Retro Froyo Yoyo(Yo Yo) - Game On Frozen Yogurt

Business Info

Name: Game On Frozen Yogurt
Address: 2001-2009 Pinoak Drive, Nicholasville, KY, 40356
Website: http://www.gameonfroyo.com/

Being a portly gentleman, possessed of a massive sweet tooth, I rarely balk at the chance to try new confectionery goodness. So the proliferation of frozen yogurt restaurants over the past few years has definitely been right up my alley. But with so many choices, it can be hard to decide where to go when you have a craving for the sweet stuff.

Of course, if you want to also enjoy not only shopping for old-school and new-school video games, but playing old-school and new-school video games, at the same time you're chowing down on froyo, there's only one place for you.

Image courtesy of http://www.gameonfroyo.com/

That's right. 125+ toppings, and 12 flavors on any given day. This ain't your granddaddy's froyo joint, where there were 2 flavors(both vanilla), the only topping was Dandy Swell's Chocolate Flakes, and people danced the Charleston to that newfangled jazz playing on the shiny new telegramophone(though I would actually be cool with much of that). Game On serves Honey Hill Farms Frozen Yogurt, which has certified live cultures, is certified Kosher, and just as importantly, is de-friggin'-licious. The fact that I do not currently have a big bowl of their Valencia Orange flavor yogurt in front of me right now is nearly enough to bring me to tears.

Ahem. Sorry, foodie moment.

Look'it all those flavors.

On top of that(pun semi-intended), one of their more popular toppings is Bobas. In case you're not familiar with them, they look like this:

I was at first hesitant to try these little guys, but they're round gummies packed with real fruit juice, and on top of fruit-flavored frozen yogurt, they're divine. Like, "burst into 'Smooth Criminal' dance moves" divine. And Game On has the largest selection of Bobas that I've seen at any local yogurt shop, so if you try and like them, you can be pretty confident that they'll be on the topping bar in the future.

There is, of course, far more to the shop than just the frozen yogurt. There's also drinks and a ton of candy, which is perfect for keeping refueled while firing up one of the arcade machines or settling in for some console goodness. And with atmosphere like this, how can you resist?

The Janns, the friendly masterminds behind Game On

So you're probably asking yourself "But Ro, how did this new hotness(coldness?) come about? Have I been living in this area for years without knowing of such a great hangout? Should I feel ashamed at being oblivious?"

Almost Certainly Ninja has you covered there, dear reader. This wonderful shop started out in 2007, as "Country Corner Market" or "Breyer Corner." Over time, it expanded from buying and selling primarily horse collectibles into toys and video games, and in 2011 it became The Playroom, the official name of the games/toys/collectibles-dealing side of the shop. The newest addition, the actual Game On yogurt part, came about in 2012, and the Fusion Dance of Goodness was complete. There's more to the story, of course, so you should go to the shop's About page to learn more, including the epic tale of their mascot, the pink yogurt cup you saw up there hanging out with Mario, whose name is Pliny the Elder XIV.

Oh, and lest ye think I was stretching the truth on what they have for sale, check it:

Now that I've shared a bunch of pictures and basic info about this shop, it'd be fair to ask whether or not all of that setup translates into actual enjoyment. The answer is an emphatic, unequivocal "Yeaaaaah, buddy!" There's a good mix of cookie/cake, fruit, seasonal, and other flavors of frozen yogurt every day, and the topping bar, in addition to the afore-mentioned Bobas, is huge and packed with great stuff. Like Girl Scout Cookie pieces. The games library is enormous, covering retro and modern games from both America and Japan(making this one of the best brick-and-mortar shops in the area that I've seen for finding used imported games), and if they have the console for a game, you're generally free to try it out and decide if you want to buy it before taking it home(or just to play it, for the reasonable price of a token at the counter). And if you're not interested in yogurt, candy, or vidya games, there's also plenty of T-shirts and toys - I most recently saw some old G.I. Joe sets in excellent condition - to indulge both the current geeky you and the geekling from years past still living inside.

But in my opinion, the real draw goes beyond just what you can buy. The Janns greet you personally upon entering, and their amicable manner makes you feel right at home within moments. I've been there both with just a couple of friends and with a larger group(the Anime and Manga Club of the Bluegrass, which was my first occasion meeting those folks) and it's been all too easy to just while away a couple of hours snacking, gaming, and chatting; the perfect way to spend a lazy Saturday. Even though I have at least two more frozen yogurt shops in my own neighborhood, and very good ones at that, I can't help but think of Game On when the topic comes up, and despite the drive, it's always exactly what I'd hoped for. Towards the end of last year, they nearly had to close down, but thankfully things worked out and now they're going strong, with ever more events and meetups slotted down the road(and hiring for the spring and summer!).

So if you're in the Nicholasville area, or in Lexington and looking for a hangout spot more suited to gamer tastes(like myself), make some time to stop in at Game On. They'll treat you right.

On that note, this is your Frozen Treat-Loving buddy Ro, signing off.