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How to Build Your Own Arcade Game

Having your own arcade machine can be quite the conversation starter, to say nothing of reliving fond memories of days gone by as you challenge your visiting friends to a quick game. But what if you can't find that one particular arcade game you'd like to have? Or what if you would prefer a custom arcade game that was never actually released in that format? Building your own arcade game is a project that is not outside the realm of possibility.

Things You'll Need

Arcade cabinet
Phillips and/or flat head screwdriver (depending on what type of screw is used to secure the arcade cabinet)
Arcade controller
LCD or CRT Monitor
Desktop PC

Instructions

Assemble the Arcade Cabinet
- 1
  Purchase or build an arcade cabinet. You need housing to store the electronic guts of your arcade game in, and these are called "cabinets" They come in different varieties, so pick the one that appeals to your design. You can find these enclosures from NorthCoast Custom Arcades, Dream Arcades, or even download plans to build them yourself from ArcadeControls.com
- 2
  Add an arcade controller to your cabinet. Controllers range from support for a single player all the way up to a group of four huddled around the screen. Make sure that the type of controller you attempt to install supports the size of the cabinet that you are using.
- 3
  Install the monitor in the cabinet. Make sure that the monitor will fit inside the cabinet, though this will only be an issue if you decide to go old-school with a tube-based display instead of modern LCD screen.
Setup the Game Hardware
- 4
  Assemble or purchase a computer that contains the minimum specifications necessary to run the game. This PC will have only one job and that will be to power the game that will be a part of the arcade system, so don't go overboard on any extra features.
- 5
  Set the PC to boot directly into the game. You don't want to burden yourself with having to keep a mouse and keyboard around to launch the game in your arcade, so set the game to load automatically on startup. Under Windows, this is accomplished by creating a link to the game in the "Startup" folder.
- 6
  Connect the arcade controller to the PC and configure it for the game. Make sure all the buttons work correctly in the game and that the joystick movements translate into correct movements in the game.
- 7
  Place the PC into the cabinet and hook it up to the monitor and arcade controller. Switch it on and close the cabinet. You're now ready to enjoy your own custom arcade game!

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