There are a few reasons why these are cheaper than the average machine from Arcade1Up. The Deluxe cabinets are just over 5-feet tall–ideal standing height for adults–whereas the Special Editions are just under 4-feet tall. The good news is you can get a universal Arcade1Up Riser for $59 that raises the height to 5 feet. If you don’t get the Riser, you will likely want an adjustable barstool–unless the cabinet is for kids, in which case the original height will likely be a better fit. The Deluxe editions have 17-inch displays and light-up marquees, so the screen is slightly smaller and you miss out on the illuminated marquee with the Special Edition. The Special Editions also drop the faux coin doors in favor of a panel with logos showcasing each preloaded game.
Outside of those features, however, the Special Edition line offers the same build quality and similar graphics on the sides. These are nice options for those who want to add an arcade cabinet to their game room for under $400. Mortal Kombat II, for instance, is also available as a Deluxe Cabinet for $500, but you can get the extremely similar Special Edition model for $334 (or $393 with the Riser). Just keep in mind that all Arcade1Up cabinets require some assembly; If you’ve ever put together a bookcase or basic cabinet, then you should have no problem building one of these cabinets.
$334
Get ready for some Mortal Kombat! This cabinet is a treat for fans of Mortal Kombat’s classic era, as it has 13 games installed on it. You can see if you still remember how to do fatalities in games like the original Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat 3, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. For the design, the cabinet is Mortal Kombat 2-themed and it includes several symbols from the fighting franchise across its surface. This is also a two-player cabinet, so you can do some head-to-head competition from it with its dual joystick and arcade buttons layout.
Included games:
- Mortal Kombat
- Mortal Kombat 2
- Mortal Kombat 3
- Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
- Rampage
- Joust
- Wizard of Wor
- Gauntlet
- Rootbeer Tapper
- Defender
- Bubbles
- Paperboy
- Klax
$334
The Ms.Pac-Man arcade cabinet includes 13 games in total, with five of them being Pac-themed games. You can also hop into classic Dig-Dug, Mappy, and Galaga. The cabinet also features an eye-catching design with its bright blue finish and decals that make it look like it was pulled straight from an ’80s arcade.
Included games:
- Ms. Pac-Man
- Pac & Pal
- Pac-Mania
- Pac-Man Plus
- Super Pac-Man
- Dig Dug
- Dig Dug 2
- Galaga
- Galaxian
- Galaga ’88
- Mappy
- Rompers
- The Tower of Druaga
$334
The Pac-Man arcade cabinet is similar in design to Ms. Pac-Man, and it offers mostly the same selection of 13 games to play on it. The only real difference with the line-up is that Tower of Druaga has been swapped out for King & Balloon. The cabinet features a vibrant yellow finish and retro-inspired Pac-Man images on it.
Included games:
- Dig Dug
- Dig Dug 2
- Galaga
- Galaxian
- Galaga ’88
- King & Balloon
- Mappy
- Pac-Man
- Pac-Man Plus
- Pac-Mania
- Pac & Pal
- Super Pac-Man
- Rompers
$59
The official Arcade1Up Riser adds an extra 14.25 inches to the Special Edition cabinets. It also adds some heft to the overall build, which is a nice perk. Out of the box, the Special Editions weight 36-38 pounds each, and the Riser weighs 17 pounds. Even with the Riser attached, these cabinets are still 10-15 pounds lighter than their Deluxe counterparts, but they still feel solid and secure.
If you’re interested in checking out Arcade1Up’s Deluxe Arcade Machines, check out the list below of in-stock cabinets at Amazon.
For something a little different, you can also check out Arcade1Up’s new $600 Ms. Pac-Man Head-to-Head Arcade Table. This is different from the standing arcade cabinet, as it features a 17-inch screen countertop display with control panels on each side. Essentially, it’s a table that you can play games on, and while we wouldn’t recommend using it as one, it does possess a level of durability as the display is protected by a clear acrylic top installed on top of it. It also comes with 12 games installed on it, including popular classics like Dig Dug, Galaxian, Mappy, Rolling Thunder, and Rompers.
While it has been discontinued, you can also grab the Arcade1Up Class of ’81 Countercade for $168. Amazon still has stock of it, and this is a compact arcade cabinet that can easily be placed on your desk for when you want a quick distraction. This model has a 7-inch, vertically oriented LCD screen, full-size controls, and features artwork of Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga. It can be powered via an included Micro-USB cable or four AA batteries (not included).
If the Countercade intrigues you, we’d recommend checking out the Evercade Alpha Taito Bartop Arcade. Set to launch November 12, this miniature cabinet has an 8-inch display and 10 preloaded games, but you can play hundreds of other titles on it by purchasing Evercade cartridge collections. This is the third Evercade Alpha following the launch of Mega Man and Street Fighter editions–both of which have been sold out all year in the US. Check out our Evercade Alpha review for more details on the hardware. We also created an Amazon hub filled with in-stock Evercade game collections. The Evercade Alpha Taito Bartop Arcade is available to preorder now for $260 at Amazon. All of the cartridge collections work on the Evercade EXP-R handheld and Evercade VS-R home console, both of which were recently restocked at Amazon for $130 each.
$260 | Releases November 12
Includes 10 preloaded games:
- Bubble Bobble
- Puzzle Bobble
- Space Invaders
- Cadash
- Rastan
- Elevator Action
- The FairyLand Story
- Growl
- The Legend of Kage
- The New Zealand Story
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