Sandbox VR

Sandbox VR

Reviews Summary

Customers overwhelmingly praise Sandbox VR for its immersive, fun, and physically engaging experiences. Many highlight the friendly, helpful staff who ensure smooth setups and clear instructions. First-time users and repeat visitors alike enjoy the variety of games, with special mentions of birthday celebrations and team bonding. The high-quality gear, clean environment, and post-game videos add to the satisfaction. While some note the price, most agree it’s worth the unique, thrilling experience. Frequent themes include excitement, excellent customer service, and eagerness to return.

About This Listing

Wheelchair Accessible

Who Can Play?

Most arcades welcome all ages (some may have age restrictions for certain games)
Minors may need parent/guardian supervision (policies vary by location)
No gaming experience required - games range from beginner to expert level
Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes recommended for safety
Valid ID may be required for certain attractions or age verification
Groups and parties welcome (advance booking may be required)

*Note: Age restrictions and policies may vary by arcade. Check with your local facility for specifics.*

First-Time Visitors

First-time visitors may need to sign a waiver or register for a game card. Staff are typically available to help explain games and provide tutorials. Some arcades offer newcomer specials or free play sessions to help you get started.

Common Restrictions:

Age-Based Some games may have height or age requirements for safety reasons
Capacity Popular games may have wait times during peak hours

*Note: Policies vary by arcade. Confirm with your local facility.*

What to Bring

Cash or card for tokens/credits (some arcades are cashless)
Valid ID for age verification or membership signup
Phone to capture high scores and memories (check photo policies)

*Note: Payment methods and requirements may differ by arcade.*

Preparing for Your Visit

Check arcade hours and peak times online before visiting
Eat beforehand or check if the arcade has food options
Bring friends for multiplayer games and competitions
Wear comfortable clothes you can move freely in
Avoid bringing valuable items that could be lost or damaged
Check for special events, tournaments, or discount days
Set a budget for games and stick to it
Stay hydrated, especially during long gaming sessions

*Note: Tips may vary by arcade type and location.*

How to Get Started

Most arcades accept walk-ins, but call ahead during busy periods or for large groups. Check for membership deals!

Other Helpful Info

Most visits last 1-3 hours depending on games and group size
Popular games may have longer wait times during weekends and evenings
Many arcades offer unlimited play packages or time-based pricing
Some locations host tournaments and special events regularly
Prize redemption available at many arcades - save your tickets!

*Note: Policies, pricing, and features differ by arcade. Contact your local facility for details.*

Features

Wheelchair Accessible

Contact Information

Address

60 E 31st Ave #2044

San Mateo, California 94403

Hours

Monday 10AM-10PM
Tuesday 10AM-10PM
Wednesday 10AM-10PM
Thursday 10AM-10PM
Friday 10AM-11PM
Saturday 10AM-11PM
Sunday 10AM-11PM

Customer Reviews

I recently celebrated my 22nd birthday at Sandbox VR and had an unforgettable experience playing Squid Game Virtuals! The immersive gameplay was thrilling, and the iconic challenges from the show, like "Red Light, Green Light," were brought to life in such a creative way. The venue was well-organized, and the staff made the experience even better. Luis, in particular, stood out?his enthusiasm and humor added so much to the atmosphere. This wasn't the first time he's made our visit memorable; he consistently

Such an awesome place! The boys had a great time, staff was extremely helpful and accommodating. Huge smiles all around, thanks Nick and staff for creating a great experience!!

This place is awesome!!! So much fun! Ryan and Nick are so nice and patient! My kid had so many questions and they answered them all. They helped him decide the best game for him! He loved this experience! Would totally recommend this place!

What an amazing experience! I had an absolute blast going out with my friends. Greg was a fantastic host?super friendly and explained everything clearly, making it easy for us to jump right in. Be prepared for a fun workout because we played Rebel Moon, and it was totally worth it! I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking for a great time. Can't wait to go again!

The team was amazing! I threw my son a 12 yo birthday party, and they were sooo extremely patient with our team boys. Thank you so very much Sandbox team!!! You all rock. Highly recommend!

This was our third time attending, and each visit has been a great experience. The staff is always attentive and helpful. I've gone with coworkers once and brought my kids twice ? every time has been a blast! Freddy was attentive, knowledgeable and friendly he made us feel like we were hanging out with friends. Highly recommend!

