Playful saturday nights

Despite Norwegians’ reputation for being quiet, withdrawn, shy and reserved, there’s an undeniable playfulness to the descendants of the Vikings. Not only is this evident in their love of quirky cafés and foodhalls, their street art, and the way they celebrate their constitution day, but a Saturday night out in Oslo is not how you might imagine it.

Whereas previous generations’ idea of a night out might have entailed sitting down at a bar to drink, or – if young, hip or tough enough – going to a disco or a club to dance, nowadays people go out to play. The current craze in Oslo, which is also slowly spreading to the rest of Norway, is themed bars and clubs, where you play games with friends and strangers. There’s the traditional 18-hole mini-golf course and bar at Oslo Camping near Youngstorget, albeit with certain twists: events, club nights and naked golf have been known to happen.

The Youngstorget area is a haven for game bars. Tilt offers several levels of bars, traditional arcade games, pinball machines, shuffleboards, pool tables and table hockey. They’ve also got a large selection of micro-brewed and imported beers. If all the shuffleboards are occupied, you can also head to Røør, where they have 14 shuffleboards and 70 different types of beer on tap.

Brygg, in Storgata, offers table tennis, whereas for those who are secretly pop stars, Syng has two karaoke bars in central Oslo, both decorated like what you might imagine the insides of a unicorn’s brain to look like. There are themed drinks and cocktails, and private rooms for different-size crowds, meaning that even the shyest of guests should feel comfortable grabbing the microphone for a fun night of sing-songs. And if you want a little bit of extra flair, turn up the echo and press the dazzle button for a dazzling surpise.

If dart is more your thing, head to Oche in Torggata, where you can enjoy cocktails and other alcoholic drinks, free popcorn and the privacy of your own booth, while impressing your friends with your skills. If you prefer to sit down with a game of chess, The Good Knight is Norway’s first chess bar, catering to the chess-crazed nation that is Norway.

For those wanting a bit more noise and colours, Ball offers social retro video gaming for small and large groups of people. Tournaments and other events take place frequently, and for those who prefer watching other people play sports rather than playing it themselves, the place doubles up as a football pub in the early hours of the evening. With ten smaller screens and two big screens, it’s the perfect place for a night out, no matter how many friends you’re bringing along – or getting to know along the way! Also notice the interior – it’s all themed.

The latest offering on Oslo’s games bar scene is the enormous bar Raadhuset. Opening in early 2020, the bar aims to be Oslo’s games mecca for adults who refuse to grow up. Located by Oslo City Hall, Raadhuset contains three bars, 60 games (including pool tables, shuffleboards, arcade games, darts and more) and two karaoke rooms. They also serve Mexican street food out of their own kitchen, so you can renew your energy after a long evening of games and fun.