Game On: Your Ultimate Guide to Buying Arcade Machines

Retro gaming is always a fun and nostalgia-driven experience. It’s an excellent hobby for people who remember and love classic games and consoles and want to share that love and passion with others. Retro games are also a great way for new generations to see how video games have developed and understand their place in the history of video games.

 

A retro gaming system is an opportunity to create a fantastic old school sensation at home or in your arcade. Retro gaming enthusiasts, regardless of age, love the gaming experience and the way it's taken an increasingly firm hold on the modern gaming generation. Luckily, it’s not too much of a problem because arcade machines are now more accessible. In fact, you can even buy them to use at home.

 

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of buying an arcade machine the right way. Read on below to learn more.

 

Which Game Do You Want?

 

You need to make sure you’re buying a classic arcade machine that is of good quality. For this, you need to make sure that the games you want are on it. Some machines are also built better than others, with a multitude of manufacturers, there will be differences in quality of materials and assembly. You can find arcade machines anywhere, but the tricky part lies in finding one that you’ll enjoy playing day after day.

 

If you’re buying a single-game machine, you probably already know what you want. On the other hand, perhaps you want to relive those frantic two-player duels from the Time Crisis games, shoot up some zombies in House of the Dead 2 with your best buddy, or join Mario and friends in Mario Kart GP DX.

 

The point is, if you’re looking for a specific title, there are tons of great options to help you relive your favorite franchises of yesteryear or discover something new.

 

Multi-Game System

 

Be wary of Multi-Cade games. Many are unlicensed games running very basic hardware, like a raspberry pi computer. A very easy way to tell if a game is unlicensed is to see if it has Ms. Pacman and Donkey Kong on the same machine. If it does, then it’s an illegal knockoff. 

 

Donkey Kong and Ms. Pacman licenses are from two different companies: Nintendo and Bandai Namco. They have never and likely will never combine into one game outside of Super Smash Brothers. 

 

These knock-offs generally play most games poorly due to poor emulation of the original hardware platform. They are known for having sound and video glitches. Buyers should beware of knock-off games, as they may pay for a game that breaks quite quickly!

 

If you want a Multi-game system, the two we recommend are fully licensed: Pacman’s Pixel Bash by Bandai Namco and Arcade Legends 3 by Chicago Gaming. 

 

Conclusion

 

Arcade machines are never out of style because they still have a foothold in today’s gaming landscape. It may be challenging to find one with the games you like, but you’re in for a satisfying experience once you play it.

 

If you’re looking for arcade games for sale, look no further than Game Exchange! We have various games that have old and new games, such as countertop games and pinball machines, and they’re waiting for you to play with them. We also have change machines and bill changers for coin changing, to make it easy for people to obtain coins and smaller bills for use with arcade games and other types of coin-operated machines. Simply go to our website or stop into our showroom and take your pick! We do free shipping and regular shipping on selected items.