Well Played Games — Attraction in Greenville

This is probably the coolest place I've been in Greenville. I will be taking my kids here regularly for the arcade in particular but I would've loved for something like this to have existed when I was in college for the tabletop side of things.

I have zero complaints whatsoever but here are the things I learned on my first visit with my kids (ages 4 and 7) that will make my next visit even better:

Arcade games work on a token system and the token machine is cash only.

I didn't think to count my tokens to confirm how many I got for $10 but I think it worked out to slightly cheaper than 25 cents per token

$5 per kid could very easily stretch into well over an hour of entertainment if you play your coins right

1 token games: There's a line of one-token kit arcades that you could easily spend your entire visit on. Marvel vs Capcom 2, Super Street Fighter IV, Tetris, and two that are loaded with just about every old school arcade game you could hope for (I was very happy to show the kids two of my favorites from my childhood: The Simpsons and TMNT4: Turtles in Time). I also noticed NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat 3 in original cabinets but didn't get to play them.

2 tokens: I think the dancing game and some sort of tank game were 2 tokens each and we will definitely try them next time

3 tokens: Time Crisis 5 co-op shooting game and a racing game both felt like an absolute steal for only 3 tokens each. The racing game will likely become the big favorite in the future.

4 tokens: A crane game (with cooler stuffies than most crane games) and Ninja Turtles pinball were both 4 tokens. Pinball surprised me because the coin slot says 25 cents and the screen says 1 Credit but then after we put in a token it changed to "1/4" and I'm not good enough at pinball for it to be worth that much to me usually, but it's a super cool machine that's based on the 80s Turtles while clearly being a newer machine. There is also a Mandalorian machine that is equally cool that I would assume is the same cost.

5 tokens: Minecraft Dungeons was the most expensive game at 5 tokens (4 tokens to continue), but gives a collectible card with each play that can be scanned into the game as a power up and is just generally cooler than any arcade game I played growing up

This isn't everything, just everything that interested me or the kids the first visit and even if it WERE everything it would be more...

Greenville, NC is generally not home to things like videogames or games like D&D, and that is one of the reasons why a place like Well Played Games is freaking awesome. There are of course things to do in this city, but WPG is that niche spot that has a bit of it all. Knowledgeable owner, an arcade (in 2024!) with a flat rate for play, fantastic food, and “old school” videogames for sale are just a smattering of why WPG was my go-to when I lived in the area.

I want to focus on the fantastic food menu for a bit. WPD offers fresh, made-to-order meals at reasonable prices, making it the perfect spot to grab a bite. McDonalds is overpriced, DoorDash rips you a new one, and I can eat while I play? F-ing sold. From burgers, mac n cheese, and a host of other selections that never disappoint, the quality and variety of the food are truly remarkable IN A DARN GAMING STORE!

I’ve talked to the manager for hours and he is extremely knowledgeable about all things gaming, D&D and other tabletop games. He is always available to help you find the right game or give you a fair price on trade-ins. Anyone who comes in and tries to give one-star reviews of this place because they didn’t find a controller for pennies on the dollar are just detached from reality. Those are the reviews you have to just disregard because that person wanted something that they’ll never find in any place either in-person or online and are just so butt-hurt they leave a negative review.

The whole store provides a great space to enjoy your food while watching others play, and the whole place buzzes with energy and excitement when tournaments are happening. Whether you're visiting solo or with friends and family, Well Played Games is a fantastic store for the Greenville area. It's the perfect blend of gaming nostalgia and food, all wrapped up in one amazing spot. Highly...

Pretty great selection considering this is Greenville. Ps1 games selection could be bigger and theres not many import games but I suppose that's a nitpick. The staff are really helpful, even if not as knowledgeable as one would hope for such a niche store. They have a great, albeit realistic, selection of arcade machines which is really just a bonus if you ask me. Prices to play them are a little steep ($10 per head on a saturday) considering the age of the machines even if you do get unlimited time to do it..guess the value just depends on the amount of time you spend there.

Of course this is a one of a kind place so it's not fair to compare too much with shops I've seen in bigger cities. Definitely beats Trade-It since they stopped caring about stocking retro games. My last note would be regarding the prices of consoles...$40 for a PS1 and $75 for a Dreamcast is a bit steep imo, when it's easier than ever to go online and find a deal. But I honestly dont mind paying a little extra if it means supporting a local shop like this, so that's really not a complaint.

I dont mean to come to across as too negative with this review, I love the shop and want to see them succeed and stick around Greenville for a while, even if I dont. Just easier to find things that bugged me I suppose. Highly...