Multiplayer virtual reality games come to Zelky’s in Rehoboth

Zelky’s, home to three arcades and a donut shop on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, has been in business for 34 years and never gone into the realm of virtual reality gaming ... until now.

Zelky’s just announced its first step into the modern technology of VR by introducing three new games: Chaos Jump, Reclaim, and Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride.

Chaos Jump puts the player and friends into a virtual universe to battle alien robots, collect gold rewards and finish off the robot army by using teamwork to take down the big boss. Friends are a player’s competition as all compete for the best score and aim to win the crown.

The second game, Reclaim, puts the player against friends in a player-versus-player shootout. Participants shoot laser guns and throw grenades to compete while they teleport, duck and deflect opponents. The arcade looks to host tournaments in the future with this competitive game.

“We’re one of only 25 locations in the world to have this game,” said Solomon Hanes, director of marketing at Zelky’s. “The next closest game is in Miami. You put on the mask and you’re immediately immersed into the virtual world. You can see yourself holding your gun in the goggles, and you can even see where your friends are moving, too! There’s microphones so you can talk to each other. It’s impossible to play the game without smiling. Believe me, I tried! You don’t get an experience like this anywhere else.”

Also new to the arcade this year is Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride. Players put on goggles and climb into the full-motion seats to experience a rollercoaster thrill through various scenic worlds, all while watching the zany antics of some crazy Rabbids.

“I watched two 5-year-old children on the Virtual Rabbids ride who couldn’t contain their excitement and hopped off the ride grinning from ear to ear,” said Matt Weiner, Zelky’s general manager. “What’s great is that as long as you can fit into the goggles, you’re big enough to enjoy these experiences.”

Zelky’s Central, its location with virtual reality games, is open seven days a week through the summer. For more information, go to www.zelkys.com.