A Mixed Bag at TeikaBoom's Kids' Play Area

I took my nephew to TeikaBoom's arcade, and it was the closest big one to our place. I'd done my research on prices, and I thought it had to be an amazing place for the money.

The thing that really bugged me was the pricing model. You can only buy a full-day ticket, which is tough for kids to last. They did warn me that it's okay to come in the morning, play for a bit, leave, and come back in the evening to finish, but that's not really practical. To be honest, it's a major letdown.

The arcade itself is pretty cool – it's got a space-themed vibe, and it's located inside a shopping mall. There's a changing room, and the lady working there is super nice. You head to the counter, and the girls working there are really friendly too. There are two spots to leave your shoes, and everything is clean and well-organized. You head down, and it's like a dream come true for little kids. The staff at the counter tried to convince me that it's amazing, even for 20-year-olds, but I think that's a bit of an exaggeration.

One of the pros is that there are arcade machines, and of course, the big con is that they're not included in the ticket price. They're an extra charge, and they're really eye-catching with their bright lights and music. Kids, especially boys, will head straight for them, but on the other hand, if they were free, there'd be a huge line. I'm not sure what to think about it...

What really stood out to me was the slides – there's one big, long, and straight one with lights, and plenty of closed ones. The rest of it is pretty much the same as your average play area, with its own mazes. There's a small soccer field, a huge climbing wall (I know, it sounds weird, but the kids love it), and basketball machines with a hoop that are already free. And there's also a slide with marshmallow things that my kid really enjoyed. On the other side, there's another zone with slides and a massive constructor where kids can build their own little houses or whatever they like.

The third area, where the cafe is, we didn't get to, but we saw that there's also a table hockey game, which is pretty much the same as the other areas. We didn't go into the cafe, and the prices were a bit steep, anyway. A woman with her kid said that it's better to eat at the food court because the cafe food isn't great. We believed her and didn't bother checking it out, so I won't be talking about the food quality. To be honest, my kid was completely happy, and I think he would've given it a full five stars because he didn't want to leave, even though he was super tired after those three or four hours.

But as an adult, I noticed a lot of dirt, hair, dust, and broken balls – what's up with that? They're all broken, and I don't get why they don't clean them up. Also, I think the price for this place is a bit too high – you're paying more for the fact that it's a play area from TeikaBoom, rather than the quality.

So, let's talk about the pricing. I was happy to find that prices are pretty reasonable. Weekdays are 1500 rubles, but if you've got a birthday kid or you're part of a big family, it's 1200 rubles.

On Fridays, it's 1600 (1300) rubles, and on Saturdays and Sundays, it's 1900 (1550) rubles.

Best of all, adults get in free – always a bonus, right?

I'd say it's definitely worth a visit, but don't expect it's worth every penny.