One of the most intense fights of my life happened at a bar in Mexico City, Mexico. Several onlookers gathered around what seemed to be an out-of-place boxing ring at the bar called La Riña. There, they would see me engage in a showdown against Axel Ramirez, where I reigned victorious after a three-round match, resulting in a knockout.
It was the culmination of my rigorous training at the Delphi Boxing Gym in Los Angeles, California. After about a three-minute workout that comprised running on a treadmill and learning combos, I knew I was ready to take on some of the toughest opponents like Luke O’Grady and Rocky Balboa.
It’s at this point that I must clarify that I did not make an almost 27-hour drive to California, but rather a 20-minute one to Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade, located at 1026 North Germantown Parkway in Cordova. Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade is Memphis’ first and only virtual reality arcade.
“It’s like playing games on steroids,” explains Crystal Walton of Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade. “Instead of playing games with your fingers, you are a part of the game. When it comes to throwing a ball, you are literally throwing a ball. When there are zombies attacking you feel like you’re fixing to get eaten. It is a more intense way of playing games. You can be a part of the game, instead of just playing the game.”
As someone who grew up in the Just Dance and Michael Jackson:The Experience era, I thought I had lived through a video game renaissance. There, I’d be taken to some of the elaborate dance floors and music video sets, where I’d simply mirror the actions of the players on screen. However, after 45-minutes of virtual reality, I realized I had experienced something far more extraordinary than the dance battles my siblings and I held in our living room.
I arrived 15 minutes prior to my appointment time, where I sat through a thorough yet comprehendible orientation on how to use the two controllers, and how the headset worked. As Walton walked me through the process, she showed me a small hole in the wall. This hole was not the result of natural wear and tear, but according to Walton, it was a testament to the surreal experience of the game itself. She goes on to tell me a story about how an older customer was fighting zombies and ran into the wall. Better the wall than your brain, right?
Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade offers over 60 games, with options for both single and multiplayer modes. With a plethora of titles and experiences to choose from, such as Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality and Propagation (Walton’s son Lucas’ personal recommendation), you’re bound to find something to settle your virtual reality appetite.
“When somebody’s come in here and they’ve had a hard day, they put that headset on, and their mood changes from ‘eh’ to ‘yay,’ it’s an amazing experience for me to see them change,” Walton said. “I have first-timers that come in here that are like ‘yeah, whatever,’ then they put that headset on and their face immediately changes with the biggest smile on their face saying, ‘oh yeah, I’m coming back.’”
The arcade also offers PC repair and upgrade services, while also facilitating the sales of new and old gaming PCs.
