Arcades and amusement centres in central Singapore

Central Singapore has a handful of arcades and amusement centres that work well for an afternoon when the children need to run, climb or press buttons for a few hours. This guide covers four of them, from a virtual reality venue in a Chinatown shophouse to a shopping-centre arcade with mini bowling and bumper cars. To choose, think about what your children enjoy most, whether you need to book ahead, and how you plan to travel there.

VR WORLD Singapore, Outram

VR WORLD Singapore | Virtual Reality Escape Room | Virtual Reality Arcade is set inside a heritage shophouse at 8A Sago Street in Chinatown. It brings together VR escape rooms, multiplayer arcade games and laser tag under one roof, all indoors.

The venue is near Maxwell and Chinatown MRT stations, which makes it a simple trip by train. Parking is also available.

A few things to sort out first:

• Sessions should be booked online in advance. There is a booking calendar showing available session times.
• The venue is cashless. Online payment is used for bookings, and PayNow is accepted for walk-in sessions.
• Toilets and lockers are on site, and the space is air-conditioned.

Birthday parties get private room access for two hours, with the option to extend. Packages can include 5, 10 or more VR stations, a dedicated host and mystery door gifts for the guests.

Timezone SC VivoCity

Timezone SC VivoCity - Bowling, Arcades and Parties is on Level 2 of VivoCity, near the main atrium. Alongside the arcade games and claw machines it has VR games, music games, mini bowling and bumper cars, so there is a mix of things to try in one visit.

Getting there is straightforward. VivoCity is directly connected to HarbourFront MRT station, and signs lead to Level 2. If you drive, park on any level of the VivoCity car park and take the escalator or lift up to Level 2.

Birthday party packages here need a minimum of five guests and include a party host, unlimited play time, claw games and e-tickets for the children. A party room is available.

Kidodo Space, VR Galaxy, Downtown Core

Kidodo Space｜VR Galaxy is an indoor play space in the Downtown Core. The playground has a 5-metre spiral slide, interactive ball-spraying machines and a mini supermarket set up for pretend play, so it suits children who want to climb and role-play rather than sit at a screen.

The venue takes birthday party bookings on both weekdays and weekends, and it also hosts school field trips. Field trips need a minimum of 10 children, and party bookings are confirmed with a deposit to hold the date, so plan ahead if you are organising a group.

Cow Play Cow Moo, Toa Payoh

Cow Play Cow Moo is the Toa Payoh outlet of an arcade chain with several branches around Singapore, including others in the central region at Suntec City, 313@Somerset and Bishan. This means you can pick whichever branch is closest to home.

The arcade runs a membership card system. Children need to be at least 6 years old to hold a card, and a card cannot be combined with another member's card, so each child who wants one will need their own.

For birthdays, there is a party room that can be dressed up in a chosen theme such as Disney Frozen, Winnie the Pooh or Stitch. The themed set-up includes LED backdrops, balloon decor, coordinated tables and goodie bags.

Practical points before you go

• Booking: VR WORLD asks visitors to book sessions online in advance, and Kidodo Space needs a deposit to confirm party and field trip dates. Timezone party packages have a minimum of five guests.
• Payment: VR WORLD is cashless, with PayNow accepted for walk-ins. Cow Play Cow Moo uses a membership card, which children aged 6 and above can hold.
• Getting there: VR WORLD is near Maxwell and Chinatown MRT, and Timezone VivoCity connects directly to HarbourFront MRT. Both also have parking.
• Parties: all four venues host birthday parties. VR WORLD, Timezone VivoCity and Cow Play Cow Moo each have a party room, and Cow Play Cow Moo offers themed decorations.
• Indoors: VR WORLD and Kidodo Space are fully indoor venues, with VR WORLD also air-conditioned and offering toilets and lockers on site.