The Complete Home Arcade Buying Guide

A home arcade has a particular kind of appeal.

For some people, it brings back the games they grew up playing. For others, it's about creating a room where children, teenagers, friends and family have something they can enjoy together.

Then the shopping begins.

One cabinet has hundreds of games. Another advertises thousands. Some are built around a particular classic. Others promise an enormous library inside a single machine. There are two-player cabinets, four-player cabinets, connected machines, offline machines, and designs ranging from unmistakably retro to surprisingly sophisticated.

It can quickly become difficult to tell what actually matters.

The best home arcade machine isn't necessarily the one with the largest game count or the longest feature list.

It's the one people in your home will keep coming back to.

Start with the people who will actually play

Before comparing machines, picture an ordinary evening at home.

Who walks up to the cabinet first?

Maybe younger children will play together after school. Perhaps teenagers and their friends will use it most heavily. Maybe you're creating a game room for adults who remember spending weekends in arcades. Or you may want something that works across generations when family comes to visit.

Now think about how those people like to play.

Do they enjoy quick competitive games?

Would several people want to play together?

Are there a handful of classic games everyone already loves?

Would your household rather explore a large library or have a few games that become permanent favorites?

Those answers are more useful than starting with a number on a product page.

A cabinet with an enormous library can sound impressive. But if your family consistently plays the same ten games, those ten matter far more than the thousands they ignore.

Don't buy based on game count alone

Game count is one of the easiest ways to compare arcade machines—and one of the least informative when considered by itself.

A machine advertising thousands of titles doesn't necessarily contain thousands of genuinely different experiences.

A large library may include variations of games, different regional versions or titles that aren't particularly useful with the controls provided on the cabinet.

Instead of asking only “How many games does it have?”, ask:

“Which games does it have that we actually want to play?”

Before purchasing a multicade or other machine with a large library, request the exact current game list from the manufacturer or supplier.

Look through it.

Search for the games that matter to your household. Look for duplicates or variations. Consider how many titles you recognize and how many you're genuinely curious about.

A smaller library filled with games your household enjoys can be more valuable than an enormous library chosen primarily because the number looks impressive.

Verify that the games are properly licensed

Licensing deserves its own question.

Don't assume that a large advertised game library automatically means every included title has been appropriately licensed for that machine.

If licensing matters to your purchase—and particularly when recognizable games, characters or franchises are being advertised—look for information from the manufacturer about the titles included and their licensing.

If that information isn't clear, ask.

This is especially useful when comparing a premium multicade with inexpensive alternatives advertising unusually large game libraries.

The number of games is easy to print on a specification sheet.

Knowing what those games actually are and how they're being offered tells you considerably more.

Match the controls to the games

Imagine buying an enormous collection of music but having speakers that only reproduce some of it properly.

Arcade controls present a similar issue.

Different games were designed around different ways of playing. Depending on the game, that might involve joysticks, buttons, trackballs, steering wheels, pedals, light-gun-style controls or other specialized inputs.

A cabinet can technically contain a game without providing the experience you expected from it.

So when you find games you care about, look at the controls required to play them.

Then look at the cabinet.

Does it have the appropriate controls?

Are those controls available to the correct player positions?

If you're buying because you remember a particular game, don't stop when you see its name on the game list.

Ask whether the machine lets you play it the way you expect to.

Multicade or dedicated machine?

One of the most interesting decisions in a home arcade is whether to concentrate many games in one cabinet or build the room around dedicated machines.

A multicade can make sense when you want variety without filling the room with numerous cabinets.

A dedicated machine offers a different kind of experience. The cabinet, controls and presentation can all revolve around the game or type of game it was designed to provide.

Neither approach is automatically better.

Picture your ideal room.

Would you rather walk up to one beautiful cabinet and choose among many games?

Or do you imagine several machines, each with its own identity, inviting someone to start playing as soon as they see it?

You may even decide that the answer is somewhere in between—a versatile machine for variety alongside one or two dedicated games that mean something to your family.

Choose based on the experience you want to create rather than the number of cabinets you think a “real” home arcade should have.

Think about replay value, not just nostalgia

Nostalgia can be a wonderful reason to bring an arcade machine home.

It just shouldn't be the only reason.

A game you remember fondly from childhood may still be something you want to play every weekend.

