I Didn’t Expect a Game About Doing Laundry to Make Me Want a Sequel, But Here We Are

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I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this game before! My wife and I were at a birthday party recently, and a friend—who I often talk games with—told me about Arcade Paradise. It’s a management sim where you run a laundromat that secretly houses an arcade you can expand. I usually keep up with new releases, so I was surprised I’d never come across it. Turns out, it’s been out since 2022! The more he described it, the more interested I became. I already enjoy management games, but the retro vibe—taking me back to the late 80s and early 90s—combined with everyday tasks and the sound of a laundromat? That sounds perfect.

After seeing the game, I immediately bought Arcade Paradise on Steam. I wasn’t even home yet, but I knew I had to have it and wanted it downloaded and ready to play as soon as I got back. When I finally started the game, the title screen, with its *Stranger Thingsesque music, instantly grabbed my attention. I quickly became completely engrossed, whether I was doing simple tasks for customers like laundry or cleaning gum, or actually playing the arcade games within the game. I’ve now spent many hours with it, and I’m already hoping for a sequel – and I know a lot of other players feel the same way.

Arcade Paradise Is Half Laundromat, Half Arcade Dream

I recently discovered a game called Racer Chaser that’s a fun mix of Grand Theft Auto and Pac-Man, and I’m completely hooked – whenever I have a free moment between doing laundry, that is!

Imagine a game like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, but instead of running a farm, you’re in charge of a laundromat. In Arcade Paradise, your dad – who doesn’t have much faith in you – asks you to manage his laundromat, King Wash. It perfectly captures the feel of a 90s laundromat – I could almost feel the heat from the dryers and smell the clean laundry! However, it’s definitely seen better days. The place is a bit rundown, with broken tiles, old appliances, and a truly unpleasant bathroom.

While cleaning up, you find a key to a hidden arcade and discover it’s surprisingly more profitable than your dad’s laundromat. When he refuses to let you expand the arcade, you decide to go ahead with the project anyway, with a little help from a friend. Arcade Paradise then becomes a game where you balance running the laundromat with a thriving arcade, and it’s up to you whether you focus on work or play.

Arcade Paradise’s Features at a Glance

  • MANAGEMENT SIM: Arcade Paradise is a business management game focused on running and growing a profitable arcade.
  • PLAYABLE ARCADE GAMES: The game features over 35 fully playable arcade cabinets spanning multiple retro genres.
  • LAUNDROMAT TO ARCADE: Players begin with a functioning laundromat and gradually convert it into a full arcade.
  • DAILY CHORES LOOP: Players complete chores like laundry, trash collection, and cleaning to earn money.
  • BUSINESS UPGRADES: Profits are reinvested into new machines, floor space expansions, and arcade improvements.
  • LOCAL MULTIPLAYER: Select arcade cabinets support local co-op and competitive multiplayer.
  • RETRO 90s AESTHETIC: The presentation draws heavily from 1990s arcade culture and classic game design.
  • ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK: A licensed and original soundtrack reinforces the game’s nostalgic tone.
  • LEADERBOARDS AND SCORES: Arcade machines include high-score tracking and leaderboard competition.

I absolutely adore Arcade Paradise, and what really gets me is how it perfectly mixes the satisfying feeling of running a business – like those management sims we all know – with the pure fun of playing classic arcade games. It reminds me so much of high school, when my friend and I would hang out at the Pink Laundry before parades, killing time with Pac-Man on their arcade machine. Arcade Paradise lets me experience those memories again, and combined with all the things you can do – completing tasks, expanding the business, and just soaking in the vibe – that’s why it’s such a special game for me.

The game starts with a surprisingly captivating loop: you load laundry, run the wash, transfer it to the dryer, and then fold it. The faster you work, the better your score and the more money you earn per load. But things really get interesting when you unlock the arcade and start expanding – that’s when you’ll have a lot more to manage to maximize your profits.

Once you get going in Arcade Paradise, the gameplay settles into a satisfying rhythm of making small improvements and building momentum. Playing the retro arcade games isn’t just a distraction – it’s key to your business! Achieving high scores and completing challenges directly increases how much money each game cabinet earns. You’ll find yourself wanting to play ‘just one more game,’ not only because they’re fun, but because it boosts your profits. You’re also constantly optimizing the arcade layout, moving machines around to maximize space and customer flow. Plus, you get to build your dream arcade by purchasing new games through a delightfully clunky 90s computer with dial-up internet. And with a game like Racer Chaser – a wild mix of Grand Theft Auto and Pac-Man – you know I was hooked, even between doing chores!

As you earn more money in Arcade Paradise, the gameplay shifts towards improving and expanding your arcade. You can buy upgrades like better shoes to move faster, hire staff to collect money for you, and even turn the small back room into a larger arcade area. These improvements make running your business smoother without taking away the fun of being involved. Seeing the arcade grow and become more efficient is really rewarding. By this point, Arcade Paradise truly delivers on what it promises, which is why I found myself wanting even more to do as I started to complete everything.

Arcade Paradise Needs a Sequel

The foundation is already there and clearly capable of supporting something bigger.

What’s frustrating about Arcade Paradise is that it ends right when it’s becoming truly great. You finally unlock the ability to really customize and improve your arcade – you have the space, the tools, and the know-how – but the game stops you from taking it any further. It sets up complex systems that could support more long-term goals and deeper customization, but then doesn’t let you explore them fully. This creates a feeling of hitting a limit, and it strongly suggests that the game has a solid foundation for a much larger sequel.

I’ve been really enjoying Arcade Paradise, and it’s clear I’m not alone! Online communities like Reddit and the Steam forums are full of players hoping for a sequel, like this post from user JoeyTheMadScientist. We’re not just asking for more arcade games to add in – we want to see the game’s unique concept fully realized. Arcade Paradise has shown what’s possible, and a sequel could be amazing. There’s so much potential for the game, including more ways to customize things, the ability to explore the town, expanding to multiple laundromats, and even a more in-depth storyline.

It’s unclear if the developers of Arcade Paradise, Nosebleed Interactive, are currently working on a sequel. They previously responded to a question about a follow-up with a standard, non-committal statement, saying they have nothing to announce. This doesn’t rule out a sequel, and might just mean it’s not in development yet. I’m really hoping they do make another one, as I enjoyed the game a lot. For now, I’ll keep virtually doing laundry for endless customers and playing arcade games until I’ve completed everything the game has to offer.

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2026-01-16 22:08