Frequently Asked Questions-FAQ

I know there are a lot of companies selling arcade games online, and it can be hard to know who to trust. I also understand that I’m asking you to spend a good amount of money on a cabinet you haven’t had the chance to play in person. That’s a fair concern. Most people want the same things: a smooth buying experience, a well-built machine, and confidence that someone will actually be there after the sale. Can you trust the company? Is the quality real? And if something comes up later, will anyone answer the phone? I get those questions because I’ve been on the buying side too. For me, reputation is everything. You’re only as good as your last review. I’ve seen plenty of companies that are responsive before the sale and disappear afterward. That’s not how I run my business. My goal is simple: make sure you’re happy with your arcade not just on day one, but years from now. Customer service starts with access. If you call, I answer. If I miss you, I call back quickly. During business hours, tech support is available within 30 minutes if you ever need help. I encourage people to test that—text or call me directly at 408-649-0410. Another big difference is how our cabinets are built. Awesome Arcades owns the factory that manufactures our cabinets, which means I control quality from start to finish. These machines aren’t built in a garage and they’re not DIY kits. They’re produced on an assembly line by experienced craftsmen with over 20 years in woodworking and cabinetry. Our cabinets are made from moisture-resistant melamine and precision-cut on professional CNC machines. Every cabinet is assembled, tested, and inspected before it ships. Each one is signed off internally after passing a multi-point inspection. If something isn’t right, it doesn’t leave the factory. Because I control the manufacturing process, I’m able to continually improve the design based on real customer feedback. Over the years that’s meant better sound systems, stronger hardware, tempered glass tops, improved latches, and the evolution from CRTs to refurbished LCDs and now to brand-new 178-degree wide viewing angle LED monitors. Just like the automotive industry, I’m always refining and improving the product. That attention to quality, along with real customer support, is what sets Awesome Arcades apart.

We started Awesome Arcades in Silicon Valley. As of January 1, 2022, we relocated to Meridian, Idaho. Idaho has been a great move for us—friendly people, no traffic, clean air, and a much lower cost of living. It’s been an ideal place to grow the business and focus on building great products without the chaos that comes with bigger metro areas. We’re proud to call Meridian home.

Unless otherwise noted, we can build and ship most arcade cabinets from our warehouse within 5 business days, often sooner. Once the game ships, transit time depends on destination: West Coast: 1–5 business days Midwest: 3–8 business days East Coast: 5–10 business days Manhattan and Long Island: 6–12 business days Alaska and Hawaii: 8–16 business days International: 5–30 days, depending on air or ocean freight If you need expedited shipping or a guaranteed ship date, please contact us to discuss available options.

After your order is received, a confirmation email will be sent within 2 business days. This email will confirm what you purchased, the delivery address, estimated dates, and next steps. The email will also include a link to a short YouTube setup video that walks you through getting your arcade up and running. If you prefer, you can always call or text me directly and I’ll walk you through it personally. Most customers find it easier when I can show them on video rather than explain it over the phone. — Bruce

Other than shipping time, this is one of the most common questions I get. All of the monitors we use are brand-new LED wide viewing angle monitors. LED is current, modern display technology and provides a clear, sharp image with no distortion. We do not use CRT monitors or refurbished LCDs. A wide viewing angle monitor means the image stays clear and visible even when viewed from extreme angles. This is especially important in arcade cabinets, where players are often standing or sitting off to the side rather than directly in front of the screen. Standard computer monitors tend to wash out or darken when viewed from an angle. Wide viewing angle monitors do not. We pay significantly more for new LED monitors, but the difference is obvious. The image is clean, properly framed, and not cut off like it often is on CRT tube monitors. For our Standard Cocktail Arcade and Classic Upright cabinets, we use a 19-inch LED wide viewing angle monitor with a 4:3 aspect ratio. This is the same screen size used in original arcade games from the 1980s. Our larger cabinets use either a 26-inch or 32-inch LED monitor. These provide a bigger, brighter image while still maintaining correct proportions for arcade gameplay. You may see other companies advertising “authentic arcade monitors” or upselling so-called “military grade” monitors. In most cases, “authentic arcade monitor” simply means an old CRT tube. That’s 1980s technology. CRTs are extremely heavy, difficult to service, hard to replace, and potentially dangerous to work on if they fail. If a CRT goes bad, it’s usually not repairable. The idea that older games somehow look better on old CRT technology doesn’t really hold up. Modern LED monitors provide better clarity, reliability, and longevity. That’s why we choose to use them, even though they cost more. As for “military grade” monitors, I’ve never seen any real explanation of what that means in an arcade context or why it would provide any advantage. Our monitors are commercial-grade displays designed for long-term, continuous use—similar to the TVs people run in homes and businesses every day. If you’re curious how the games actually look in action, I recommend watching one of our gameplay videos. They speak for themselves. I think they look great—but I might be a little biased.

You’re welcome to visit the Warranty section of our website to watch a short video explaining how our warranty works. All of our arcade cabinets are built for long-term use, similar to a brand-new TV. We recommend turning the game off when not in use to extend the life of the electronics. Every arcade includes a 3-year warranty, with an optional 5-year extended warranty available at checkout. All machines are brand new and fully tested before shipping. Each cabinet is run for several hours to catch any issues before it leaves our facility. If an electronic issue is going to occur, it almost always shows up during initial testing. If you ever do need support, our tech team is available Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm PST, and usually on weekends as well. Arcade cabinets are intentionally designed to be simple. There are only a few main components: controls (and trackballs if equipped), power supply, monitor, and speakers. Most parts can be replaced in under 10 minutes with basic tools, even by someone with no technical experience. Shipping full cabinets back and forth isn’t practical, so if a part ever needs replacement, we send the part directly and walk you through the process. If needed, we can also help arrange local assistance. In rare cases where an issue cannot be resolved, a replacement may be considered. By purchasing an arcade, customers agree to work with us under guidance if service is ever needed. We never ask customers to do anything unsafe, overly technical, or that would void the warranty. Step-by-step videos and a printed manual are included with every arcade.

