Satellite, a new restaurant and arcade bar at 3372 Canton Road in Marietta, welcomes guests 18 and older to play pinball and arcade machines, including rare cabinets, alongside craft cocktails and game-themed dishes. There is no cover charge to play. The venue combines a full-service restaurant and bar with an arcade.
Satellite extends the work of the crew behind Starrcade at Town Center at Cobb, an existing arcade with more than 90 rare and imported games, according to The Georgia Sun. The menu, developed by Adam Smawley, takes its dish names from video games and anime, bringing that theme into the restaurant side of the business.
A Technician Turned Owner
Owner Shane Starr began as an arcade technician, repairing and maintaining machines for other businesses before starting his own operation. RePlay Magazine reports that the company still repairs arcade machines and that Starr restores rare cabinets himself. That technical work is part of the business behind Satellite, which focuses on pinball and competitive arcade games rather than the ticket-redemption model common at family entertainment centers.
Starrcade’s collection includes games from the 1980s through the early 2000s, including Japanese imports not typically found in American arcades, according to the Georgia Sun report. The collection helps explain Satellite’s emphasis on unusual machines as well as play.
The Hunt for a Working Pinpoint Shot
One example is Pinpoint Shot, a rifle game from the late 1990s that Starrcade has kept running. Starr believes his unit is the only one still working, a claim that remains unconfirmed. The difficulty of finding parts for aging light-gun hardware underscores the repair work involved in keeping these machines playable.
Keeping Vintage Games Playable
The preservation challenge extends beyond individual arcades. The Strong National Museum of Play says it developed procedures to determine which arcade games could withstand guest use and how to preserve them. Its account highlights the balancing act involved in making older machines available to play while protecting them.
Satellite gives Marietta an adults-only venue where restaurant and bar service sit alongside rare arcade machines. Its game selection reflects the repair and restoration experience behind Starr’s business, while the menu carries the same gaming theme into the kitchen.
