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Since debuting a few years ago, Arcade1Up has expanded into a home arcade powerhouse, with dozens of different cabinets available that feature some of the biggest names in retro gaming. With so many to choose from, however, and with limited space in our homes, it can be difficult to choose which ones to get. That’s where we come in, as we’ve compiled a list of the best Arcade1Up cabinets so you know which are worth your money. Whether you’re looking for a classic sports arcade game like Golden Tee or an intense fighter like Street Fighter II–or even a virtual pinball machine like Attack From Mars–there’s something here for you.
Arcade1Up was largely responsible for the current home-arcade boom, first beginning with cabinets like Pac-Man and Galaga before expanding to also include light gun games, racing games, and even board games. The cabinets we included on our list are from the brand’s 3/4-scale line, but there are also a number of countercade cabinets as well as wall-mounted partycade cabinets with some of the same games. In the future, things are going to get even more impressive, as well, with Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and NFL Blitz among the most-exciting upcoming releases.
Infinity Game Table
The only product on this list that isn’t actually an arcade game, the Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table is a perfect choice if you love having family game nights. The unit functions as a digital board game from brands like Hasbro and Parker Bros., letting you play Monopoly, Scrabble, Battleship, and many more games without having to worry about storing a box or cleaning up the pieces. It also features online play, so you and a friend can have a virtual game night and have absolutely no way to see each other’s pieces. Aside from the board game content (and online store for getting more games you love) it also supports coloring books, making it a great option to keep younger kids occupied during the day.
Golden Tee 3D Edition
Sports games in the arcade have often been pretty, well, “arcadey” affairs, with over-the-top abilities and characters. Golden Tee is an exception to that trend, and Arcade1Up has successfully transitioned the series to at-home arcades. Following up on the slightly smaller Golden Tee cabinet it released a few years ago, Arcade1Up produced the Golden Tee 3D Edition machine, which ditches the riser for a one-piece design complete with a 19-inch screen. The cabinet comes with five different Golden Tee games, a 3-inch trackball, a light-up marquee, and Wi-Fi leaderboards to see how you stack up against competition around the world. With a classic, understated design, it’ll fit well in any golf-lover’s game room.
Ridge Racer
Ridge Racer! Riiiiiiidge Racer! The second racing cabinet from Arcade1Up (the first was Out Run) featured a slightly more graphically impressive game lineup. The standup configuration is arguably the better option here, as it’s better suited to adult players alongside kids, and it’s one of the flashier systems Arcade1Up has made. The marquee is positioned above the rest of the cabinet, and the bright red color screams speed. With a rumble-equipped steering wheel, working gear shift, and five different racing games to choose from, it’s a great addition to a game room–especially if you already have more “general gaming” cabinets with the classics on them.
Attack From Mars Pinball
There are currently three different virtual pinball machines available from Arcade1Up, each of which offers a digital pinball experience complete with haptic feedback. Of the three available–Star Wars, Marvel, and Attack From Mars–it may seem odd to pick Attack From Mars. However, it’s the only one of the three that contains a collection of all real pinball tables brought to life in virtual form. Not only that, but they’re tables from Williams, arguably the most acclaimed pinball brand of all time. The titular game is joined by titles like Junk Yard, Fish Tales, Hurricane, and Medieval Madness, making sure any pinball aficionado is going to be happy for a long time to come.
Street Fighter II Big Blue
Street Fighter II had been one of the earliest Arcade1Up systems released, but we’re not talking about that first version. Instead, the cabinet we picked is the Street Fighter II Big Blue model. The cabinet is, as the name suggests, quite large, and it features Wi-Fi multiplayer so you can prove you’re the best against other Big Blue players around the world. The blue cabinet features an image of M. Bison and Ryu on the front, and the classic artwork on the control panel will bring any newcomer up to speed before they jump into a match. It’s not only Street Fighter 2 and its many updates on the cabinet, either, with other games like Darkstalkers 3, Eco Fighters, Knights of the Round, and Saturday Night Slam Masters all included, too.
Pong 4 Player Pub Table
One of the most legendary video games of all time, Pong is also incredibly easy to pick up and play. This makes it a great choice for a game room if you regularly have guests over, and the Pong 4 Player Pub Table is one of the best ways to play it. As the name implies, it’s essentially a stand-up bar table with a screen in the middle, letting players enjoy games like Pong, Pong Doubles, Warlords, Super Breakout, and more. It comes with a clear cover on the top so you can have a drink without worrying about accidentally ruining it, and the burnt orange and yellow color scheme just screams “retro.”
Ms. Pac-Man / Galaga Class of ’81
Based on the iconic 20th anniversary cabinet released back in 2001, the Ms. Pac-Man / Galaga Class of ’81 machine is great if you love both legendary games and can’t pick between them. The cabinet sports a split-art design, with the left featuring Ms. Pac-Man and the right featuring Galaga. You get a lot more than just those games, however, with other included titles like Dig Dug, Galaga 88, Mappy, Rolling Thunder, and Rompers included. This particular cabinet comes with Wi-Fi support for leaderboards, and given how high-score-centric these games were, this is a feature you’re sure to use a whole lot.
Capcom Legacy
One of the less-expensive cabinets Arcade1Up released as a sort of mashup of its previous Capcom systems, the Capcom Legacy cabinet is perfect if you only plan on buying a single machine. Sporting a gorgeous Street Fighter II design that also extends to the custom riser, the Capcom Legacy cabinet includes multiple versions of the title game alongside Strider, Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Final Fight, 1944, and more. Rather than have a game list on the front, it comes with a printed coin door on the kickplate, though you obviously don’t actually need any quarters to start beating up your buddies as Ryu or Chun-Li.
Big Buck World/Big Buck Hunter
Arcade1Up currently offers a couple different light gun cabinets, letting you turn your game room into a shooting gallery. Of those available, the best are Big Buck World and Big Buck Hunter–essentially the same machine but with different artwork based on the retailer you purchase it from. These cabinets come with several hunting games, and the gorgeous design is a little flashier than most other home arcade products. Because the machine includes an LCD screen instead of the CRT monitors seen on classic light gun games, the guns themselves use Sinden technology for precise aiming and that classic arcade feel.
Star Wars
Atari created some absolute classics in the arcade–arguably better games than it even had on the 2600 console. One of the best was Star Wars, and in this Arcade1Up cabinet, the original three games are bundled together in one great cabinet. The first two, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back use minimalist vector graphics to paint an illusion of first-person space combat, and the simple sound effects give it a classic charm. The last, Return of the Jedi, is a different sort of game with more colorful visuals. Rather than a joystick-and-buttons setup, Star Wars comes with a nifty flight yoke and some of the best artwork on any Arcade1Up cabinet.
NBA Jam
He’s oooooon fire! One of the most iconic arcade games of the ’90s, NBA Jam has gotten several home console ports over the years, but none compare to playing the original arcade release. The two-on-two basketball game is so action-packed and intense that it bears little resemblance to real basketball, but that’s not really the point. Multiple people can face off in games to see who is supreme on the court, and with Wi-Fi enabled, you can even challenge people around the world. Alongside NBA Jam, the cabinet also includes NBA Jam: Tournament Edition and NBA Hangtime.