Or you may discover that the memory of playing it is stronger than your desire to keep playing it now.

Before making a significant purchase around nostalgia, think about replay value.

Will people compete for high scores?

Does the game invite quick rematches?

Can different members of the household enjoy it?

Will guests understand enough to start playing?

Is there enough variety or challenge to make you want to return?

You don't need every machine to entertain everyone indefinitely.

But for a premium home arcade, it is worth distinguishing between a game you love remembering and a game you will love owning.

Make sure the players actually fit

A four-player arcade machine sounds perfect for family game night.

Then four adults walk up to it.

Player capacity isn't only about the number of control positions on the cabinet. People need enough physical room to stand, see the screen, and use the controls without constantly interfering with one another.

If multiplayer use is important to you, look beyond the “two-player” or “four-player” description.

Consider the width and shape of the control deck, where each person stands, how the screen is viewed and whether the controls give each player a natural position.

Think about different combinations too.

Four adults.

Two adults and two children.

Teenagers and friends.

A parent helping a younger child.

The best multiplayer arrangement is one where the people fit—not simply where the joysticks fit.

Make sure children can really use it

Children can be remarkably enthusiastic about arcade games.

But being able to reach a button isn't the same as being able to comfortably use the machine.

Consider the height of the control deck and screen. Think about whether younger players can see what's happening while operating the controls. If several children will play together, consider how they will stand around the cabinet.

Age alone may not answer these questions because children of the same age can differ considerably in height and ability.

For a particular machine, review the manufacturer's current guidance and specifications rather than assuming that an arcade cabinet marketed for home use will automatically suit every member of the family.

And remember that children grow.

As with other game-room purchases, it can be useful to choose for the household you're becoming rather than only the household standing in front of the machine today.

Home-grade or commercial-grade?

“Commercial-grade” can sound automatically superior.

But labels aren't enough.

If you're comparing home and commercial-style machines, look at what actually changes between them.

Consider the cabinet construction, controls, components and serviceability described by the manufacturer. Think about how heavily the machine will be used in your home.

A cabinet played occasionally by two adults has a different life from one surrounded every weekend by teenagers and their friends.

Heavy home use is still heavy use.

That doesn't mean every family needs a commercial machine. It means expected use should be part of the buying decision rather than assuming anything intended for a residence will automatically be appropriate.

Compare the actual construction and support behind the machine, not simply the category printed beside its name.

Understand connected features before you connect them

Some modern arcade machines include online or connected features.

Those features may add useful functionality, but they can also introduce questions that don't exist with a completely offline machine.

Before buying, find out whether the machine requires an internet connection for any of its functions.

Are there subscriptions?

Are software updates provided?

What happens if the internet connection is unavailable?

Does the machine continue to operate normally offline?

If children will use it, what parental controls are available?

Does the machine allow online interaction, accounts or purchases?

What information does the manufacturer provide about privacy and data associated with connected features?

These aren't reasons to avoid a connected arcade machine.

They're reasons to understand what “connected” means before bringing one into your home.

Think about the interface between games

On a multicade, you're not only buying games.

You're also buying the experience of finding them.

Imagine several friends standing around the machine while someone tries to choose what to play next.

Is the game library organized clearly?

Can you find a favorite quickly?

Can players browse by category or other useful groupings?

Does an enormous library become enjoyable variety—or an enormous menu?

The larger the game collection, the more important the interface can become.

A home arcade should make people want to start playing, not make them spend the evening navigating a list.

Measure the room around the machine

Arcade cabinets can be deceptively simple to plan for because players generally stand directly in front of them.

But the cabinet footprint is still only part of the experience.

People gather.

Someone watches over a player's shoulder. Another person waits for a turn. Multiplayer cabinets spread people across a wider control area. Chairs, bar stools, other games, and walkways all compete for space.

Mark the cabinet's dimensions in the intended location before ordering.

Then add people.

Stand where the players would stand. Add the number of players the cabinet is intended to accommodate. Have someone walk behind them.

If the arcade will share a room with pool, foosball, shuffleboard, theater seating or a home bar, imagine those areas being used at the same time.

A sophisticated arcade room doesn't need to contain as many machines as possible.

It needs enough space for people to enjoy the machines that are there.

