Before the Internet, people got information from encyclopedias and played baseball games against a computer opponent equipped with the decision-making abilities of Mike Ditka. Appreciate modern technology with today’s Groupon: for $19, you get a 10-hour gift-and-game card at Timbuktu Internet Cafe in Troy (a $50 value). The Auburn Hills location at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets is closed as of August 1.

Timbuktu pumps high-speed Internet into 28 computers and gaming systems such as Wii and Xbox Kinect, giving guests an opportunity to virtually compete against opponents or watch Netflix and Hulu. Customers can use the game card on numerous occasions for 10 months after activation, splitting time up as they please in virtual tennis matches, educational games, and classics such as Zelda and stickball. The gaming zone has turned columns into playful palm trees and painted tropical murals on the walls, letting players shun Mother Nature in favor of a gamer's paradise, and stocks snacks in the café to satisfy hungry players after virtual sporting events.