COLUMBIA - A gaming staple that stood in downtown Columbia for more than 25 before closing its doors is back on Broadway. Gunther's Games had it's official grand opening Saturday morning.
The original Gunther's opened in 1980 and stood at 1106 E. Broadway until it closed in 2007, but now a new Gunther's Games is open a couple blocks away at 923 E. Broadway. Arcade goers formed a line outside the door when the arcade opened at 11 o'clock Saturday morning.
"It's been packed. We had a line out the door at 11," said Matt Robb, the Gunther's Games Manager Saturday afternoon. "We were putting the finishing touches on everything, kicked the door open and we've been packed since."
Robb remembers growing up at the original Gunther's. He says the arcade is rooted in tradition downtown.
"You have the names of like Harpo's, Shakespeare's, Gunther's, the Heidelberg," said Robb. "All these classic names that everybody knows."
Gunther's boasts classic games like Galaga, Ms. Pacman, a row of nine pinball machines, Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong and Space Invaders. But they also have newer games like Guitar Hero, Big Buck Hunter, and Mortal Kombat.
Robb says it's that combination of games that will keep people coming in.
Gunther's Games will be open from 11am to midnight Sunday through Thursday and from 11am to 2am Friday and Saturday.