Our Top Side Quests in Leeds For Gamers

Visit Leeds have worked with creative writing students at Leeds Arts University to create blogs based on their interests and insights into the city, to come up with handy guides and insider tips for visitors to Leeds.  

Ashleigh Cleaver is a first-year creative writing student who’s passionate about growing communities and wants to highlight and encourage social spaces and independent businesses. You can find them on Instagram here: @dweller.near.ash.forest

Our top side quests in Leeds for gamers

With a surprisingly saturated selection of stimulating shops, museums, and bars within a walkable distance in the city centre – and more further around Leeds if you are willing to explore – any kind of nerd can plan the perfect day trip or weekend to indulge in their interests while being able to claim that they did in fact leave their lair. 

Just an easy 10-minute walk from Leeds Train Station through the vibrant city centre is Travelling Man at 32 Central Rd LS1 6DE, a well-stocked comic shop that also includes shelves of graphic novels, manga, trading cards, dice, Warhammer kits, and board games. They often host events such as Warhammer figure painting, card and board game nights, and get-togethers that you can find out more about on their social media. 

(Corn Exchange, Alex Horsley for Visit Leeds)

Travelling Man is just a 2-minute walk away from a Warhammer shop at 155 Briggate LS1 6LY, as well as the world-famous Corn Exchange on Call Ln LS1 7BR. The Corn Exchange is a historic venue with an eclectic collection of colourful independent shops, including but not limited to: On The Wall for art prints and posters, Indie Makers for quirky gifts, Sour Cherry for handmade jewellery, and Giant Kitten for unique and alternative fashion, accessories, and homeware, including Japanese clothing and figurines. Some of the designs sold at Giant Kitten were created by students at the Leeds Arts University.  

But if you were looking for more comics, there’s Thornton’s Arcade 4 minutes away at Lands Ln LS1 6LQ, just one of Leeds’ beautiful Victorian shopping arcades full of independent shops all oozing with charm, including OK Comics: an award-winning bookshop with a wide range of graphic novels and comics – from classic and latest super heroes, crime and horror, biographies and queer issues, and everything in between. 

Also in Thornton’s Arcade is Village Books, a bookshop & gallery where you can find big, small, and self-publications in genres such as art, design, fashion and photography. 

(Thornton’s Arcade, Hannah Webster for Visit Leeds)

After scouring some shelves, you can nip just a few doors down in the arcade to refresh with some authentic Taiwanese bubble tea at Houtong Tea House, who offer a delicious range of both milk and fruit teas with customisable milk types and sugar levels, and a choice of toppings including their tapioca pearls that are cooked fresh daily to create the perfect taste and texture. 

Heading to 8 The Headrow LS1 6PT, you can land your rocket (if you dare) at the Forbidden Planet, a must-visit shop for all genres of nerd, from anime figure and manga investors, horror and occult enthusiasts, Dungeons and Dragoners, Disney adults, Nintendo fans, comic book readers, cute and kawaii collectors, Funko Pop people, and so on and so forth. 

Also on The Headrow are your classic video game shops, such as Game at #20, and CEX at #28. Around the corner from CEX, through Dortmund Square, is St John’s shopping centre which has a Trade Me In tech and disk shop, as well as a HMV for all your music, video, and pop culture cravings. 

(Mikee Wilczek for Royal Armouries Museum)

If you have an extra day free – or go through museums at an impressive pace – you could visit The Royal Armouries Museum (at Armouries Dr LS10 1LT), which is the perfect time-sink for any history nerd who loves to immerse themselves in crossbows and codpieces alike. Their showcase of arms and armour ranges from ancient times to the present day, with pieces from all over the world. There are also daily events and shows to attend, such as war interpretations, live combat demos, and even interactive crossbow challenges. Their gift shop sells kids goods, gifts, stationery, books, and homeware, but also has a treasure trove of truly amazing collectables like prop replicas of weapons from Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings, full-scale reproductions of real historic weapons like XVIII century Flintlock pistols, and even more impressive: Queen Victoria themed rubber ducks! The Royal Armouries Museum is family and guide-dog friendly and is free to visit – though some of their events may have a cost, and it’s recommended to book ahead to guarantee entry. Both their gift shop and café – with gluten-free, vegan, and children’s options, or you are welcome to bring your own food – are open to non-visitors, if you’re just looking to buy a duck. 

To round off the night, there are quite a few themed gaming bars and restaurants to visit, so you don’t just have to bring your Nintendo Switch or playing cards to ‘spoons. 

(Pixel Bar)

At 25 Great George St LS1 3AL, Pixel Bar is a gaming bar in Leeds where you can book a table to play games from selection of consoles while enjoying Pixel’s creative collection of cocktails inspired by video-games and characters, including “Who’s That Pokémon?” – their signature cocktail with a selection of Pokémon types (soda flavours) to choose from, all garnished with a Pokémon card. Their consoles include PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, and they also have 12 high-spec gaming PCs and some retro arcade machines available to play. Every other Tuesday, Pixel Bar hosts a gaming-themed quiz night from 7pm. The fee of £10 per team (minimum of 3 per team, so bring your friends, or make some new ones on the day!) gives you entry to the quiz and secures your table all night. (Pixel Bar is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible, since there is an unavoidable set of stairs leading to the subterranean establishment.) 

If you’re more of a retro gamer, NQ64 has recently opened up a location at 11 Merrion St LS1 6PG with 9 retro consoles free to play, 2 pinball machines, and 30 arcade machines (requiring tokens bought at the bar) perfect for competing against your friends, family, or livening up a date. They have a spirited selection of cocktails inspired by everyone’s favourite games and characters – even a Disco Stu Daiquiri! You can just walk in, but you get the best experience when you book one of their packages guaranteeing entry and giving you a deal on tokens and drinks. There’s an all-day student discount, giving you half-price arcade tokens and discounted drinks to relax after (or instead of) your exams and coursework deadlines. You can even hire the full venue if you wish!  (NQ64 Leeds venue is wheelchair accessible in most areas with accessible toilets.)

If a tabletop is your platform of choice, Chance & Counters at 6-8 Merrion St LS1 6PQ is a boardgame café/bar serving milkshakes, tea, and coffee by day and craft beer, cocktails, and wines by night. Their selection of 500+ board games caters to a wide range of players and playstyles, from horrors and mysteries to classic favourites that the whole family can enjoy, even your dog! Yes, this site is also dog-friendly. It costs £2 per person, per hour (excluding the dog)  for full access to their games library, but that fee doesn’t apply if you’re just interested in going for drinks, or some of their delicious comfort food such as burgers, loaded fries, grilled cheese toasties, and homemade chilli. You can walk in, or avoid disappointment by booking ahead of time on their website. 

(Arcade Club)

If you have the time to travel, or are planning to stay for the weekend to find out what else Leeds has to offer, you can make your way to the Arcade Club Leeds at Unit 3 Abbey Retail Park, Savins Mill Way, Kirkstall LS5 3RP, with a huge selection of over 1000 retro and modern arcade machines, as well as consoles and PC rigs. They serve food and drinks throughout the day, such as pizzas, burgers, hot dogs, and nachos. It’s a fun, family-friendly establishment (except on Fridays after 6pm) with admission fees priced depending on age, but once inside, all of their games are free to play! It has free parking, or is just a 28-minute bus ride from the Leeds City Bus Station on York Street LS2 7HU.