toilets.

The Esplanade side features curved modern ceilings with continuous LED lighting, creating a bright, stylish arcade atmosphere. Moving towards the Promenade entrance, the venue transitions into a more traditional arcade style, with dimmer lighting and wooden panelling separating the adult gaming area. This contrast gives the Forum a unique blend of modern entertainment and classic seaside arcade character.

Kids Arcade Games

With an arcade of this size, there are plenty of half-sized machines designed for younger players, along with a great selection of kiddie rides including colourful choo choo trains, teacups, and Sonic and Cars themed ride-ons.

There are also pint-sized ticket arcade games such as Shark Park, Rainbow Basketball and Fast Food Frenzy. Younger visitors can enjoy the two-player half-sized racing game Bigfoot Crush, along with water shooter favourites Pirate Hook and the four-player Hot Shots Fire Rescue.

Ticket Arcade Games

Bridlington Forum is essentially one large ticket arcade, with a huge variety of ticket-paying machines spread throughout the venue. The extensive prize shop sits in the middle of the arcade and offers a wide range of rewards, from simple sweets and lollies to collectable figures, Monopoly board games and even coffee makers.

Fairground Fun

Fans of fairground-style games will find plenty of ticket favourites, including Down the Clown, Giant Connect Four Hoops, Fireball, Space Guard, Quick Push, Two Bowling Champs, the skee-ball game X and Derby Day, a modern take on the classic camel racing game. There are also favourites such as World Football Pro, Whack-n-Win and Wrecking Ball, which is similar to the popular Demolition King.

Ticket Slot Machines

There is a strong selection of ticket slot games, with both standalone cabinets and linked machines available. Highlights include standalone Dracula, Aladdin and Temple of Tickets machines, along with several Adders & Ladders arch-top cabinets. For players looking for larger experiences, there is also the four-player Wacky Races community game with its upper feature board and triple-row Temple of Tickets, Crazy Chicken (with a 1600 ticket jackpot), Wizard of Odds and the X-Terminator games.

Wheel Spinners

The arcade also features a selection of wheel spinner games, including Crank It, Big Win Super Spin, the colourful Golden Ball and a triple Starwheel machine.

There are also ticket-winning arcade shooters, including the large Space Invaders Frenzy and Electrocoin’s two-player Skill Shooter.

Claw Machines

There are many different types of claw machines dotted around the venue, including rows of E-Claw machines and classic Elaut EX1 cabinets. The prize quality is also to a good standard, with branded plushies including Care Bears, Winnie the Pooh and Monsters, Inc. characters. Other claw grabbers include Prize Every Time Lunar Ball, Shining Cube and Prize Every Time Fun Zone.

Coin Pushers

There are 2p machines throughout the venue, ranging from classic favourites to the latest innovations. There are also two pence change machines dotted around the arcade, making it convenient for visitors to keep playing.

Ticket Coin Pushers

The venue has a strong selection of modern ticket coin pushers, including several Snakes-n-Ladders with the upper game board, Busy Bees, Sweet Falls, Rainbow Riches, Looney Tunes and Key to Success with instant win lockers. Other favourites include Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Monopoly, Wacky Races and Haunted House.

There is also a row of ‘The Big Yellow Ticket’ 2p machines, a rarely seen pusher that is perhaps an early ticket redemption coin pusher.

Ball Pushers

The Forum venue also features the popular closed-loop ball pushers Pearl Fishery and the mesmerising Ocean Party.

Classic Coin Pushers

Fans of traditional machines will find classic 2p pushers here, including Snakes-n-Ladders and a retro kiddies half-size Busy Bees pusher.

Classic Arcade Games

Alongside its extensive selection of ticket redemption machines, the Forum also offers a good mix of classic arcade video games and modern attractions. Whether you enjoy racing, shooting, sports or skill-based games, there is something here for players of all ages.

Classic arcade favourites include Crossy Road, the Deal or No Deal quiz machine, several air hockey tables dotted throughout the venue including Sonic Allstars, the original Block Stacker instant-win machine from LAI, Guitar Hero Arcade and a Dance Stage Euromix 2 dance machine.

Arcade Racing Games

Arcade racing fans can enjoy Mario Kart DX, the two-player Dynamic Moto 3 motorcycle racer and the two-player Apex Rebels.

Arcade shooters

The arcade shooting game selection includes a four-player AR Sniper and two-player Big Shot.

Roll-down Games

The Forum also has a selection of roll-down games, including Temple of Tickets, Snakes & Ladders and Tom & Jerry.

There is also a row of four Crazy Hoop basketball arcade games, making it a great choice for friends and families looking to compete against one another.

VR Games

The Forum Amusements is home to a large VR racing simulator featuring triple screens and a motion platform that moves and rumbles with the action, creating an immersive arcade experience. 

Fruit Machines

Fans of traditional British low-stakes fruit machines will feel right at home at the Forum Arcade, which has an extensive selection of classic £5 jackpot machines alongside more modern titles.

Standalone Fruits

The fruit machine selection includes Crazy Fruits low-boy cabinets, a row of more than ten classic arch-top Bar-X, Sevens and OXO machines, the Super Line Up remake, several Deal or No Deal titles, Simpsons: Homer's Meltdown, Crazy Fruits and all three licensed Star Wars fruit machines from Barcrest Gaming.

Triple-row Machines

The linked triple-row machines include Bullion Bars, Party Time, House of Fortune, the rarely seen Coronation Street, Lady Luck: Moon Struck, Party Time Party Zone, Batman Begins and Golden Winner. There is also a modern sit-down multiplayer OXO machine.

There are also several Skill Ball Zingy machines, along with an even wider selection of big jackpot reel fruit machines in the adult gaming areas.

Slots Lounge

The main adult gaming area at the Forum is located on the Promenade side and has its own dedicated entrance, though there is also another slots lounge near the Esplanade entrance. Both areas are sectioned off for over-18s only, with glass and wood-panelled dividers creating a cosy atmosphere for players looking to relax and enjoy themselves.

Both slots lounges have an extensive range of machines with jackpots of up to £500, ranging from the latest digital terminals from the likes of Blueprint Gaming to classic arch-top Electrocoin titles and big-jackpot fruit machines.

There is also a dedicated digital bingo section near the Promenade entrance, which likely gets busy in the evenings. There are also several fruit machines in this area.

Venue Verdict

The Bridlington Forum is well known for good reason. It is a true giant of seaside entertainment and delivers on all the key ingredients that make a great amusement arcade. From modern machines to retro classics, and from young children to seniors, there are games here to suit every type of player and plenty of opportunities for families to enjoy the fun together.

With a great line-up of other attractions under one roof, this is far more than just an arcade. Whether you are looking to spend a whole day here, escape the rain for a few hours or enjoy an evening out, the Forum is an excellent choice. If you are visiting the Yorkshire coast, this is one arcade that should not be missed.

We have highlighted many of the arcade's best games, though there are plenty more fun attractions waiting to be discovered. Head to the Bridlington Forum to discover the full line-up in person!