The 20 Coolest Home Arcade Machines for Retro Gaming
All the fun of vintage originals for a fraction of the price.
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If you've always wanted a home arcade machine but never thought you'd be able to afford one, think again. What if we told you that you could have a full-size arcade cabinet in your game room loaded up with a ton of retro classics, like Galaga, Astroids, Space Invaders, Centipede, and Tron, to name a few, for about 500 bucks?
Within the last few years as the pandemic raged on, as pool tables and ping-pong tables became hot commodities to stave off cabin fever, the market for home arcade machines skyrocketed, thanks to a handful of companies creating real-deal replicas with price tags in the hundreds, not the thousands. Earlier this year, we wrote about the arcade-console resurgence, and it shows no sign of slowing down, as competitors continue to one-up each other with new releases that pack in even more fun.
Read on for our favorites—all for $1,000 or less—with more than half of our picks priced under $500 and some starting as low as about $150.
The Best Home Arcade Machines
What to Consider
While this new generation of arcade machines may cost less than their vintage originals, they're still an investment, and there's a lineup of things to consider before you buy. We've highlighted the most important here.
Type
Within the home arcade machine category, you’ll find classic arcade cabinets and head-to-head or “cocktail” tables, as well as wall-mounted and countertop versions, some of which have full-size screens and are great space-savers. There are also a few digital pinball machines that include real-feel features, like tilt and nudge, haptic touch flippers with feedback, and working plungers. All have coinless operation and are made for one, two, or four players.
Number of Games
Some arcade machines feature three games, whereas others have a game count in the hundreds or even thousands. Keep in mind that the graphics on cabinets typically show only one or two of the games included—usually the most popular, like Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man, for example.
Build
While commercial-grade arcade machines can cost upwards of $2,000, the home-grade options we write about are faithful to the original consoles and feature reproductions of original artwork and quality builds, plus full-size color LCD screens that are 17 or 19 inches. Most of the cabinets require some assembly and include an anti-tip strap for safety, and some come with extras, like stools and metal wall signs.
Size
There are full-size arcade cabinets that are just under 6 feet tall and three-quarter-size arcade cabinets that are roughly 4 feet tall (many come with risers to extend height 1 foot). Head-to-head tables average 29 inches high (and are made to be played while seated), and wall-mounted and countertop cabinets range from 17 to 29 inches tall.
How We Selected
All of the home arcade machines we write about have an average user rating of 4 stars, and the majority of our picks rank 4.5 stars and up. We considered options from top three companies turning out the new generation of cabinets, including Arcade1Up, AtGames, and Doc & Pies Arcade Factory. While making our selection, we compared contenders' overall quality and build, number of games installed, and joystick and control design and functionality.
Looking for more gaming fun? Check out or stories on the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, and the best Nintendo Switch games.
Rachel Klein is a Senior Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics, where she writes about everything from garden hose reels and patio furniture to mesh wifi systems and robot vacuums. She started her career as a daily newspaper reporter and was a travel editor for more than a decade before she started testing and reviewing luggage, noise-cancelling headphones, and other travel-related products. Fast-forward another five years and her area of expertise includes home decor, appliances, tech, and outdoor adventure gear. In her spare time, you'll find her planning her next trip, reading historical fiction, and seeing as much art as she can squeeze into a weekend.
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