While many gamers enjoy playing Fortnite or Valorant on their home consoles, a big part of the culture is going to the arcade, experiencing the bright lights and culture, and competing with other players. Gamers in Stockton have a new option, and the games they have provide a lot of entertainment.

Arcade Replay is located on El Dorado street, and has been open for five months. 

The games are of all types but mainly have racing and fighting games. 

The machines are all in good condition and some games are even more eye-catching than others, with some being imported from Japan, and not being a typical game you would usually see in a regular arcade. The games are very unique and have their own type of vibe. 

One of the games that get a lot of attention is “Initial D” which is a Japanese racing game that follows the anime. According to the owner, people will usually come in and go straight to that game and will play for several rounds. The game even attracts a crowd. 

But along with games, Arcade Replay also hosts tournaments, which people can sign up for and compete with others. Their biggest one has been for Tekken , which had up to 50 people participate during the last tournament. They also do birthday parties and party events. 

Owner Sebastain Saldana said, “What the arcade has made for the community is like a second house, a second home.” The place has a very homey energy, which can be felt in the friendly employees, the good choice of snacks, and the other games like pool creating a comfortable atmosphere. 

Saldana said “I have some of these customers, they come in from work and come in here and hang out and talk… and that’s what I like to see.” 

Saldana said “I have some of these customers, they come in from work and come in here and hang out and talk… and that’s what I like to see.” 

The history of this arcade comes from the El Dorado Flea Market. At that location, Saldana started selling electronic devices such as cassette tapes for music. But when smart devices came out they were slowly losing 

“Right around the time the iPod came out, the decline of CD´s happened, and nobody bought them any more,” Saldana said. But luckily, he also owned a Dance Dance Revolution machine that was operated in the next door arcade which made good earnings. 

When the owner of that arcade started closing down, Saldana said, “I had just the ridiculous idea of ‘Hey, why don’t we just buy the arcade from them?'” That plan worked, and they have been there ever since. September will be the 10 year anniversary at

“They appreciate what we put together here,” Saldana said. The feedback they have gotten so far has been positive, with Arcade Replay having a 5-star rating on Google with 38 total reviews. However, Saldana feels they are still unknown to most. “People still don’t know the place that well.” 

Saladana said, “I would like to quit my day time job and do this full time, this is my passion.” 

Those who would like to see the history and the development of the arcade can check their social media @ARCADE_REPLAY.

https://www.youtube.com/@Arcade_Replay/videos