Arcade Machine, Build It Or Buy It?
Growing up playing arcade machine type video games seems to have been the norm for generation xers’ but like many trends; it seems like in some circles the stand-up machines are making a comeback. For those who want to capture their youth by playing the old classics, there are a couple of options. You can buy the stand-up originals, buy one machine that has hundreds of classic games built in, or you can build your own.
For those who dream of having their own arcade, there is nothing like having a room full of the old classics like Donkey Kong and Mario Brothers. The problem is that the cost of purchasing each arcade machine is pretty extraordinary. You also could have a difficult time finding all the old machines in great condition.
Buying pre-manufactured:
If you are like most people you will probably end up buying one arcade machine that does it all. The choices in this segment boil down to several different manufactures that build machines that can house hundreds, if not thousands of classic and current game titles. They often times can even accommodate console type gaming systems. This is a viable option if you don’t want the hassle of building your own system.
The good thing about going with this option is that you can even have many builders, “build to suit”, meaning; you could customize your unit as much as you want. Typically you might spend anywhere from two thousand to three thousand dollars for units that are not customized. Getting a customized unit however, may cost upwards of three to five thousand dollars or more depending on how intricate your want to get.
Building your own:
Obviously you would have to be somewhat knowledgeable in wood working and electronics to be able to build your own arcade machines in most cases. You could, however, find plans on the internet and have a friend or family member help build it with you that has a working knowledge of either of the two prerequisites. Assuming you want to and have the ability to build your own unit here is how you can begin.
1. Decide on the enclosure. You have some options out there in regards to building the cabinet. You could order pre-fab pieces, cut your own pieces, or buy the cabinet as a whole. You could also find old arcade machines for sale and use the cabinets they come in to build your own.
2. Decide on an input device. There are several options here as well. Use a company that builds joysticks and order one of there pre-built units, order each part separately and build your own from scratch or buy a cabinet that already has the input device built in. All of these options will depend entirely on your willingness to build, your knowledge and your budget of both time and money.
3. Get the guts. Now its time to buy the inner workings of the arcade machine. There are as many options here as you have ideas but the most basic requirements are usually the same. You will need a monitor, a CPU, and emulators. The games themselves need emulators in order to function on your pc. There is also wiring, speakers and power.
4. Final touches. Now it’s time to put it all together and add some final pieces. Depending on how realistic you want your gaming experience to be, you could put a wide variety of aesthetic pieces on your cabinet. Mostly you will be concerned with lighting, stickers, and whether or not to have things like coin slots.
Taking on the project of building your own arcade game machines is no easy task but can be great fun. The best part is that if you want to build the best arcade machine anyone has ever seen, that is completely custom, then there is no other way but to build your own.
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