Bar Guide 2014: Ground Kontrol

By KATHRYN PEIFER

Ground Kontrol

511 NW Couch St., 796-9364, groundkontrol.com. Noon-2:30 am daily.

"Thank you, Mario! But your princess is in another castle. Sucker!" That castle, known as Ground Kontrol, opened in 1999 and has gamers drooling over Donkey Kong, Dig Dug and the oldest game in the lot, 1979's Asteroids. The whole sticky first floor of Ground Kontrol is dedicated to over 60 classic video games, while the second floor follows a quick trip up a LED blue-light stairway that seems to reverberate as you ascend to the floor with 27 Nintendo pinball machines for those who can't wait to party like it's 1999 with '90s pinball classics—excluding six machines released in the 2000s. On a deck suspended above the first floor, a DJ scratches what sounds like techno video-game beats. Order a beer with a side of Classic Nachos ($4) and take a seat at the illuminated tables to end a night of hardcore thumb action. KATHRYN PEIFER.

Happy hour: 5-7 pm daily. $1 off beer and wine.
Entertainment: Arcade, pinball and Rock Band karaoke on Tuesday.

WWeek 2015

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