Left Handed Cabinet? Occasionally I will get asked if we can make a righty vs lefty cabinet. If you look at a Nintendo paddle or a Playstation paddle, the joystick movement is always on the left and the buttons are always on the right. (Ask CHATGPT about this if your curious.) Our cabinets always and only come with the action on the left and buttons on the right. Some games originally came with a joystick in the middle, but that is because these games had no action buttons. On the Ultimate Cocktail Arcade, on the vertical side control panels, for a fee, I can move the trackball to the far lefthand side of the control panel and instead put the joystick in the middle. The cost for this is $50 per side.

This machine has a functional coin mechanism. It does not take tokens. All of the game boards have a free play setting so you will never have to use coins if you do not want to. Videos on the website will show you how to switch to free play mode. Its simple and takes less than 1 minute.

Please view the "Shipping Tab" linked on the bottom of the website. Call Bruce with questions about ordering. 408-649-0410

If you’re shopping around, you’ve probably noticed that many cocktail arcade companies sell their cabinets with 60 games, 412 games, 1162 games, and similar bundles. There’s a simple reason for this: these JAMMA game boards are widely available online from third-party retailers. Many sellers purchase these boards, plug them into the cabinet, and resell the same setup at a significant markup. We’ve seen cabinets priced hundreds of dollars higher solely because a low-cost board was already installed. Awesome Arcades is a U.S.-based company, and we do not include or bundle game boards. Our cabinets are sold as hardware only. This allows us to focus on build quality, long-term reliability, and customer support—without inflating the price by reselling third-party boards. Our pricing reflects that approach, and our customer reviews speak for themselves. Whether a cabinet comes with a game board already installed should never be the deciding factor when choosing an arcade. The boards are identical regardless of where you buy them. Choosing an arcade based on the included board is a bit like choosing a car based on what CD is in the stereo. What actually matters is the quality of the cabinet, how long it will last, and whether you can get support after the sale. Installing a JAMMA board is very simple. It’s a plug-and-play process that takes only a few minutes. Before delivery, we provide a short video that shows exactly how the board is installed and set up. If you’d rather not watch the video, you can always call or text us and we’ll walk you through it step by step. For our larger, two-player cabinets, we configure them to work with higher-end JAMMA boards such as Pandora-style boards, which are widely used and supported. These boards are purchased separately by the customer from third-party sellers, and links or guidance are provided in each product description. The bottom line is this: you should choose the best-built cabinet with the best long-term support—not pay extra for a board that takes only minutes to install yourself.

No. We recommend turning the game off when it’s not in use to save power and reduce unnecessary wear on the electronics. Should I use a surge protector? Yes. It’s always a good idea to plug any electronic device into a surge protector to protect it from power surges. If you’re not sure what a surge protector is or which one to use, feel free to call or text us and we’ll help. You can buy a $10 surge protector on Amazon.

More details can be found under the Shipping tab on our website. Can the game be brought inside the house or downstairs? Standard shipping is curbside freight delivery. The driver arrives with a truck and lift gate and removes the cabinet from the truck. Officially, delivery ends at the curb. Many drivers will place the cabinet at the front door if there are no steps, but this is not guaranteed, so please plan accordingly. Basic inside delivery can usually be added for an additional fee. This typically allows the cabinet to be placed inside a garage or just inside the front door. Pricing generally ranges from $50–$150 depending on the cabinet and location. This service must be arranged before delivery. Please note that the driver is alone and uses a pallet jack, so any steps or raised thresholds—even small ones—will stop delivery at that point. If you need the cabinet moved up or down stairs or placed into a specific room, white glove delivery is required. With white glove service, the cabinet is transferred to a local moving company that delivers it with a multi-person crew and places it where requested. This service typically costs an additional $400–$800 and must be prepaid and scheduled in advance. In many cases, hiring a local mover directly is more cost-effective. Services like taskrabbit.com can be a good option. If you’re unsure which delivery option you need, feel free to contact us and we’ll help you plan ahead.

All of our arcade cabinets use a joystick (and a trackball if equipped) along with buttons. Because of this, our machines are designed to play games that originally used a joystick, trackball, and/or buttons. The vast majority of games on the recommended JAMMA boards—roughly 99%—use this control style and play exactly as intended. Classic examples include Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Defender, Galaga, Frogger, and Street Fighter. Games that originally required specialized or unique controls may not be compatible, even if they appear on a game list. A common example is Tron. While Tron may appear on some multigame boards, it uses a unique spinning joystick that is not compatible with standard joystick-and-button cabinets. To play Tron correctly, a dedicated Tron machine is required. Because these boards contain thousands of games, we have not personally played every title in its original arcade format. We recommend that customers confirm whether their favorite games originally used a standard joystick-and-button setup. If you have any must-have games and want confirmation, please ask before purchasing. We’re happy to check compatibility or even make a short video showing the game in action. Our goal is to make sure you know exactly what to expect and are fully satisfied with your arcade.

A larger screen does not distort the games and does not make them more pixelated. The image is scaled correctly and maintains the original aspect ratio, so nothing is stretched or cut off. What you’ll notice on a larger screen is simply a bigger, clearer picture. The pixels are the same size relative to the image—they’re just easier to see because the screen itself is larger. The gameplay looks exactly as it should, just on a bigger display. Its just like watching a movie. It will look the same on a 50" TV or a 70" TV.