Four Quarters London Bridge: The retro arcade machines to play — and the drinks to pair them with at new gaming bar

Four Quarters, the arcade gaming bar chain that opened its first branch in Peckham in 2014, has now unveiled its fourth London location -- just a ten-minute stroll from London Bridge in the suitably-named Southwark Quarter.

The area continues to add new venues, layering in more and more locations that will no doubt entice people as they knock off from work, offering a variety of things to do -- and now, with the addition of Four Quarters, there's somewhere to play games, have a few cocktails and let off steam after a long day with a lightgun in hand.

I had the joy of checking out the bar on its opening night Despite being Shortlist’s self-appointed games master, I had never been to a Four Quarters before, so this was a perfect opportunity to soak in some of the atmosphere, check out what retro arcade machines were on offer and of course, sample the cocktails.

To celebrate the occasion, I decided to try to pair the best of the arcade cabinets on offer with the perfect accompanying drink - here is what I knocked back at Four Quarters, London Bridge and, most importantly, the knockout games to pump your coins into alongside ‘em.

1) Playing it safe: A Guinness and a Galaxy Far, Far Away

When I arrived at the new Four Quarters from work, I hadn't eaten anything, meaning the only reasonable thing to do was grab the heartiest of pints, starting with a Guinness before easing into something more extravagant.

A pint of the black stuff reminded me of the terrifying infinite black of space, so jumping on the 1998 Star Wars Trilogy arcade machine was an existentially-calming natural fit . I may have needed a few reruns, but I ruined the Death Star in no time, showcasing my untamed flying abilities, which I'm sure has now set me up in case I ever get the chance to fly an X-Wing.

Sticking with the classic theme -- and half a pint of Guinness left -- I waltzed over to Asteroids to continue my intergalactic jaunt. Admittedly, I had less luck here, and after losing the confidence Star Wars helped me find, it was finally time to check out the cocktail menu.

2) Cocktail o'clock

The cocktail menu is separated into two sections: the 'Next Level' cocktails (house creations) and the 'Triple A' cocktails filled with regular finds that appear in most bars. Regardless of which cocktail you're interested in, it'll set you back £12, or two for £22 -- so not too dear given this part of London.

To start with, I went for the Sakura Spritz, which promised to deliver a sour and fruity taste thanks to containing lychee liquor, lemon juice and raspberries.

After a swig of my drink that was refreshing but tart, I needed to figure out what was best to play next and what would pair with my Japan-inspired spritz. I decided to focus on the smattering of machines that hail from the region. The long singular room that now lives under the old arches was lined with machines from Konami, Sega and more, so I was spoilt for choice, but Konami's X-Men from 1992 was calling me, and that's where I ended up.

When firing up the machine, after popping in some dosh, it was time to choose a character. Thanks to my proficiency using Storm in Marvel Rivals, it was the only choice for taking down Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants. After brawling my way through various minions and eventually falling short, I was ready to tackle the big one: Street Fighter II. Sakura Spritz still in hand, it quickly became clear I was out of my depth -- with my confidence waning and my drink exhausted, I needed a confidence booster.

3) Triple A pairing

There were a lot of games on offer, more than you could reasonably get to in a few hours, especially if you wanted to give them ample time and attention. What was becoming increasingly apparent to me was that I had been up since 6 am, had done a full day's work, and still wanted to play more, so it was time to check out the Triple-A section of the cocktail menu and grab an espresso martini.

It was the perfect pick-me-up that offered a well-needed boost, meaning I could rattle through some more classics without falling asleep. Ms Pac-Man and Centipede were next up, conveniently placed next door to one another, and both felt in tune with my new caffeine-fueled state. It ain’t martinis, but those little yellow orbs are munching on something that’s kept them buzzing for nearly 50 years. Admittedly, no high scores were being set here, but I'll blame my gently building inebriation and fatigue setting in as opposed to not being good enough at the games of old.

It felt right to keep going with Espresso Martinis for the rest of the night, which was beginning to draw to a close for me. Before I left, I unfortunately didn't get the opportunity to try out Mario Kart on the big screen. Still, I got to chat with Marc Jones, the current Four Quarters Commercial Director, who had been with the company since the beginning, and it was clear these bars are being run with passion.

It was only during this conversation I realised I had missed the Godzilla pinball machine made by Stern. I don't know anything about pinball machines, but Marc did. From this little chat, I could tell he knew them incredibly well, going on to state that this machine was 'the best in the world' with immense pride, the same pride it was clear he felt towards this bar opening and everything surrounding it.

The latest Four Quarters is open now, and if you're looking to check it out, you can find it here:

Four Quarters London Bridge
Arch 33
68 Union Street
London
Southwark
SE1 1TD

• If you're looking for more great places to check out in London, here's our list of favourite vegan restaurants you have to try.

Image Credit: Shortlist / Morgan Truder