Think about sound as part of the room

Arcade sound is part of the fun.

Music, effects, voices and the physical sounds of people using controls can give an arcade area its energy.

But several machines operating at once can create a very different environment from a single cabinet.

Consider where the arcade will sit in relation to conversation areas, television or theater spaces, offices and bedrooms.

Also check what volume controls are available on the specific machine you're considering.

The goal isn't to make an arcade silent.

It's to put the sound where that kind of energy belongs.

Plan the delivery before ordering

A full-size arcade cabinet can look straightforward until it has to pass through a doorway, turn into a hallway or travel down a staircase.

Before purchasing, measure the complete delivery path.

Check doors, hallways, corners, stairs, landings, elevators, and any other narrow points.

Then verify the assembled and shipping dimensions for the exact machine.

Does it arrive assembled?

Can it be partially disassembled if necessary?

How is it packaged?

What level of delivery is included?

Does the carrier bring it to the curb, through the threshold or into the room?

Will additional people or professional assistance be needed to place it?

These answers vary by manufacturer and supplier, so confirm them for the machine you're actually considering.

The arcade cabinet you choose has to fit the room.

First, it has to reach it.

Ask what happens when something stops working

This may be one of the most overlooked questions in arcade shopping.

An arcade cabinet can contain buttons, joysticks, screens, computers, wiring, and software. Depending on the machine, there may also be specialized controls or connected services.

What happens several years from now if one part develops a problem?

Before purchasing, ask what components can be replaced and who provides support.

Are buttons and controls serviceable?

What happens if the display fails?

Are replacement parts available?

How are software problems handled?

Can support be provided remotely?

How are updates and backups managed?

If the machine relies on a computer or operating system, what support does the manufacturer provide over time?

Also review the current warranty carefully. Hardware, software, and third-party components may not necessarily be treated identically, so understand what the specific manufacturer actually covers.

A premium arcade machine is much easier to enjoy long-term when there is a plan for keeping it playable.

Choose the room, not just the machines

A home arcade doesn't have to look like a commercial arcade unless that's the atmosphere you want.

In a sophisticated entertainment space, visual restraint can make the individual machines more enjoyable.

Consider cabinet styles, lighting, sound, and circulation together.

If several machines will share the room, think about sightlines and spacing rather than simply lining every available wall with cabinets.

Leave places for people to stand and watch.

Give multiplayer games enough room to gather around.

Consider where drinks will go.

Think about how the arcade relates to a nearby bar, seating area, or other games.

The goal isn't to prove how many machines you can fit into the room.

It's to create a room people want to spend time in.

A short checklist before you choose

Before buying a home arcade machine, ask:

• Who will play most often?
• Which games do we genuinely want to play?
• Have we reviewed the actual game list rather than relying on the advertised count?
• Has the manufacturer provided appropriate licensing information for the games?
• Does the cabinet have the right controls for the games we care about?
• Would we prefer one versatile multicade, dedicated machines or a combination?
• Are we choosing games for replay value as well as nostalgia?
• Can the advertised number of players actually use the cabinet comfortably?
• Can children comfortably see and operate the controls?
• Is the machine appropriate for the amount of use we expect?
• Do we understand any online features, subscriptions, parental controls, and offline behavior?
• Is the game-selection interface easy to use?
• Have we planned enough room for players, spectators, and circulation?
• Have we considered sound and volume control?
• Have we measured the entire delivery route?
• Do we know how the cabinet arrives and what delivery service is included?
• Are controls, displays and other components serviceable?
• Do we understand how software support, updates, and backups are handled?
• Have we reviewed the current warranty?
• Can we imagine people still wanting to play this machine years from now?

Build an arcade people actually play

It's easy to design a home arcade around numbers.

Thousands of games. Multiple cabinets. More players. More features.

But that's not what people remember.

They remember the game no one can quite beat.

The teenager determined to take back the high score. The parent showing a child a game they loved decades ago. The friends who were supposed to leave half an hour ago but decide there's time for one more round.

So don't build your home arcade around the largest game count.

Build it around the people who will play.

Choose machines with controls that make sense, games worth returning to, enough room for everyone to gather, and support that gives the cabinet a chance to remain part of the room for years.

Because the best home arcade isn't the one with the most games.

It's the one that keeps getting played.