Geeking out in Vegas: Where to cosplay, game and buy comics
It doesn’t matter if you’re into science fiction or the show tune “Science Fiction/Double Feature,” there’s something in Las Vegas to entertain all manner of geeks, nerds, dorks and dweebs.
Well, maybe not dweebs. Dweebs feel like more of a Reno thing. But you get the idea.
Whatever you geek out to, you can find it nearby. Let this guide start you on your journey.
Millennium Fandom Bar
900 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Whether it’s anime, fantasy, Disney princesses or anything else you obsess over, if there’s a fandom, there’s a place for it here. The Arts District’s home to all things geeky offers regular events, including cosplay, karaoke, trivia and movie nights.
Player 1 Video Game Bar
2797 S. Maryland Parkway
The bar boasts 50 taps and more than 150 bottled beers, but the real attraction is its selection of video games. Arcade games range from Asteroids to Zaxxon, and its old-school consoles include the Atari 2600, Sega Genesis and the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Most games are included in the cover charge that starts at $6 for locals.
HyperX Arena
Luxor
This gaming wonderland offers esports events and tournaments, along with more casual game play, in a 30,000-square-foot arena that features a competition stage, a 50-foot LED screen and VIP rooms. The facility also has 160 gaming PCs and an interactive display that traces the history of video games.
Knight & Day Games
Town Square
For those of you who prefer your gaming low-tech, Knight & Day has a library of more than 1,200 board games that can be accessed via $10 day passes or $40 monthly passes. Fans of TCG (that’s trading card games for the noobs) will find cards, booster boxes and expansion packs for sale in addition to the shop’s daily tournaments.
Toy Shack
Neonopolis
No matter your age, walking into the Toy Shack is like opening a door to your childhood. The store is packed to the ceiling with everything from new releases to vintage lunch boxes to matchbox cars from the days when their packaging still resembled matchboxes.
One Piece Cafe Las Vegas
5600 Spring Mountain Road
Fans of the Straw Hat Crew have a place to eat — and stock up on merch — thanks to America’s first official One Piece Cafe. Among the food and drinks inspired by the anime sensation are Zoro’s Onigiri, Gum-Gum Devil Fruit Mousse Bomb and Robin’s Flower-Flower Power Refresher.
Torpedo Comics
7300 Arroyo Crossing Parkway
You may come to gawk inside the Bank of Gotham vault at its graded comics that cost more than a serviceable used car. But you’re more likely to leave with something from the rows of back issues, the wall of new releases or the large display of new variant covers.
‘Tournament of Kings’
Excalibur
King Arthur and Merlin. Knights and horses. Tearing apart a Cornish game hen and eating it with your hands. The dinner theater show that’s been running since 1990 is the closest thing to a year-round ren faire Las Vegas has to offer.
Frankie’s Favorite Obsession
Tropicana Cinemas, 3330 E. Tropicana Ave.
You don’t have to dress in fishnets, tighty-whities or a shiny gold Speedo when this live cast founded in 2001 performs on the first Saturday of each month. But you can.
Pioneer Saloon
310 N. Fayle St., Goodsprings
This one’s a bit of a trek, but the Pioneer Saloon and its adjacent Goodsprings General Store have leaned into their “Fallout: New Vegas” ties. Even if you can’t make it to the annual “Fallout” Fan Celebration, you can feel like you stepped inside the video game by visiting those sites. As a side quest, the schoolhouse and the town cemetery, both of which also appear in the game, are a short walk away in the tiny former mining town.
Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567.
