If you’re not familiar with Arcade1Up, prepare to be amazed.
The company recreates classic arcade machines from yesteryear sized perfectly for an average home at reasonably affordable prices.
So, are Arcade1Up cabinets hard to build, and does it deliver the nostalgia I crave?
Spoiler: you’ll want one of these!
Well, and maybe a third hand.
Don’t let that worry you, though, as the process is exceptionally straightforward.
You could quickly assemble one of these arcade cabinets in under 45 minutes.
Imagine buying a new desk, bed set, or IKEA furniture, then putting it together.
Everything is pre-cut, drilled, labeled, and ready to go.
And while the instructions could be a bit clearer, it’s not complicated.
Screw every bolt nice and snug, and that’s it.
You’ll see the same logos, graphics, images on the sides, and light-up marquee.
It looks just as I remembered it and plays the same too.
The side art is incredible, and any fan or retro gamer will notice it immediately.
I do have two minor complaints about the guns.
I prefer stretchy curly cables, but that’s just a nitpick.
Cabinet Dimensions
As far as dimensions go, it’s perfectly sized to fit in your room.
During game production, the producers laughed at how challenging the game was.
They were proud that people could die after fighting for only a few seconds.
Obviously, old arcade games were designed to drain your cup of quarters, and they succeeded.
Eventually, you’ll take on Robert Patrick, the shape-shifting T1000 from the original film.
Once I did that, I had far fewer issues and could destroy anything in sight.
The gameplay is exactly like the original, as expected, and is absolutely a blast.
I spent over an hour playing it at a high volume on the first day.
Eventually, my significant other begged me to turn it down.
You will die a lot.
Honestly, the leaderboards are mostly pointless.
It does, however, scroll over and show your score compared to others.
However, you’ll still need a good aim to reach the top.
There are many ways to get a low score, even with the tweaks cranked to easy mode.
Apparently, Robert Patrick was super excited to “get digitized” for the game.
Arcade1Up includes an awesome mini-documentary video you’re free to watch that explains the entire process.
And while the “Making of” video is super neat, I don’t like the placement.
I love the addition, but it shouldn’t be front and center on the main screen.
On the flip side, buying an old, used, authentic machine costs upwards of $5,000 online.
Unfortunately, it only comes with a single game, but T2 is a classic.
Overall, this arcade oozes nostalgia and is a fantastic conversation piece.
Just look at it!
Buy it, and you’ll be glad you did.
