Check out the RotoLoco, a VR ride at VRcade in Railroad Square
The RotoLoco, a virtual reality ride at VRcade in Railroad Square, features a game titled Shuttle 39. Players choose to either be a pilot or collector.
- FSU graduate Nicholas Suttell opened New World Rides VRcade in Tallahassee, offering active virtual reality gaming experiences.
- Suttell combines engineering and gaming to create immersive experiences, expanding beyond entertainment to educational programs.
- VRcade survived the 2024 tornadoes and continues to grow, hosting events and partnering with local organizations.
In just five years, one visionary individual is transforming virtual play into reality in Tallahassee.
On a recent Friday afternoon, laughter filled the air as children at the Tallahassee Young Engineers Summer Camp experienced virtual reality headsets for the first time.
They embarked on a “New World Rides” of exploration, engaging in games where their movements served as controllers, allowing them to dodge, aim, and navigate through immersive challenges such as archery and zombie hunting.
The visionary behind this experience is Nicholas Suttell, a Florida State University graduate who earned a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 2017 and now a STEM entrepreneur.
The vision behind the VR spectacle
Suttell’s journey was the start of something new.
In 2020, he sought to combine his love for gaming, engineering, and a desire to bring to the community a place where virtual reality serves a meaningful purpose beyond entertainment. He explored deeper, hoping to design rides – not the digital kind but real, motion-based experiences that inspired wonder.
“If I didn’t get a job with a big defense company, I knew I wanted to build something meaningful,” Suttell told the Tallahassee Democrat. “It was always rides,” he said, regarding the vision behind his business.
He debuted his first rotating motion platform, RotoLoco, at the Fun Station on Sharer Road. This simulation would lay the foundation for what he envisioned for VRcade.
“It’s a gimbal that rotates 360 degrees on three axes. We designed a game for it called Shuttle 39, a mission to fly through an asteroid and collect alien artifacts,” he said, describing the development of RotoLoco, and its base in a virtual setting.
In 2024, a trio of tornadoes hit Railroad Square, damaging several buildings housing local businesses. For Suttell, the storm came as he was finishing renovations inside his operation.
“It didn’t hit us as hard as others, but foot traffic definitely dipped,” he said. “There’s still a misconception that the area is closed down, but we’ve been smart with how we invest. The space is beautiful now. We’ve added big spectator screens, a lounge area and it’s really a place to hang out.”
Suttell expanded his business, where enthusiasts can explore captivating games in a free-roam arena, so that people can be comfortable as he implemented ways to make them want to come back.
“We realized people didn’t just want to sit and watch, they wanted to move,” he said, “All of our games require physical interaction. You have to get up and walk, throw and dodge. It’s gaming, but it’s active and social.”
Today, Suttell brings his vision to life for fans of all ages and provides accessibility to a wide range of people who may have physical disabilities. It averages about 120 guests per week. Prices start at $8 for a 12 to 15-minute session. His business is located near the entrance of Tallahassee’s Railroad Square Art District.
Wyatt Saxton, a 9-year-old enjoying a recent fun day visit with his father, Powell Saxton, shared his favorite part of the arcade experience.
“It was just cool. I liked being the pilot. It felt like spinning in a hamster ball,” he said.
Teaching the next generation through STEM and innovation
Every Friday, Suttell introduces the VRcade experience to an enthusiastic group of kids enrolled in the Tallahassee Young Engineers Summer Camp, co-founded by Khari Henry, president of the local non-profit, Scientiae. Henry’s camp is located inside the Tallahassee Preparatory Academy, 4351 Mahan Drive.
“There’s a lot of synergy between their ambitions and ours,” Henry said of his relationship with Suttell. “It adds a dimension of exploration and gives the kids a better understanding of where this kind of technology can take them.”
Henry’s involvement with Suttell’s offerings helps bring awareness and allows young scholars to understand what technology has to offer, not just with gaming, but also in academic development.
In five years, Suttell envisions his virtual experience growing into various cities and potentially becoming a franchise.
“I picture it like a modern-day bowling alley,” he said.
“Families could reserve arenas, grab food, and watch their kids sweat through team VR games. I want to build a space where technology brings people together, not further apart.”
If you go
- What: New World Rides at VRcade
- When: 2 – 6 p.m. Thursdays; 12 – 6 p.m. Friday – Sunday
- Where: 632-2 Railroad Square
Tallahassee Democrat writer Joel Mitchell can be reached at jmitchell@gannett.com.