Video games are like life itself: a bewildering maze riddled with bottomless pits and deadly spikes, where the only way to get ahead is by killing the boss. Take a break from reality in the company of button-tapping buddies with today's Groupon: for $10, you get six hours of gaming (a $23 value) at Ignite Network in Roscoe Village. You can buy one Groupon for yourself and up to five for friends—though you can buy up to 30 if you hit up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start at the time of purchase.

A comprehensive gaming lounge and thumb gym, Ignite Network serves video-game votaries with a mind-bending assortment of systems, games, and amenities. Plug into PCs, Xbox 360s, and PS3s to tackle the thrilling action and trials and tribulations of the latest and most popular games, including World of Warcraft, Counter-Strike, and Call of Duty. Ignite's variety of more than 25 games provides brains with the stimulation they require to keep from going into screen-saver mode, and a pair of private Rock Band studios stocked with more than 400 music tracks gives virtual virtuosos all the tools they need to astound lighter-waving friends with face-melting button solos.

Plush black couches, 50-inch plasma televisions, and other first-rate accoutrements keep bodies safely ensconced in a comfort cocoon during Ignite Network's high-powered synaptic workout. A voluminous, open space and industrial aesthetic keep the atmosphere adrenalized with the echoes of explosions, laser fire, and rallying cries of "Leeeeeeeroy Jenkins!" Late hours—the facility stays open until midnight Monday through Thursday, until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until 10 p.m. on Sunday—make sure one's gaming schedule doesn't conflict with such trivial to-dos as work and getting married. Patrons can also hit the smoothie and espresso bar to refuel and work out hand cramps, or take advantage of Ignite's superfast Internet connection to research the latest gaming strategies and digital putdowns.

Game time will be loaded to an account created through Ignite; someone else may use your game time provided you give them your username and password.

Reviews

Anime Chicago featured Ignite Network, and eight Yelpers give it an average of 4.5 stars. More than 1,000 Facebookers are fans:

• Unbeknownst to many a Chicago gamer, The Ignite Network has been around since 2003. They are a unique gaming establishment with a large library of popular titles, fast systems, console lounges, a dedicated Rock Band 2 rental room (with ion drumset) and other miscellaneous computer services. – Jamie Sanchez, Anime Chicago
• I gotta give this place 5 stars because what they set out to do they do right. – Jorge A., Yelp