PLNU is attempting to reach out in a fun, innovative way this school year. The Green Room Arcade, located in Nicholson Commons across from Breaker’s Market, attracts students as a new meeting place and creative outlet.
Nicholson Commons’ director, Milton Karahadian, needed to find a suitable replacement for the 15-year-old, on-campus radio station studio space next to the Jamba Juice.
“[It] was vacant for quite a while, and I really thought that we could best use it by doing something fun in there and by putting in a video arcade,” Karahadian said.
The Green Room Arcade was not the only consideration for the space though.
“I thought about a laundry drop off and pick up for students, faculty, and staff—a kind of service.” Karahadian said.
But the philosophy behind choosing an arcade was more appealing to Karahadian.
“I think it can be a part of a gathering place. It’s in a centrally located area to draw people in there,” Karahadian said. “It doesn’t make a lot of money; it’s just for fun basically. It’s another emotional outlet for someone to blow some steam.”
Green Room Arcade planning began last winter and construction took place over the summer. According to Karahadian, the room now features green carpet walls “to give it a nineties feel,” black and fluorescent lighting, new paint, a change machine and four different systems housing ten games: “Area 51,” “Marvel vs. Capcom 2,” “Pozzle de Pon,” “Metal Slug,” “Bust-A-Move,” “World Heroes,” “The Ultimate 11,” “The King of Fighters 2000,” “Super Sidekicks 2,” and “Shock Troopers.”
Each game is one to two players and costs 25 cents.
The university owns one machine; the other three are rented. Profits will be split with the supplier, San Diego Games and PLNU.
They will go towards paying off the machines, replacing money in the change machine, and future projects in Nicholson Commons. The $800 project cost came from the Nicholson Commons operating budget.
Students J.J. Paul and Russell Wood were also involved in the development of the Green Room Arcade. Both were building managers over the summer, but Wood still holds the position and is in charge of marketing for the arcade.
“I was the one who selected all the games,” said Wood. “I picked games from my childhood that I still enjoy today.”
His favorite being “Marvel vs. Capcom 2.”
Paul assisted with selecting the games and made a confession.
“I’m probably the biggest regular,” he said.
But if students don’t feel the same way they do about the games, there is room for improvement.
“We have the option of changing games out if things aren’t doing well there, so we can get more of a consensus on what students want,” Wood said.
But that won’t be necessary for senior Cody Jung who spends about 30 minutes a day in the arcade.
“There’s nothing I would change; it’s wonderful. Actually, I would get the change machine working, but really there’s one down the hall so it doesn’t matter,” Jung said.