If you've been meaning to come you need to go ahead and book your event because it's better than you can even imagine! Our group did phobia and we had Freddy as a guide and he was great in explaining and setting the vibes. We will definitely come back to try different stories soon! Such a fun day, amazing way to celebrate a birthday!

I visited with a friend and at first we were skeptic only having 2 people in our group but luckily we were brought back to life a few times after the zombies ravaged us! Ryan calmly explained the rules and walked us through the gear! I haven't had this much fun in a long time! My bestie and I are in our mid -30s and we got in such a workout!! We got a lot of points and received a coupon for upgraded weapons on our next visit which will hopefully be soon.

mudskipper willets is one of, if not the most impactful player on the floor. their ability to run the offense while also being a menace on defense is the reason why they are the real mvp. move over shai and jokic and giannis.

Best Place for Celebrating special day!!! Went to Sandbox VR for my birthday and it was a BLAST?. My family loved this place and made booking for July too ?? Team is very friendly and welcoming. Thank you for making my Birthday special???

Dope af! Great customer service and Ryan was so welcoming! Definitely would do it again! First time ever with my kids and niece, oh how long have we been wanting to go and finally made it in there. wait wasn't long even tho we didn't have a reservation, super fun with teens!!! Best experience ever with them. Really really really fun! Highly recommend! Ask for Ryan too, he's super dope! TEAM CHEEEEHOO??????????????????????

worker mud made me feel very at home and i felt a very parental vibe from them. i felt very safe in their care and hope i can see them again in the near future. i think i might follow them home just to enjoy their customer service for a moment longer.

Had a birthday party for my 11 yo son and his 8 friends. THEY HAD A BLAST!!! This was a great place for this age. They went non-stop for 3 hrs in between pizza and cake and most kids got to participate in 3-4 games (30 min each). The staff were very professional and courteous. Communication was excellent both before for booking and the actual party, day of. I could not recommend this enough- both for a kids party or a fun place for adults as well. It was AWESOME!

It's better than i thought. Definitely don't go with glasses; wear contacts, and be ready to be a bit warm. There isn't a whole lot of active dodging and they have fans, but you're constantly moving the gun to reload and it takes some effort.

Overall the experience was great from start to finish, 10/10 no complaints! If you are hanging out with friends but don't know what to do you should try Sandbox VR it will be fun! I think zombies is the most fun, but if you have no experience with video games or fast reactions, you might die frequently because they do get near you. Make sure to use the bathroom beforehand if you're going when the mall is closed because the closest bathroom is the cheesecake factory. Thank you to the staff who was there toni

Super fun experience!!! Did the deadwood valley game, and it was so fun. You get such a good help, to gear up and get all the necessary gears on. And if you need help they are very attentive. Alan was such a great staff, was very helpful throughout the whole time!! Definitely will be back later on!

My friends and I went for a birthday celebration and were helped by Gregory and Mud. It was a first time doing VR for a lot of us, but Gregory explained what to expect in detail and expertly guided us through the experience. Gregory and Mud also gently set us up with our equipment and ensured we wore everything correctly, and we were ready to go! We loved doing Amber Sky 2088 so much that that we set up another round with Deadwood Phobia! Christian patiently helped me with setting our next experience over

Had so much fun for my first VR gaming event! Freddy helped us get set up and he was soooo pleasant. Very informative and explained everything very well. We did the phobia option and it was well designed. Story line was interesting. Zombies were scary but not too scary that I couldn't enjoy the game. Definitely would come back again to try out some of their other games.

The new Sandbox was way better than expected! Nice switch of pace compared to the zombie games (which i love). Using your brain and immersing yourself in an iconic tv show was super fun. Oh and Mud was a very welcoming host too. They made us feel very comfortable during the entire experience

A big shoutout to Alan, who was our game master today, for being super patient and answering all my questions, and just being all around awesome guy. I brought five kids with me to try this place out and ended up going back to back games - it was so much fun, the recap videos are amazing, and we'll be back !

It was not one of the most memorable experience!! Sterling was amazing and helped us understand the game and enjoy it to the fullest! Mud and Christian were awesome and great hosts! Would definitely go again!

Clean very respectful very organized very fast paced very helpful. Employees I definitely will be coming back.

We had an incredible virtual reality experience in the sandbox game on our anniversary! Huge thanks to Brandon and his colleague [Name] for their expert guidance and making us feel at ease, especially as first-timers.

