We’re currently seeing the return of arcade machines. Full-scale and three-quarter scale replicas of classic arcade consoles such like Pac-Man, OutRun, and Street Fighter are selling like insane in 2022. Although they might look similar to their predecessors from the 1980s and 90s but these machines are equipped with modern features like Wi-Fi to play leaderboards, online multiplayer and even chat with a voice. AtGames as well as Arcade1Up are among the top two companies in the market With Arcade1Up recently launching its third millionth unit. This is impressive considering that the average machine costs 600 dollars, which makes this the largest industry in the world by a single firm.
The recent popularity of these devices is, at first glance quite puzzling, given the fact that current gaming consoles have the capability of exceeding the limits of graphics with a realistic resolution of 4K at 120 frames per second. Many , including people who aren’t “gamers” have invested into entertainment systems to break free from the confines of home in the wake of the epidemic. These retro arcade machines saw increased popularity because of their affordable prices (on average, around 10 percent of the original arcade machines).
For those looking to experience memories from the past, the price is well worth it. Because I am one of the people who know. In 2020, I bought an $400 Golden Tee cabinet as a birthday present to my father. Myself, he, and my sisters have played for endless hours in the machine. Although the graphics can’t hold any comparison to my Ray-traced PS5 games however, there’s an appeal to collecting cabs and cabs that recreate the arcade feel as well as the simple pick-up-and-play control.
Scott Bachrach, Tastemakers CEO was the first founder of Arcade1Up. “The Tastemakers team all grew playing Pac-Man, X-Men, and Galaga in arcades,” David McIntosh, the head of marketing for the company says to PopMech. “They wanted to bring back the retro arcade games back home so that they could play with their children.”
Tastemakers was in the spirit of the popularity of old games in digital storefronts and the rising enthusiasm for retro gaming. They started making faithful three-quarter-scale machines. These machines have the same look and feel as the old-fashioned ones. The consoles consist of a gaming board, the control deck, monitor exterior and glowing marquees which reproduce the feel and appearance of an arcade , without taking up the space. At CES they announced their entry to a full-sized cabinet with the new Pro series. The new line-up was introduced with Killer Instinct and will continue through the Pro series an exact 1:1 up arcade (http://www.maisoneureka.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=minsktaxi.ru%2Fnorrisr30486) replica of their old machines using sturdy Suzohapp buttons – similar to the ones used on arcade games.
AtGames created plug-and-play games like the Sega Genesis Mini and other handhelds and games since 2001. Arcade1Up was replaced by AtGames with their Legends Arcade Ultimate full-size cabinet. This came a year later in the year 2019. “Our strategy is different from others because we’ve been looking to the home arcade market as a platform from the start,” Liene Cunska, the Director of Sales and Marketing at AtGames In an interview with PopMech. “Every product can use the same operating system, games and accessories as well as online connectivity capabilities.”
While Arcade1Up produces faithful reproductions with buttons and side panels in three quarters, the machines are home to one to five games in average. This is due in part to the control panel and the artwork. Our Golden Tee cabinet has a trackball and buttons. But it’s not able play games other than that particular series. This includes complex classics such as Street Fighter and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These cabinets are available at Arcade1Up.
The business model of Arcade1Up is more in line with the look of the game and the real-time controls, since it collaborates directly with the game’s publishers. Anyone looking to save money could be put off by the 600-dollar price cost. AtGames offers a full-sized arcade machine with screen and various controls that can be swapped which allow you to play more than 300 games via ArcadeNet for just $550. It’s possible to switch to trackball games, such as bowling, and then move to joysticks and buttons to play your favourite beat-’em-ups. AtGames lets you connect accessories across its array of devices. It means that you can include pinball controllers to your cabinet, or create a marquee with an LCD display which changes to show the name of the game you’re playing. If you prefer the traditional style, you’ll need purchase a separate art panel for the game you love (if it’s available at AtGames) The controls might not be displayed in the same way or even illuminate the same way.
