The Game Preserve NASA
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
The Game Preserve NASA offers an extensive collection of retro arcade and pinball machines with an all-day free play model after a single entry fee. It's a family-friendly venue that particularly excels for birthday parties, offering private rooms with amenities and flexible duration. It also appeals to adults seeking nostalgic gaming experiences and families with children aged 4-13.
Key Highlights
- ✓Extensive selection of retro arcade and pinball machines available for unlimited play.
- ✓All-day free play with a single, affordable entry fee ($15).
- ✓BYO (Bring Your Own) food and drink policy, including BYOB for beverages.
- ✓Clean facilities with hand sanitizer readily provided.
- ✓Excellent option for hosting children's birthday parties, featuring private party rooms.
- ✓Birthday party rooms include amenities like a refrigerator, tables, chairs, and private bathrooms for 'little ones'.
- ✓Birthday party packages are described as 'way more cost effective' than other local options.
- ✓Party duration is flexible: 2 hours in the room and all-day access to gaming.
Standout Features
- ⭐Unlimited, all-day free play after paying the single $15 entry fee.
- ⭐Generous BYO food and drink policy, offering flexibility for families and budget-conscious parents.
- ⭐Dedicated birthday party rooms equipped with a refrigerator, tables, chairs, and private bathrooms specifically for younger children.
- ⭐Wide variety of classic arcade games and pinball machines catering to different tastes.
- ⭐Free music controls available for guests to choose songs, adding to the atmosphere.
- ⭐The venue is noted for being clean and providing hand sanitizer.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Consider The Game Preserve NASA as a cost-effective and flexible option for birthday parties for children aged 4-13.
- →If hosting a birthday party, inquire about 'Dan's Pizza' for delivery, as it came recommended by the staff.
- →Be prepared that a small percentage of games, particularly pinball machines (up to 50% of the ~30 available), might be non-functional during your visit.
- →Take advantage of the BYO food and drink policy to save money on refreshments or to accommodate picky eaters.
- →Parents seeking a nostalgic experience might find this a great date night or family outing with older children.
Things to Consider
- ⚠A noticeable percentage of games (approximately 10%) were reported as non-functional, having glitches, or being shut off.
- ⚠Specifically, up to 50% of the approximately 30 pinball machines (roughly 15 machines) were reported non-functional during one visit.
- ⚠One reviewer expressed a wish for a larger pinball selection, despite the existing variety.
Price & Value
$15 entry fee provides unlimited, all-day free play on all machines, offering excellent value for an extended visit. Birthday parties are specifically highlighted as 'way more cost effective than other options in the area,' including 2 hours in a private room with amenities and all-day gaming access. The BYO food and drink policy further enhances value by allowing families to save on refreshments.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations for special needs mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •BYO (Bring Your Own) food and drink is explicitly allowed for general visits, including BYOB for beverages.
- •Light snacks are available for purchase on-site.
- •Pizza delivery was facilitated for a birthday party, indicating flexibility with outside food for events and parties.
🚗Parking Info
- •Not explicitly mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •No specific crowd level information was mentioned in the reviews, but guests enjoyed extended stays (up to 4 hours) without complaint, suggesting manageable crowds. Birthday party groups were accommodated, implying reasonable space.
🛡️Safety Features
- •The venue is noted for being clean.
- •Hand sanitizer is provided throughout the facility.
- •Private bathrooms for 'little ones' in the party rooms suggest consideration for child comfort and safety during events.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If having every single pinball machine functional is a top priority for your visit, as a significant portion (up to 50%) may be out of order.
- • If you strictly require a venue with on-site full-service food options beyond light snacks, as it is primarily BYO.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Day Pass
$15Duration: Full day
Unlimited play for the full day.
Includes:
- •Unlimited game play on all free play machines for the full day
Group Rate
Not specifiedDuration: Full day
Rate available for groups of 15 or more.
Includes:
- •Unlimited game play on all free play machines for the full day
Individual Recurring Plan (Monthly Membership)
Not specified (bills monthly)Duration: Monthly (2 Month Minimum)
Monthly membership for individuals, includes benefits and access to both locations.
Includes:
- •Unlimited play all month long
- •Access to both Woodlands & NASA locations
- •5 FREE Guest Passes each month (Limit 1 Guest Pass per visit for the first month)
- •$75 Party Discount (After 3 months of membership, limited to once per year)
- •3 Month Non-Recurring Prepaid plan available
Family Recurring Plan (Monthly Membership)
Not specified (bills monthly)Duration: Monthly (2 Month Minimum)
Monthly membership covering immediate family members living at the same residence, includes benefits and access to both locations.
Includes:
- •Covers all immediate family members living at the same residence
- •Unlimited play all month long
- •Access to both Woodlands & NASA locations
- •10 FREE Guest Passes each month (Limit 2 Guest Passes per visit for the first month)
- •$150 Party Discount (After 3 months of membership, limited to once per year)
- •3 Month Non-Recurring Prepaid plan available
Private Party Room
Base price not specified, $10 per additional guestDuration: 2 hours (room rental), full day arcade access
Dedicated private party room suitable for birthday parties and corporate events.
Includes:
- •Private room for 2 hours
- •Entrance for 10 people into the arcade for the full day with unlimited game play
- •Outside food and drink welcome
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Labor Day Extended Hours
Labor Day
Standard admission applies
The NASA location will be open with extended hours.
🍎Food Policy
- • Outside food and drink welcome for Private Party Room rentals.
📅Booking Policy
- • $100 deposit required to make a reservation for the Private Party Room.
What People Say
What's Great
- Friendly and helpful staff (mentioned in 5 reviews)
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Great for birthday parties (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Chris Bloomfield
2 weeks agoByob is pretty cool. Lots of games, with about 8 down. A few had bad controls or glitches, but most worked well. Staff was friendly enough. I liked the free music controls. Overall, it was a great day of gaming, and we enjoyed the place. I fo wish they had a little more pinball. Hallway entrance was epic!
Szilvia Stone
2 months agoMy son asked to go retro gaming and we wanted to try out The Game Preserve just outside Houston. We loved all the arcades and pinball machines. It’s a good way to have family fun! 😊
Kayla Iacovino
2 weeks agoTons of fun! Family friendly. I like that it is a BYO food and drink situation, and they do have light snacks for purchase. The place is clean and provides hand sanitizer. The game selection is excellent, including the pin ball! It’s $15 to enter and then totally free play as long as you want. I took off one star because about 10% of the games (including maybe 50% of the ~30 pin ball machines) were non-functional/shut off. But we still had a great time and will come again.
Tim
5 months agoMe & My wife were there 8/25 2024 . Found out about this place online. It was our 37 year anniversary. Believe it or not. Had a blast. Stayed 4 hours or so . By the time we left she said. This is all the games from we got married in 1987. Definitely worth checking out. We were there from Alabama
Mike McAllister
4 months agoThe place is awesome! Great service and value for the family. We hosted our son's birthday party. The party room was great and easily accommodated our group. The refrigerator, tables, chairs, and private bathrooms for the little ones was great. We had pizza delivered, but next time we will follow the teams' recommendation and go with Dan's Pizza instead of the local Pizza Hut. All the kids had a great time playing all the different games. The selection was able to entertain the age range of our group which was 4 yrs to 13 yrs old. For hosting a kid's birthday party this was way more cost effective than other options in the area. It was also nice to not be rushed. We had 2 hours in the room and all day for gaming.