FAQ

We realize that there are many companies who sell arcade games online and it can be overwhelming trying figure out who you should buy from. We understand that we are asking you to spend a grand or more for a cabinet you have not physically been able to play. Ultimately what most people want is an easy purchase experience, a nice machine, and no issues. Right? So who has the best quality cabinets? Can I trust this company? What makes this company different from any other company? Will I be able to contact someone after my purchase should I have questions?We know what its like to buy something on the internet and we definitely understand peoples concerns. We feel that maintaining our reputation is the most important factor to success. Your only as good as your last review! I think we have all experienced business dealings with a company who is friendly and responsive prior to the sale and then suddenly vanishes or is rude once they have your money. This will never happen with Awesome Arcades! Our main goal is to make sure you are 100% satisfied with your product for as long as you own it. So much so that you would be inclined to leave a 5 star review now, and 5 years from now!Providing impeccable customer service all starts with our customers being able to quickly contact someone at our company. If you call us, unless we are sleeping we guarantee that we will always answer the call or reply to voicemails immediately. We will also guarantee that if you ever have a question or issue with a game (rare) someone from tech support will be available to assist you within 30 minutes during business hours. Go ahead, TEST us! :) Text 408-649-0410 now!One of the other things that sets us apart from our competition is how our games are manufactured. Unique to Awesome Arcades is the fact that we own the factory that makes all of our cabinets. We control the quality! Our machines are manufactured on an assembly line by knowledgeable wood shop craftsmen with than 20+ years of experience. In addition, our games are made from melamine, a moisture resistant type of building material specifically designed to be used in the manufacturing of Arcade Cabinets. The melamine cabinets are cut on a professional CNC Milling machine so they are made with precision and accuracy. Once assembled each cabinet is rigorously tested and inspected. Each employee is required to sign off on the game by initialing the inside after performing a 5-point inspection. If the build is not perfect, we scrap it and start over! Our machines are not built one at a time in someone's garage. They are not built from a a do it yourself kit. Moreover, by owning the factory, we can also constantly improve our design. Over the years we have been able to gather useful feedback from our customers on design upgrades and then utilize that feedback hone the quality and functionality of our cabinets. Changes include adding stereo amplifiers, upgrading from plexiglass to tempered glass, adding more user friendly functional latches, the switch from CRT monitors, to refurbished LCD monitors, to LED monitors and finally to brand new LED 178 degree "Wide Viewing Angle" monitors, the most cutting edge arcade technology. We are constantly striving to improve our product design, just like the automotive industry.

What is a vertical game? What is a horizontal game?Our arcade cabinets play either vertical or horizontal games. (This info is included in the product description for each cabinet)Vertical games are the type that move up and down during game play, where the action on the screen moves from the bottom of the screen to the top of the screen. Ms Pacman, Frogger, and Donkey Kong are examples of vertical games.Horizontal games are those which side scroll on a monitor installed in landscape mode. Examples include Super Mario Bros, Street Fighter, Defender, Pitfall, etc.Our Standard Cocktail Arcade, our Deluxe Cocktail Arcade, our Ultimate Cocktail Arcade and our Deluxe Classic Upright are all intended to play vertical JAMMA boards.Our Tornado, Typhoon, Viewlix, and Ultimate Cocktail Arcade are intended to play horizontal JAMMA game boards.

We started in Silicon Valley and as of January 1, 2022 we moved up to Meridian Idaho! Idaho is amazing! Friendly neighbors, no traffic, clean air, and a lower cost of living lol. :)

Unless indicated otherwise we can build and ship any game from our warehouse within 5 business days, usually sooner. Once the game is in transit shipping time depends on the destination. Generally the west coast takes 1-5 business days. The Midwest takes 3-8 business days. The east coast takes 5-10 business days. Manhattan, Long Island takes 6-12 business days. Alaska and Hawaii take 8-16 days. The rest of the world takes 5-30 days depending on using air freight or ocean freight. If you need some type of expedited shipping or a guaranteed ship date please contact us to discuss.