Christian and Alan were great helping us with the setup. We had a great experience!

Had fun with friends and fiance, will return soon for more gaming.--------update: We finally returned to beat this boss, we made it to the end this time. Really awesome!!!!

We played the Squid games yesterday and had SO much fun!! We were sweating by the end of the 30 minutes! Absolutely loved the experience!!! I have also tried the deadwood valley previously and loved that too. Must try.

Do not plan on running late, but in our instance Nick was very gracious and on the fly, found us a time that work for my friends running late. Fantastic experience (my 3rd or 4th time). Awesome experience!

My first time going for a friend's birthday. It was super fun and a lot more physical than I expected. I think it's a blast no matter what your skill level with shooter games, and it's neat that you get a different experience with different weapon choices each time! Can't wait to go again!

First time doing a VR experience, and it was great. Deadwood Phobia was creepy and a lot of fun, and our guide Christian was helpful with clear instructions and a good attitude. Would do this again

So fun! You get really sweaty so dress light. Bring a cold water so right after you can hydrate. I picked 2 pistols n it was getting tiring holding them up so next time I'll get one gun. But great experience!

The entire staff was just AMAZING - a big shoutout to Brandon and Ryan, who were so helpful and informative. We had a very pleasant time out there playing Phobia and will definitely come back again. Price is well worth the experience.

Planned a surprise game for my husband and his friends - Deadwood Phobia. He loved it. He typically is very hard to impress but he kept recommending this place to others. I guess, THANK YOU, Sandbox VR for helping me win the ?Best Wifey? points!! He is going back again this weekend for another game ;)

Love the experience with my boyfriend and kids ,they love it too definitely we will back again?

I recently visited the VR Room Sandbox in San Mateo, and it was a fantastic experience! The VR setup was impressive, with a wide selection of games and experiences to choose from. The staff was friendly and helpful, making sure we were comfortable with the equipment and ready to dive into the virtual world. The rooms were spacious, and the visuals were immersive. It was a great outing with friends, and I'd definitely recommend it for anyone looking to try VR or for a fun, unique activity in the area. I trie

Sterling was amazing host ! She was very friendly and made the experience great ! Will definitely be coming back soon (:

So much fun! We did the Deadwood Phobia, I was a little nervous at first but our crew was very helpful!!! The videos are a nice touch to remember your experience. Thank you the memory!!! See yall soon!!!

Exceeded expectations. More tech issues than I had anticipated though. But very unique and very fun. I'm not a gamer but I had a blast and it was easy for a non gamer to play because you don't need to know advanced controls.

One of best experiences I had with VR. Plus if you try hard and did good you can earn collectibles that are upgrades that could be use in the future, if you decide to play again. Also they are cards and they put them in a basic protected selves for you also.

It was a very cool experience and great for team bonding! It took about 15 min to take photos and set up the gears on arms, legs, helmet and earphones. You will be alerted when you hit the boundaries (wall). After the game, they showed us videos and results. The game itself was probably around 30 mins. Just be aware not to hit your partners!

Oh my goodness! So much fun! I'm kinda scared of zombies and did the zombie one anyway per the birthday boys request and it was so much fun! Thank you for everything Cynthia! You made our first time so enjoyable!

Greg gave us an awesome time and our group had a blast with Deadwood Phobia :) Would 100% come back!!

The experience was awesome. Nick, the worker there, had clear and concise explanation of what to expect as well as what to do in order to get the best experience possible. The whole sha-bang-a-bang went as smooth as possible. Thanks Nick. See you and your team again soon!

The staff was very friendly but took their job seriously at the same time. They worked really well together as a team, passing us off from one personal to the next. We were all anxious and they had a great way of keeping us focused.

First time doing VR and it was so much fun! We did squid games and everything felt so real and we truly felt like we were experiencing it. It's a 30 minute experience which I thought would be too short but it felt just right. Big shoutout to Nick and Gus for helping us out and making it a fun experience!

Nick was great! Ryan gave me a great tip of which gun to choose. We had a blast doing the Deadwood Valley. We were sweating so bad at the end! It was the greatest workout I've ever had!! Oh man if you have never tried it you definitely need to go check it out! Thank you everyone for a wonderful night ??

This was a really fun experience! Mud was super helpful when telling us how to put our censors on and the other employee who helped us set up in the room was a great help as well. I cannot remember his name unfortunately but he had blondish hair and helped set us up for our 8 pm zombie game!

