Building a Basic Arcade Cabinet

Fun & Games Woodworking
Building a Basic Arcade Cabinet
Arcade KickAss DIY MAME-based gaming machine. Doesn't look fun for player 2 though...
Arcade KickAss DIY MAME-based gaming machine. Doesn’t look fun for player 2 though…

The debate between what the better gaming platform is between consoles and PCs can add a third contender to the mix in the form of arcade machines. Sure, both consoles and PCs can play retro games but they can’t match the ‘feel’ you get fist-smashing those big coin-sized buttons while listening to 16-bit sound blasting in your face. Unfortunately, most arcades have gone the way of the dinosaurs but the good news is; the machines are making a comeback in our own homes as DIY projects.

Arcade KickAss skeletal-frame view with monitor frame mount
Arcade KickAss skeletal-frame view with monitor frame mount

bare

 

Side painted and trim glued on. Those clamps... everyone has a lot of them too right?
Side painted and trim glued on. Those clamps… everyone has a lot of them too right?

Maker “tuschh94” and his brother recently designed his own using some clever woodworking skills and a PC. The entire build took a couple of months but the end result is quite nice. The frame is built entirely out of wood and cost roughly $400 to build, which includes the joysticks and buttons along with the signage LEDs. The internals include a massive flat screen CRT that’s powered by a PC running MAME for the old-school arcade games.

As you could imagine, Arcade KickAss weighs a ton and according to a reddit post by the brother, one of the support beams for the monitor blew-out while transporting it.

The signage features RGB color changing LEDs to give it that ‘retro’ look
The signage features RGB color changing LEDs to give it that ‘retro’ look

Makers have been designing and building their own arcade machines, including the sit-down ‘cocktail table’ versions, to play in their own homes, bringing back that arcade magic we felt long ago. It would seem all you need is a little bit of ingenuity, some carpenter skills and a bit of hardware to build your own. Just make sure the influx of visitors that come over have a steady supply of quarters!

See more of this build at Arcade KickAss project page.

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