Attendees who found the flags around Lafayette earned a chance to grab anything they wanted off the shelves, as long as it fit in the provided tote bag.

Before I even stepped out of my car into the parking lot of Lafayette’s new Dave & Buster’s location, I could feel the intense energy of the event emanating from the front entrance. Outside, a DJ blasted energizing tunes and a crowd of employees waited at the door to excitedly greet me. If the VIP event wanted you to feel special, it certainly hit the mark.

The staff of the location were incredibly friendly and helpful. One particularly friendly staff member named Kenny walking the floor made multiple game recommendations and led us around the game floor showing us different games that might interest us.

As for my meal, the event was catered with ribs, potstickers and pasta, but similar to a wedding or casino, multiple staff members also walked the floor with Dave & Buster’s items including barbecue pizza slices and chicken tenders in different sauces.

The games were next level. I’ve been to Dave & Buster’s across the nation, but this is the first I’ve ever experienced their integrated virtual reality systems. Two games stood out in particular, A zombie shooter which integrated the headset into the lightgun, and Kong Skull Island, which stood on an entirely different level. You sit in a moving seat, similar to the classic thrill ride experiences, but with one major difference: you wear a VR headset with a hand motion sensor which actively and accurately tracks your hands in the game. This may not sound like a big deal, but when certain actions require you to distinctly grab or swat at an object, it makes all the difference. And although the room was packed, I never felt like I couldn’t just hop onto a game.

They also regularly hide Dave & Buster’s flags around Lafayette, which if brought to the store, will give you 60 seconds to grab anything from the ticket shop, as long as it fits in a provided tote bag.

Although my experience was gratis, a game night at Dave & Buster’s can be costly. However, if you are ever looking to treat yourself or a date to a solid night of laughs and sheer, childlike fun, the Lafayette Dave & Buster’s simply won’t disappoint. They opened Wednesday, Nov. 29.