From collection to retro arcade: Press Start

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Press Start in downtown Rapid City offers more than 100 arcade games for people of all ages.

Some of the earliest and most popular arcade games include Space Invaders and Pac Man , and you can find those here at Press Start in Rapid City.

"You're going to come into this retro world as soon as you step foot into Press Start," said Marc Linn, owner of Press Start.

Press Start has two floors full of games for people to play.

The top floor includes more modern games where you can win tickets, but you can find classic games in the retro dungeon.

"I want you to step back in time when you step down in this basement. It's the retro dungeon, it feels like a dungeon feel of some old arcade, you walk in, look around, and you spot something you remember," Marc said.

Keeping that retro feel all games at Press Start take quarters to play.

"It's part of the charm, right? There's very few places in the entire World that still use coins," said Michael Linn, also owner of Press Start.

The Linn brothers wanted to keep the originality of the games by accepting quarters and not switching to card readers like a majority of arcades.

"So instead of having card readers destroy it, we let people with their drinks destroy them," Michael said.

Press Start offers a full bar and food menu to guests. As well as, turns into a club Friday and Saturday nights.

Although the Linn brothers were against converting to a club at night, they eventually gave in after people would move aside tables to make a dance floor.

"Let's give them what they want, but if we're going to do it, let's do it safe. So we made sure we had security and just up'd everything up so it could be a safe environment," Marc said.

"We don't make it real dark," Michael said.

"Yeah it's not super dark, but it is fun and inviting," Marc said.

Before Press Start expanded upstairs, it started in the basement of the current location under the Kol restaurant.

However, once COVID-19 hit, the restaurant closed down.

"It went from Marc's little fun downstairs, you know hidden sort of speakeasy arcade to all of a sudden this big place," Michael said.

What makes this place more unique besides the quarter arcade games, is most of the games in Press Start were part of Marc's collection.

"This was just a hobby, I didn't expect this to blow up like this. This is my hobby that got out of control," Marc said.

You can still play one of the first games Marc purchased.