Arts & Entertainment

Watching All Those Cartoons Finally Pays Off

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at a local quiz night but were always fearful of that dreaded sports category? Wednesdays at 8 p.m., Dorky’s has a weekly Trivia for Dorks event geared toward nerds that know way too much about escapist pursuits. There’s a chance to win up to a $25 Dorky’s gift certificate.

If you’re one of those commuter students who hasn’t heard of Dorky’s, you’re missing out on one of Tacoma’s greatest attractions. It’s an old school arcade that only charges a quarter for games (although pinball junkies will have to double that fee for a standard three ball play). There are dozens of retro games sure to attract anyone in the gamut between young and old or casual and hardcore. Tom Green (remember that guy?) couldn’t stop tweeting about the place while he was in town!

Those participating are handed a cool DIY-pamphlet with categories created by the host, UWT graduate and nursing program coordinator Nathan Ketzner.  Ketzner said he started hosting the trivia night in August after he went to a bar arcade in Portland and participated in a video game trivia night. After being talked down from doing pure game trivia to more general dorky pop culture trivia, it was on like “Donkey Kong.”

One of the best features available at the Trivia Night is that the menu at Dorky’s is surprisingly amazing. Normally my eyes tend to un-focus when I come across the vegan option of the menu, but their vegan Thai peanut pizza is not to be missed! It’s covered in peanut sauce, and it has just the right herbs and veggies with a swirl of dat Sriracha! That’s not even mentioning their beer selection, which is about as wide as it is varied.

One thing I’ll mention is that the trivia is quite easy to win… for me anyway! My two-man team, Task Force X, has won a prize each time we’ve attempted it. Hopefully readers will head over to the arcade on the evening of Woden’s Day to check it out and give us some competition. Ketzner hopes the night becomes popular enough that he can take his show to other venues.

 

Photo by Michael Fitzgerald