There’s a montage in The Karate Kid where the hero, Daniel Larusso, takes his sweetheart Ali on a first date to an arcade – which back in the 1980s looked like the most fun place on earth. There was mini-golf, table hockey, go karts, dodgems, trampolines, a photo booth for some reason, and a suitably cheesy soundtrack. And back when the most glamorous destination for a 10-year-old growing up in Walkden was the foyer of Unit Four (they had multi-player Space Invaders), it felt like Daniel San was on a different planet, let alone continent.
Now married for 20 years I have no real need for such first date fluff. I usually get enough brownie points for remembering to take out the green bin. But after accepting a chance to visit King Pins in Manchester’s Arndale Centre, I can only say their neon-soaked hive of fun is as close as I have ever been to living out that Karate Kid scene right here in the UK.
Bowling has never been my speciality. There is something in the ratio of arm strength to knuckle size to which I am clearly not biologically suited. If you are going to fail at something, however, it might as well be accompanied by clever cartoon graphics and a light show on the rare occasion my ball avoided the gutter.
Thankfully, my two teenage sons have got the knack, sporting talent not necessarily a genetic trait. Next up was shuffleboard. Not the type enjoyed by leisurely pensioners on a cruise but a rather more digital-savvy affair, which proved the most fun activity of.