Fairgame is the proper place in your Christmas work social gathering – in the event you’re an enormous child

It was my first time at Fairgame in Canary Wharf, London, and this place has birthday parties and work Christmas dos written all over it. Walking in, you’re hit with an electric atmosphere – neon lights, laughter and that unmistakable fairground vibe.

My group of three arrived starving, so we kicked things off with some food. The burgers were juicy, the pizza was perfect and we shared a few sides that disappeared in record time. Drinks-wise, we decided to opt for non-alcoholic ones to ensure we stayed fully sober ahead of the games, so the pre-game fuelling session was just what we needed to set the tone for the afternoon.

Once fed and watered, we hit the games. Fairgame isn’t your average arcade, it’s like a proper fairground but indoors and way cooler. The leaderboard added some spice, and naturally, the trash talk started early.

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First up was Phoney Island, where you shoot ducks and bunnies against the clock. Sounds easy, right? Nope, it was an absolute humbler. I couldn’t hit a single target and was convinced the thing was broken. I called over a staff member to point it out, and with the most casual confidence, embarrassed me by saying “Not broken, mate – you’re just bad at it.” Fair enough, mate. Fair enough. Needless to say my mates absolutely smashed it and left me trailing in their dust.

From there we headed to Alley Hoop, where the goal is to dunk as many basketballs as you can in a short time. I had a decent streak going but was quickly outpaced – it turns out having a good jump shot in your head doesn’t translate to the real thing.

Next came the Roll-a-Ball Derby, the horse-racing game dubbed Final Furlong. You roll balls into holes to make your horse move faster. Finally, some redemption! I somehow managed to win here, and my prize was a little Fairgame teddy. I was buzzing about that until my mates reminded me it was the only time I wasn’t coming in last.

Pantry Pandemonium was next, where you throw balls to knock down pantry items. This one felt oddly satisfying, like I was exacting revenge on my kitchen cupboards. I held my own here but couldn’t quite clinch a win. Then came Space Race, a game where you guide your spaceship to victory by hitting targets with precision. Let’s just say my spaceship wasn’t going to any galaxies far, far away.

Having ticked off the other games; including Whack-a-Mole (Gopher Broke), Lawn of the Dead, Circus Freaks and Dunk the Trash, the leaderboard sealed my fate: third out of three. My mates were merciless with the teasing, but I took it all in good spirits (teddy bear in hand as consolation).

Fairgame is just brilliant. A few hours of pure fun, good food and competitive chaos. If you’re in the Canary Wharf area, I couldn’t recommend it enough – perfect for letting loose and having a laugh whether it’s a birthday, work night out, or just an excuse to be a big kid again.

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