Tucked behind the large former factory building of the Eastworks retail complex lies the entrance to Prodigy. Signs indicate that only those aged 13 and above may enter, with those under 17 requiring adult supervision. Once through the entrance, a quick journey through the industrial space leads to a door, opening up to an Elysian paradise for gamers of (almost) all ages.

An Array of Gaming Delights

Along the walls, an impressive display of video game consoles from every era greets visitors. There are rare specimens like a Japan-exclusive Nintendo 64 with light-up Pikachu and the Playstation X, which could record television programs. A small bar near the entrance offers gamer fuel like grape soda and Pop-Tarts in various flavors. The main attractions include a mini-golf course played under a black light, providing an analog form of entertainment, and rows of TVs where customers can choose from over 6,800 video games spanning from the NES to the Xbox 360.Prodigy's owner, Jeff Bujak, grew up as an avid gamer, always getting the latest console. He amassed a collection of more than 700 games and incorporated it at Prodigy by setting up a few TVs with eight different consoles. This quickly became a hit with customers.Thanks to donations from friends and colleagues, Bujak's collection grew to over 6,800 games, all cataloged near the entrance and sorted by console and alphabetically. Each game listing includes a rating score by the gaming website IGN and a description, some with a touch of humor.Bujak also acquired 36 identical cathode-ray tube (CRT) televisions, considered ideal for retro gaming. This led to the popularity of video game tournaments.Just down the hall from the main mini-golf course is the tournament room. It holds events every Friday and Sunday. Near the entrance, there is a small counter with various drinks available for purchase and a box of Rubik's Cubes. Beyond that, there are two gaming PCs with a projection screen and seating for spectators. Further along are more CRT TVs connected to Nintendo Wii for playing Super Smash Brothers Melee.First launched in 2001, Super Smash Bros. is a fighting game where players knock opponents off the stage using various attacks. Dedicated fans have mastered techniques like "wavedashing" to achieve high-level competitive play.Joe Thresher, a tournament official at Prodigy, initially helped run tournaments at Stateline Video Games. He heard about Prodigy and offered to help. The weeklies at Prodigy have been successful, despite the limited hardware. Other game tournaments held at Prodigy include Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Guilty Gear.Bujak believes that these tournaments bring together people who might not have a community otherwise. "A lot of these people have social issues. They don't have many friends because they've just been playing video games. They come here and make friends. It's giving people a second life."Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.