Arcade1Up’s Deluxe Cabinet Ditches the Riser, and That’s Great

There’s nothing more indulgent than nostalgia. But nostalgia is a fleeting sensation—it’s hard to relive an authentic experience, especially when you’re dealing with electronics. So, Arcade1Up is digging deeper into authenticity with its new Deluxe arcade cabinet line.

Arcade1Up already offers a semi-authentic retro gaming experience. Its arcade cabinets feature original artwork, controls, and marquees. But these cabinets have a few quirks that may distract you from the nostalgic goodness; the riser is our biggest complaint, as it makes Arcade1Up products look a bit like toys. Though customers also wring their hands over screens and coin slots.

The Arcade1Up Deluxe lineup may resolve these complaints. Deluxe machines utilize a single-cabinet design without a riser, and select models use a classic laid-back screen (as opposed to the anachronistic vertical screen used in previous Arcade1Up products). Additionally, these cabinets sport faux coin doors. (Note that these machines are still just 5 feet tall.)

Interestingly, the first Arcade1Up Deluxe cabinets are Pac-Man and Mortal Kombat (which come with 14 games each), plus the cutesy Class of 81′ collection (which includes Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, and nine other games). All of these machines offer the Wi-Fi connectivity and online leaderboard system introduced in previous Arcade1Up cabinets.

You can buy Arcade1Up’s Deluxe cabinets today for $500 apiece. They’re available at Best Buy and the Arcade1Up website.