If you just brought home a classic arcade cabinet and want to skip the coin slot, learning how to convert an arcade machine to free play is the first thing you should tackle. Free play mode lets you and your guests start games with a single button press, no quarters or tokens required. The good … Read more
If you own an arcade machine at home, you already know the magic of hearing those power-up chimes in your own gameroom. But fumbling for quarters every time you want to play gets old fast. Learning how to add free play to an arcade machine is the single best upgrade you can make for home … Read more
Converting an arcade game to use tokens is one of the most rewarding upgrades for any home game room, MAME cabinet, or pinball collection. I have walked through this exact process on my own Street Fighter II cabinet, a Donkey Kong PCB, and three MAME builds, and the result always feels like stepping back into … Read more
If you are building a home arcade, you will eventually face one decision that splits the collector community down the middle: do you run your machines on real quarters or switch them over to arcade tokens? It sounds simple until you start shopping for coin mechs, sourcing bulk tokens, and realizing that token size matters … Read more
Most arcade machines use tokens that are either 0.900 inches or 0.984 inches in diameter. The 0.984 token is slightly larger than a US quarter, while the 0.900 token is slightly smaller. These two sizes have dominated coin-operated gaming for decades, and understanding arcade token sizes is essential if you run an arcade, restore cabinets, … Read more
Imagine walking into an arcade in 1985. The glow of CRT screens, the click of joysticks, the unmistakable sound of Pac-Man chasing ghosts. Now imagine bringing all of that home in a single machine. That is exactly what a multicade does for your game room. A multicade is one arcade cabinet that plays hundreds, sometimes … Read more
When I first heard about arcade operators placing machines in bars and restaurants, I assumed they just owned the games outright. Turns out there’s a whole business model built around how arcade operators split revenue with locations. It’s called the revenue-share model, and it’s been quietly powering coin-op placements for decades. In this guide, I’ll … Read more
If you are thinking about placing arcade machines in bars or restaurants, the first question that comes up is always the money. How much does the operator keep? How much goes to the venue? And is the industry standard really a straight 50/50 split? I have spent years talking with arcade operators, bar owners, and … Read more
Yes, you need a license to operate arcade machines commercially in nearly every US state and in the UK. The exact mix depends on your city, county, and state, but most operators must hold a general business license, an amusement permit, zoning approval, and a sales tax ID before they can legally charge customers to … Read more
If you have ever walked into a bar, laundromat, or bowling alley and noticed a row of arcade games, claw machines, or a Golden Tee cabinet in the corner, you were looking at the work of an arcade route operator. Learning how to become an arcade route operator means building a coin-operated business where you … Read more