In our humble point of view, Croydon has never been lacking for things to do. Heck, we’ve been writing about them for 9 years now and still have a long list of things to tell you about. Our latest adventures in da Cronx brought us back to BOXPARK to visit one of their newest residents.

Now if you’ve ever found yourself wandering through BOXPARK, yearning for a bit more than street food and live sports, your wish has been granted. Enter PLAYBOX. Immersive entertainment fueled with nostalgia, competition and socialising.

Say what now? Ok, I’ll get to the point. It offers Smart Darts, Digital Shuffleboard, Pool Tables, Retro Arcades, Karaoke, a bar and food. For adults and kids! Pre-book the game you want to play, and away you go!

First up, we tried Smart Darts. Yes I’ve played traditional Darts before and I’ve also been to Flight Club in Shoreditch, so I was DELIGHTED to discover this on our doorstep. For those who don’t know, Smart Darts uses a traditional board but can be overlaid with graphics to turn the board into a different type of Darts game/challenge such as Robin Hood, Disco Wall and more. It is a lot of fun and you’ll find your 50 minute session is over in a flash. Boo hiss, I’m totally booking a double session next time.

Next we headed into the Arcades to kill some time before our Digital Shuffleboard session started. Buy some tokens at the front desk and then enter the graffiti decorated room with retro neon and a selection of games that can’t help but make you smile. Play hoops, Mario Kart, Mortal Combat and more. Unlike most arcades, you actually get a decent amount of time for your tokens.

Onto Digital Shuffleboard – Ok they have actual shuffleboards there, but digital tracking so you can, like Smart Darts, play a range of games outside of the traditional version. If you’ve never hurled a digital puck down a slick surface while your mates jeer (supportively, of course), then you’re seriously missing out. I had never played any form of Shuffleboard before, and I am now a convert. But this isn’t just flick-and-forget. Oh no – digital shuffleboard at PLAYBOX is a test of skill, strategy, and sheer nerve. You’ll carefully line up your puck, give it a satisfying push… and then watch in horror as your so-called best friend, partner, or whomever you went along with, knocks it clean off the board with an evil grin and a triumphant whoop. Revenge is not just encouraged – it’s the whole point.

50 minutes of action and our time was up, I popped a sneak-peek into the karaoke booths and I wish we had booked one. Each booth is kitted out with state-of-the-art gear. Thousands of songs, huge sound with lighting effects too. This is on my list for my next night out with my mates in Croydon – in fact I’m going to start early and end late. As I also didn’t get time to play some pool (and lose as I’m terrible) plus there’s a cocktail menu that I also need to try…

Where to find PLAYBOX: Top Floor, Boxpark, by East Croydon Station. For more info and bookings visit their website. And you can follow them on Instagram.

Photos by the Croydonist

Posted by Angela