Zeros Quarter Cafe and Arcade is the Perfect 80’s Coin-op Arcade
Looking for an affordable evening reliving your 80’s arcade days (or wondering what the fuss is about?) Look no further! Mr. Zeros Quarter Cafe in Oxford, Michigan, is a perfect 80’s style game arcade – complete with the tabletop Space Invaders you may remember from a famous pizza chain.
Want the quick version? Scroll to the bottom for a screenshot-worthy summary you can share with your friends.
Zeros games are all real money coin-operated. All games and vending machines happily accept your quarters.
Mr. Zeros is located within the Oxford Social District. This means you can stop in at Sullivan’s Public House for a drink, just a few doors down from the arcade, and take it with you. Sick Pizza is right next door to Zeros, so you could also grab a pizza to bring along or order for delivery inside the arcade.
Learn more about
Mr. Zeros
The arcade is available for private parties. See their website to contact them for bookings.
Watch this YouTube video from WDIV’s Live in the D for more information on this family-owned and operated arcade and a peek into owner Scott’s heart for the community he serves.
A His & Hers Perspective on Mr. Zeros Quarter Cafe
Walking into Mr. Zeros arcade is such a unique experience, bringing you right back to the 1980s. We decided to write a His and Hers perspective. After all, we didn’t know each other back then, and our memories of that time are different. If you’re a Gen Xer, like us, visiting Mr. Zeros will take you back in time. Read on and come along with each of us for a trip back in time.
Mr. Zeros Quarter Cafe – Her Story
Sights and Sounds
As soon as I walked in, I felt transported to an 80s Roller Skating Rink. The sights, sounds, and smell brought it all back. Later, I found out that the tables and chairs actually did come out of an old roller skating rink.
Next were the familiar sites and sounds of the arcade. The games are from another time, such as pinball, PacMan, and Centipede. The sounds of the games brought back memories of arcades or even convenience stores. Remember when the 7-Eleven store had that one game near the entrance-usually PacMan and, if you were lucky, Ms. PacMan?
Getting Started
There is a coin machine that turns your dollars into quarters. Little dixie cups are on top so that you can easily carry your coins around. We tried the pinball machines first. Those were fun. It was an excellent way to break the ice. The odd sensation of being an awkward kid again under the veneer of being an adult was strange. So, the pinball machine was an excellent first start since, in many ways, it feels like luck and not skill to do well. I’m sure the Pinball Wizard would beg to differ.
Just for Gamers?
I am not a gamer by any stretch of the imagination. Occasionally, I played the Wii with my kids when they were younger, and I could handle a racing game like Mario Kart now and then, but I always drive off the side. I am more of a Jackbox or physical board game type of gamer. I have played Deep Rock Galactic with my boys, but it is tough to play PC games. When WASD is not second nature, it didn’t take long for them to unintentionally leave me behind because I still had to concentrate on just WALKING, let alone playing the game. Another time, I played Unravel on the Xbox with one of my kids, and every time the actions got a little tricky, I jumped my little guy on his little guy’s back so he could carry me through. So, this arcade brought gaming back down to my level a bit.
I played a variety of games, some solo and some with Gerret. We did some turn-taking on games like Donkey Kong and Frogger. Then we went head-to-head on a big game hunt—the ones with the giant plastic shotguns—intense and fun.
Surreal Moment
One of the games that I played solo was Centipede. The controls are simple, so I gave it a go. Out of sheer luck, I made it onto the high scoreboard. Before you get impressed, let me give you a peek at this high score. Remember those scores at the top that seemed impossible and were just unattainable to regular human types? Yep, those were there. I was not one of those. I was the top one of the lower scores. The scores below mine were all pretty close to what I got. The next score above me? That one was a gazillion times larger than mine. I was never going to reach that. So, I’m sure my high score lasted a day or so and quickly dropped out of existence. The most interesting thing about this was putting my initials into the game. I put my first and middle initials in, but then I stopped as I was about to put my maiden last initial on there and had to recall that my name is different now. I am a married adult and have been for over 20 years. It was eye-opening how entering this arcade can make you feel like a kid again, even though I was in the Oxford Social district and carrying a nice gin and tonic from Sullivans as I enjoyed my gameplay.
Mr. Zeros Arcade – His Perspective
Mr. Zeros is like your neighborhood 1980s arcade time-traveled to 2023. If you’re looking for time travel that doesn’t require a DeLorean, you should visit.
I have to agree with Heather; stepping into Mr. Zeros is like going back in time. Right down to the bowling alley unibody tables and chairs that were great in sixth grade, but maybe not today.
Packed full of fun
A wide variety of games is artfully Tetris’d into the long slender space, including Skiball, a myriad of 80’s cabinet-based games, a shooter complete with plastic rifles, pinball, sit-down driving, and more. (Pro tip – on the hunting safari game, spend the four bucks for the “full safari” experience; it’s a loooooong safari, and you get your money’s worth.)
Have a seat and blast away
My favorite was probably the tabletop sit-down game within a game, just like the ones that Pizza Hut used to have.
They may be 80s cabinets, but this one has something close to 65 different games in it, and you can flip through to see which ones you like before you pony up the 50 cents or so for the game. (Pro tip #2 – know which game you’re getting into – I had NO idea how to play Dig Dug after 40 years or so. Game on!)
BYO food and drink
Sick Pizza is really good pizza (I love their food, still wrapping my head around the name), and you can bring it to the arcade. Same goes for the drink-in-a-Solo-cup you bought at one of the bars on the block. Heather and I enjoyed almost two hours of games on a couple of drinks and ten bucks in quarters. It was a budget-friendly date, though the drinks are 2023 prices. There are limits to time travel, it seems.
Come for the games, stay for the community
On our first visit, we had a deep and rich discussion with Scott, the owner. A parent himself, Zeros is more than a business – it’s a way to give back to his community, to offer Oxford’s residents and visitors (and I hope you’ll be either after reading this) a respite from the world-that-is-today. In that, he has succeeded very well indeed.
What’s Nearby
There is so much in Oxford to add to your itinerary if you are going to stop in at Mr. Zeros Arcade. If you are hungry, there are many places to eat in Oxford. parks and trails abound for those who are looking for a walk through nature. If coffee is more your style, you are in the right spot!
Summary – Mr. Zeros Arcade, Oxford, MI
Take a screenshot and share it with your friends, courtesy of HiddenGemsMichigan.com
| What | Mr. Zeros is a coin-operated arcade with all your 80s favorites. |
| Where | 35 N Washington St, Oxford, MI 48371 https://zerosquartercafe.com/ |
| When | Tue. to Sun. afternoons to evenings. |
| Who | Kids of all ages – especially you 80s kids. |
| Why | Because you want to travel back in time for a few hours. |
| How | Drive on over. Plenty of parking around back (west side of the building.) |
