Playtime Amusement Arcade Leysdown

Playtime Amusement Arcade is a large blue amusements venue located nearest to the beach on The Promenade at Leysdown-on-Sea. It is close in size to Jimmy G’s across the road, though the focus here is purely on arcade games, and they have a fine selection of both modern and classic machines to explore. There is a prize shop at the rear and customer toilets. Neighbouring the amusements is the popular Love Fish & Chips Restaurant, which has an internal door directly to the arcade. 

The fish and chips venue also has outdoor seating next to the beach with views up and down the coast. On the other side of the arcade venue is Playtime's adult gaming section, which is vast, and located in a completely separate room to the right side of the venue. Next door to this is Leysdown Ice Cream Parlour, which serves up classic seaside sweet treats including ice cream, nougat, Candyfloss, Slushies and stick of rock. 

The arcade frontage is wide with multiple bi-fold doors, providing wheelchair-friendly access to visitors from the pavement. Along the front of the arcade is a fun range of kiddie rides for parents with small children to enjoy, making for a perfect photo opportunity with loved ones. 

Claw Machines

Also near the front of the arcade are several claw machines, including versions of Skill Cut and also ‘Prize every time’ grabbers. Delving further into the amusements, visitors can discover a nice range of E-Claw machines with branded plush prizes such as Lil & Stitch and Minecraft teddies. Keen eyes will also spot ‘Find a Key’ golden egg grabbers, the visual delight of Toy Box Catcher and Winfall Revolution. 

Coin Pushers

There is no shortage of exciting coin pushers in this venue, and it seems that most pay out tickets generously. They have Strike Ten, Space Invaders, Lady Bug, Monopoly Gold, Pac-Man, Simpsons Donut Daze, Jurassic Park and Clockwork Oranges. They also have Temple of Tickets and Pharaoh's Golden Ticket, both with upper feature boards for big ticket prizes. 

Fans of modern coin pushers will also love the fantastic range of closed-loop and hybrid machines that are on offer for more exciting ways to win tickets. Closed-loop coin pushers include a four-player DC Superheroes game, where players can also win trading cards, a Tornado coin stacker and Tower Island. They also have the fun ball pusher Ocean Party for pusher fans to enjoy. 

Children’s Arcade Games

Standout arcade games for children in this venue include a Sweetland Premia, which is a crane game, where players can win sweets and chocolate. They also have a Go Go Pony kiddie ride, which is a modern version of the classic kiddie ride, but with a screen that takes the rider on a little adventure. More fun options include a Chupa Chups lolly crane and a classic capsule bouncy ball vending machine. For the smallest of players, there is also a mini football table foosball game for younger siblings to enjoy. Families with multiple children might also enjoy the four-player Hungry Hungry Hippos game, which is a larger version of the classic board game.

Classic Arcade Games

Playtime Amusements has a great range of classic arcade games, and these include two rare classic roll-down machines: The Simpsons Kooky Carnival (which is a visual delight for pinball fans) and a ‘Back of the Net’ football-themed roll-down, with the ability to win tickets with both. Another unique machine is called ‘Pull my Finger’ and the aim of this game is to pull the monkey's finger and get the ball into the cave (random, we know). Classic arcade shooting games include Jurassic Park Arcade, The Walking Dead and also the rare ‘Let’s Go Jungle’ machine from Sega. Air hockey fans will also love the Dynamo Hot Flash table at one pound per play. There is also a Deal or No Deal Quiz Machine.

Fairground Games

For fans of competitive fairground games, there is a great selection of trials here for anyone looking to smash high scores or claim bragging rights over friends. Playtime has Down the Clown, Bean Bag Toss and a two-player Lane Master bowling game. Sports fans will also enjoy the three-player competitive Sonic Allstars basketball arcade game, where high scores make winners. If single player mode is favoured, then check out the All In and Power Roll games, which pay out tickets for skill and precision. 

Big Arcade Machines

Go big or go home! The Playtime venue has some big machines, and these include a Power Drop X-treme and a four-player Derby Day. Sports fans will also love the World Football Pro, and classic shooter fans will enjoy the two-player Space Invaders on the big screen.

High Strikers

Playtime Amusements has the fun Whack-n-Win high striker, where players have to time their hit with just the right amount of force to win big ticket prizes. 

Wheel Spinners

Playtime Arcade has both Big Bass Wheel Pro and Scooby Doo ‘Where are you?’ wheel spinners available for players to try and win big ticket jackpots. There is the ever-popular Wheel of Fortune and Monopoly Go wheel spinners, where players can win up to 1500 tickets!

VR Machines

Fans of VR machines will love the two-player VR Shark machine and also the Mad Wave Motion Theatre, which is a simulator machine (kind of like the precursor to modern VR).

Ticket Slot Machines

There is an interesting range of ticket slot machines in this venue, and these include several triple-rows, including Ticket Raider, Pieces of Eight and Freddie’s Vacation. There are also some interesting standalone ticket fruit/slot machines, including two arch-top Adders & Ladders and a modern OXO Tickets. 

£5 Jackpot Fruit Machines

Perhaps one of the main strengths of Playtime Amusements is the huge range of different £5 jackpot fruit machines that they have under one roof. They have the monstrous four-player Deal or No Deal Bankers offer and also quad sit-down versions of Party Games, Party Time Arena, Adders & Ladders and Gold Rush. 

There are also several triple-row machines, including Party Time, Gold Rush, and Batman Begins. There are so many standalone fruit machines which are a treat for enthusiasts, and these include classics such as High Spirits, The Mob, Homers Meltdown and Monopoly by Bell Fruit. There are also quite a few retro fruit machines from the 1980s, and these include Super Line Up, High Spirits and a £5 jackpot Joker Poker video poker game.

Casino Slots

There is a ramp and door from the £5 jackpot fruit machine area that leads to the adult gaming venue. Inside, there is a huge casino gaming area with a vast array of different fruit and slot machines. Not only do they have the latest digital casino slot machines from Blueprint Gaming and Novomatic, but they also have community machines such as Hot Slots and Rainbow Riches in modern cabinets. 

There are also rows of standalone Blueprint Gaming terminals with large screens offering both £100 and £500 jackpots. There are Skill Ball Deluxe machines and also Find the Lady video poker machines. Fans of mechanical fruit machines will be happy to find several big jackpot sit-down machines, including two rows of Party Time, Party Games, Bullion Bars and Pure Gold. There is also a fine selection of retro Bar-X style arch-top machines and a change kiosk with refreshments provided. 

Venue Verdict

Playtime Amusement Arcade offers a well-balanced mix of machines to suit fans of all types of arcade games. It’s an ideal spot for families, with plenty to keep kids entertained, from two-pence pushers to ticket redemption games. For adult visitors, there’s an impressive selection of fruit and slot machines, including vast Cat D and over-18 sections. The generous spacing between machines helps avoid that cramped feeling, even on busy days. A highly recommended venue in the heart of Leysdown’s tourist area.

Featured Machine: The Simpsons Kookey Carnival