I've been here 3 times in San Mateo for team buildings and it's been a hit for us every time. Special thanks to Nick for helping us out this time around and ensuring we had the best team Vr experience we could!

A little expensive, but good fun! Employees are friendly and helpful, and the multitude of games seems quite good for revisits. More of a workout than expected, and I'd recommend making sure you don't have vertigo when playing VR before committing to a session. Thanks to Greg for guiding us through our first experience!

Nick and Freddy were friendly, knowledgeable, and speedy at getting us into and out of our gear so we had a smooth and very fun experience. The Rebel Moon game was way more immersive and exciting than I expected, would come back again!

Mud and the rest if the staff was helpful in getting started. It was sooo much fun; will definitely do it again!

My experience was great, and I felt really immersed in the VR game. The place was clean, the gear well maintained and the staff were really friendly. The staff who helped us, Greg, really helped us out whenever we didn't understand something and made sure we had the best possible experience.

Had a lagging headset that Greg fixed immediately. Great experience overall and would definitely come back. Thank you to Christian for the hilarious reels and trading card!

Came here for my son?s bday. He's a gamer so thought this would be a fun way to celebrate him. OMGGG this was so fun! We all had a great time and my son said ?this is the best birthday ever?. Mission Accomplished.

First time experiencing Sandbox VR and came to celebrate our brother?s birthday. It was such a fun experience, and the additional birthday surprise at the end was cute. The staff were very helpful, patient and accommodating and made our experience worthwhile. I highly recommend trying it.

Christian and Freddy were our hosts, we had a lot of fun. Me and friends have played VR before but being in the same room with everyone is a different experience. My favorite part was when we had to move and crouch to dodge traps and enemy attacks. (This might be a duplicate review, since my first one didn't show if it went through or not).

Awesome place! We played deadwood phobia and it was super thrilling. This was my first VR experience and I was super happy with it, the game quality was great and the staff is super professional.

Awesome experience! Definitely must try. I took my family and we had a blast. Will come back and try a different level.

Update : came back again for squid game and the glasses was off focus and not sharp. I tried adjusting and they seem blur to me.i will stick to shooting game next time Amazing experience and I want to come back and try more games

Omg such a fun time for my nephew and friend!!! Luis was great as well. Definitely will be back! Pricey but you get videos go download too.

Very fun and the employees were very nice and helpful. We were assisted by Mud, they were great!

Did this for a mini birthday party and the kids had a blast. Cynthia and Nick were extremely welcoming and very helpful. Would 100% do this again.

This is the second year in a row that we had my son's birthday party at Sandbox VR. Nick, Luis, and Alan were excellent. They made sure the event was smooth and easy. The kids had a fantastic time! We will surely be back again. Thanks Sandbox VR!!

The entire staff was so amazing. Very good communication and patient. We will definitely be returning. Price is well worth the experience. They have a video of your experience as well.

Had an incredible first experience! It was so immersive and fun. Highly recommend! And would definitely go back. Greg and Landon were really kind and helpful!

First time it was hella fun, dope, and exciting had a greater definitely coming again for sure Greg was really good too made everything was understandable and easy

We did the squid games with my 8 year old. We absolutely enjoyed it. The facility was super clean and very thing was well organized. We will be back

Best customer service and all the kids who came to my son?s 11tu bday party had a blast!! Highly recommend!

Super fun, very immersive, funny, and Christian and Greg were great setting us up. They helped us out promptly as well when a VR messed up and they fixed it right away so we could continue playing.

Freddie and Ryan were amazing with the entire setup, walkthrough and support. The games were super immersive and entertaining, especially Squid games. Highly recommend!

We have good experience in here. Our family has so much fun during the VR game. The stuffs are friendly, and the environment is clean. Highly recommended!

Great first experience for our team of 4. Jose, greg, and Landon and one other guy who first met us at the door(can't remember his name) all were friendly, had great customer service and very informative. We will definitely be back

It was a great experience, Nick was very helpful and guide us and walked us through all the game from point a two point B. Will definitely be coming back.

Great experience and lots of fun! There was even a special video made at the end if it's for a birthday.

Janmarco & Brandon We're awesome. It was a great experience, but you need to create games where I can ride dragons number one and a Star Wars one with light sabers that would just be bad ass. Let's work on that.

