DeKALB — The Huskies Den and local gaming spot Star Worlds Arcade, 1234 E. Lincoln Highway, have partnered up to bring students an authentic and classic gaming experience by bringing arcade games to the Holmes Student Center.
On Jan. 14, Star Worlds took to Facebook to unveil its renovation collaboration with the Huskies Den. The renovation features new arcade options supplied by Star Worlds and less pool tables in the Huskies Den.
The excess pool tables not housed in the Huskies Den will be placed in Neptune Trident, according to Huskies Den Manager Jeffrey Royce.
“I think the new renovations would effectively bring students together,” sophomore education major Jensen Heldt said. “Having a variety of activities to do there would be more fun with more people. I’d probably go and play them.”
By renovating the Huskies Den’s gaming selection and curating another possible hangout spot, students can have a genuine gaming experience on campus like no other.
Star Worlds Arcade owner Patrick O’Malley said he wants his arcade to be an integrated part of student life because many of his patrons come from campus.
“I am very community driven, and I am always open in trying to connect with the students,” O’Malley said. “That is what DeKalb is about; it’s a university town. There’s things the student center offers that I don’t offer. It’s nice to send my customers where my games are, but there’s other activities too.”
The renovation brings tons of vintage arcade games ranging from double racer games to Dance Dance Revolution and pinball machines, according to the Star Worlds Facebook page. O’Malley said his biggest game priority was getting students access to Dance Dance Revolution as well as air hockey tables, which were highly requested by management at the Huskies Den.
“I purposely went with four decades of games down there,” O’Malley said. “There’s actually games from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. A lot of classic games is what people were asking for, and no one [else] could really supply that, and that’s what made the collaboration a good fit for us.”
By combining the arcade classics of Star Worlds with the bowling and pool table options of the Huskies Den, Royce said they hope students will now be able to enjoy a night out with friends and immerse themselves in past generations of video game culture in a more spacious environment.
“I am very excited about the new renovations,” Royce said. “I think it will revitalize this building and create a lot more interest within the student community. The new games will make our offering even more dynamic.”
