When I found out that a brand new VR arcade called Gamrz Delight had opened recently at Dezerland Park in Orlando, Florida, I just had to check it out with my family during our trip there last month. As the principal software engineer at Meta, VR innovation is my passion, so my expectations were high for this premiere VR arcade.
After perusing their website and reading some initial reviews, I was even more stoked to experience their cutting-edge VR racing setup with comfortable seating, responsive steering wheels, and easy-to-use clutches. The promise of captivating virtual worlds and adrenaline-fueled gameplay had my inner gaming nerd doing backflips! With over 40 modern and retro arcade games on top of the VR, plus pool tables, ping pong, and more, it seemed like gamer heaven for both me and my kids.
First Impressions
After arriving at Dezerland Park, it was super easy to find the Gamrz Delight entrance tucked inside the massive Pinball Palace arcade. My son John and I instantly high-fived when we stepped inside the dim mood lighting and saw rows of pulsing neon videogames and the insane amount of screens everywhere! It was gamer eye candy to the max, I tell ya.
We were greeted right away by a staff member named Rick, who could totally tell we were geeking out hard by the sheer joy plastered on our faces. He chuckled at our enthusiasm and gave us the full lowdown on everything Gamrz Delight has to offer. My daughter Jenette was already obsessed with the retro games section, fawning over the vintage Super Mario Brothers and Pac-Man consoles from our childhood.
When I asked about the VR, Rick directed us toward their dedicated racing setup with outrageously cool mockup nascar seats that had me itching to strap in. He explained that they feature a library of VR racing games to choose from, both realistic driving simulators and more fantastical options. You can race on regular tracks or even underwater and outer space themes…how epic is that?!
After getting our wristbands, which gave us unlimited arcade play, we dove right into testing out games. I made a beeline for the VR, of course, while Jenette grabbed the adjacent 2-player dance game and John took off to shoot some zombies. Patty, my lovely wife, was content to watch our bags while catching up on some reading. Gotta love that she humors my gaming addiction!
The Good Stuff
I’ll get right to it – the VR racing blew my mind! The visuals were stunningly crisp and immersive, easily on par with my Oculus Rift and HTC Vive at home. I felt fully transported as I selected a game called Lunar Speedway. Suddenly, I was seated in a slick hovercraft cockpit surrounded by glowing neon lights and swirling starscapes outside the windows. So rad!
As I gazed around, taking it all in, I literally flinched when a friendly alien voice welcomed me over the speakers and ran through the controls. I laughed at my reaction and wrapped my hands around the wheel, amazed at how solid and responsive it felt. Tiny details like rumble strips lining the track completed the illusion and fully immersed me in this interstellar environment.
Once the light turned green, I slammed the gas pedal and was pinned back against the seat as my craft shot forward, zipping through a futuristic city. The motion felt totally realistic and reactive, including having to brake hard for sharp turns. Let me tell you, narrowly avoiding crashing headfirst into buildings at 500 mph gets the adrenaline pumping!
Over the race, I got to experience barrel rolling through asteroid belts, getting sideswiped by alien racers trying to make me spin out, and attempting to keep pace with a shrieking AI racer that sounded straight out of Star Wars. It was such a blast! Even when I wrecked spectacularly in the final stretch, going for the gold, I had a huge grin plastered on my face.
But the VR isn’t the only thing Gamrz Delight has going for it. With 10 racing titles and genres to choose from plus rotating seasonal options, VR fans will be kept busy for hours. No matter what we were playing, from air hockey to ski ball to DDR, the variety was top-notch. All the games ran smoothly with no issues or bugs, which is an unfortunate rarity with arcades.
We also really appreciated little touches like the multi-charging stations mounted between games so phones and devices stay powered. Comfy lounge seating scattered throughout and chill background music made this place perfect for hanging out. Honestly, between the games and atmosphere, it was hard getting my family to leave even when the park closed! We made some very happy memories at Gamrz Delight that we’ll cherish forever.
The Not-So-Good
As awesome as our experience was the majority of the time, Gamrz Delight wasn’t without a few negatives. The first bummer was realizing VR time is very limited to 30-minute sessions. Considering the fee for VR on top of entry, having to re-queue after barely getting warmed up wasn’t the best.
I definitely wished they offered lengthier passes since most races were only 5 minutes tops. Nothing hurts more than finally getting your racing groove on just as times up! An hour minimum would be way more satisfying. Since they currently only have one VR pod, time limitations make sense from a crowd flow perspective I guess. But with how popular the VR was, investing in a couple more rigs would really take things up a notch.
We also noticed the service quality was hit or miss depending on who was working. For example, as I was about to step into the VR for round two, a manager came over to say the area was closed for maintenance with no explanation or estimation of reopening.
With at least 10 disappointed people turned away, you could feel the vibe shift to frustration, especially considering the VR’s separate fee. No apologies or placations were really offered either, leaving a sour taste on the whole situation. Thankfully, another employee noticed the turmoil and helped diffuse things, even handing out free arcade coins to those affected. But the manager could’ve handled things much better.
Finally, while the game and station upkeep was excellent, the lounge seating definitely needs some TLC in the cleanliness department. Considering that VR racing games can induce motion sickness for some, easy access to unsullied resting spots is key. So, while the lounge concept adds major ambiance points, Gamrz Delight should consider tossing a few chairs and giving everything a deep sanitization regularly. Lounging is crucial for marathon gaming!
The Verdict
At the end of visiting Gamrz Delight, would I say it lived up to the hype and claims of being Orlando’s premier arcade and ultimate gaming destination? For the most part – Yes! Its extensive variety of modern and retro games truly wowed me as a gamer along with my family.
The VR racing absolutely delivered an unparalleled experience that transformed ordinary arcade excitement into full-blown immersion. When everything was operating smoothly, Gamrz Delight achieved that gamer’s paradise vibe. I lost hours without it realizing from pure enjoyment, which is the hallmark of a great arcade.
That said, there’s definitely still room for improvement, especially regarding VR functionality and customer service relations when issues arise. Solving those limitations would truly help Gamrz Delight level up to the proclaimed status of Orlando’s best.
Considering they just opened though, I’m hopeful management will continue honing operations over time. With the guts of a stellar arcade already firmly in place, ironing out the kinks could help this diamond in the rough positively shine bright enough to rival any competition.
For me, even with the few drawbacks, I wholeheartedly enjoyed our time at Gamrz Delight thanks to the VR thrills and overall gameplay excitement. My kids can’t stop begging to return which says a lot! So I have to give major gamer cred to Dezerland Park for taking a chance on this inventive concept.