My gf and I just did this. What an awesome experience. Christian, Alan and Ary made this experience as smooth as possible. They explained everything very clearly and customer service was top-notch. Thanks guys. We did the new game: Deadwood phobia. It was really worth it. Be sure to choose the new weapon Arc Blaster. Thanks Sandbox VR.

Awesome experience, the staff was super helpful and made the experience smooth and fun. Special thanks to Ary, he was awesome and super fun to talk to. We had a first timer with us and he was really good at explaining everything to us. Give that man a raise!

This was awesome! Giovanni was great setting us up making us laugh and helping us when we paused the game. I love that he offered to take a picture of us for our memories. Best experience and can't wait to do it again.

Great first time doing an actual VR experience in a multiplayer mode and it was very fun! Definitely a workout! Would highly recommend and return again.

Husband arranged this VR experience as my birthday surprise. Being that it was my 1st time, Nick was more than welcoming & his calm demeanor made me relax my nervousness (hahahaha) He was thoroughly informative. Cynthia was just as informative at the checkout & easy going. Thanks for the memorable experience!

Had an awesome experience for fathers. Gregory and Matus were super helpful and friendly and super helpful with my family

Super fun! The equipment is comfortable and easy to put on. The experience was very immersive, scary, and fun. The staff were very kind, helpful and patient. Luis helped us gear up and he was lovely. Look forward go coming back and trying more experiences!

An amazing experience! Went with my boys, ages 10 to 20 and it was an amazing experience for all of us. You are thrown to a virtual world that feels so real. The level of "realness" is unbelievable and the game is very entertaining (if you are into shooting games). The self check-in prices was quick and the staff was very friendly and welcoming. The missing star is for the price. At $55 per person (almost $220 for a family of 4) for less than half an hour of entertainment I am still not sure if it's worth i

First time here and had a blast celebrating a friend's birthday. Shout out to Marco and Ben who both did an excellent job maintaining our safety throughout the game. Could not have been better without their support. Thank yall a bunch.

Friend?s birthday party- had a lot of fun! Getting a highlight video at the end is great, will be laughing about it for the rest of my days.

Gregory was very helpful and informative. He provided some great options for the birthday we were planning. Additionally, we had a blast playing the game, and our little one had a great time without being frightened by the "skeletons/zombies."

Sterling was an amazing host and we had an absolutely incredible time! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a unique first person VR experience

This was AWESOME for a bday with family! We had sooooo much fun, and there were so many cute birthday surprises. LOVED IT!

Jan Marco and Sterling were super helpful and got us geared up and ready to go. Experience was super fun and the way sandbox is able to bend reality with VR is a small space are amazing!!

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s it like visiting an arcade today?

It’s a mix of nostalgia and high-energy fun! Many arcades blend retro classics like Pac-Man and pinball with modern VR games, racing simulators, and rhythm challenges — often with music, lights, and a social vibe.

Is it better to go alone or with friends?

Both can be great! Solo visits let you focus on your favorite games, while going with friends adds competition, teamwork, and laughs. Many people plan arcade meetups as a casual hangout or even date spot.

What should I bring to an arcade?

Usually just yourself and a way to pay (some arcades still use coins, others use cards or apps). If you're competitive, bring your A-game. If you're social, bring friends or meet new ones over multiplayer games.

What’s the best time to visit an arcade?

Weekdays or early afternoons are usually less crowded — perfect for focused play. Evenings and weekends bring the buzz, especially at barcades or venues with DJs, tournaments, or themed nights.

Can I meet new people at arcades?

Absolutely! Arcades attract a mix of casual players and serious gamers. Whether you're jumping into a four-player co-op or chatting between rounds, it's a fun, low-pressure way to connect over shared interests.

Are arcades still just for kids?

Not at all. While many arcades are family-friendly, there are also adult-oriented ones with full bars, 18+ nights, or vintage nostalgia themes. Arcades today cater to everyone — from first-timers to lifelong gamers.

Are there events or tournaments I can join?

Yes! Many arcades host regular competitions, retro nights, cosplay parties, and more. Whether you're into high scores or just want to watch and vibe, events add an extra layer to the experience.

What if I’m not great at arcade games?

No worries — arcades are about having fun, not being perfect. Try a variety of games, ask others for tips, and remember: the vibe is more “let’s play” than “let’s win.”