Getting started with your new game.If you want, just call us when you get your cabinet and we can face time with you. Or, if you prefer, We have youtube videos that will guide you through this process. Just text us after you get delivery and tell us which product you have. A link to a video will be sent within 30 min 8am-11pm PST. 408-649-0410 CELL.Your new cabinet will arrive fully tested and JAMMA ready! All you need is a new JAMMA board. In the product description for each cabinet on the website you will find a video which guides you on how to install a JAMMA game board into your cabinet. This takes seconds (installing a board is like putting a Nintendo game in, you lift up the lid and plug it in.) After you receive and unwrap your game please review: 1. A 3 prong standard power cord and 2 keys will be zip tied to one of the joysticks. Remove them carefully with a scissors. (Adults only). Locate the plug in on the back or side of the game. (varies depending on the cabinet) Plug one side of the cord into the game then plug the other side of the cord into a 110v (standard USA) power outlet. Treat the game like your TV and turn in off when not in use either by pressing the on/off switch on the game or from the switch on a power strip with a surge protector (recommended).2. Where the cord plugs into the back/bottom of the cabinet you will find a small red on/off switch. "O" pressed down is off, "|" pressed down is on. Turn the game on by pressing the "|" down. Depending on the game board you purchased the machine could take 20-90 seconds to boot up. The machine will fire right up and be ready to play once the board is installed.3. On the front of the machine there is a coin door. The coin mechanism can be used or you can set the game up for free play mode. The cabinet can take 1, 2 or 4 quarters per credit. It will also accept most tokens. When you open the coin door you will see the volume control knobs. The stereo amplifier will be blinking red and blue. This is normal.4. When you open the coin door, on the inside left you will see a red button. Pressing button while turning the cabinet on is how you enter the "test mode" on most JAMMA boards. You will not hurt the game if you accidentally press this small red button. In the test mode you can make changes to the settings. (We will walk you through this if needed)5. The LED monitor is just like your computer monitor and can adjust brightness, tint, contrast, etc. To adjust please call our tech team.6. On the back of the Ultimate Cocktail, Deluxe Classic Upright, and Tornado there is a full panel that can be removed by using the keys. This allows you to access the monitor and joysticks should the need arise.10. On the front of the cocktail arcades there is a coin door. You can open this with the key. Inside the game there are latches that hold the top of the cabinet down. This top is on a hinge. To open your game reach in and pop those latches. This allows you to open the top of the game (like a car hood) which grants full access to the Jamma Harness and joysticks. More info about this can be found by watching videos in the product description for each game.

What kind of Monitors do you use? What is the size of the monitor?Other than "How long does it take to ship?" This is one of the most commonly asked questions. All of the monitors we sell are brand new LED "Wide Viewing Angle" Monitors. Regardless of anything else you have read on other websites, LED is the most current cutting-edge technology in the world of monitors and will provide the absolute best picture. "Wide Viewing Angle" means that the screen is visible from any extreme angle. Where as most computer monitors are only visible when viewed straight on, a wide viewing angle allows the image to be seen regardless of where you stand. Your welcome to google this topic for more information as to why this is advantageous in an Arcade Game. In addition, we pay significantly more for new LED monitors vs. CRT or refurnished LCD. (Both have been used by us in the past) There is no distortion and the images are not cut off in any way like on CRT tube. The monitors included in our standard cocktail and classic upright cabinets are a 4:3 Aspect Ratio 19" LED Wide Viewing Angle monitor. 19" is the same size as the original games from the 1980's. These are brand new, state of the art 1080i LED Monitors. On our other games we use a 24" LED or a 32" LED. This is by far the best way to view your new Arcade Game.Some companies claim to provide "authentic arcade monitors" or they upsell expensive "Military Grade" Monitors. In marketing this something we call "puffery". You should know that "authentic arcade monitor" is code for a CRT tube TV. (Cathode Ray Tube). This is antiquated 80's technology. Saying that 80's arcade games would look better on an 80's CRT monitor is like saying that watching "The Empire Strikes Back " would be better viewed on a 35" 80's TV as opposed toyour 65" Curved 4k Samsung. LED is cutting edge modern technology. It's not only much more expensive for us to buy but it's superior in every way. We choose to build more expensive games by using LED. LED monitors are very lightweight, CRT monitors are VERY heavy, completely unable to be serviced. If they break, they are difficult to replace, hard to find, and run the risk of electrocution if you try to repair. (Please, google and read up for yourself) The image is NOT better. Think about it? How could it be. When is an 80's CRT picture better than a modern LED TV? If you're concerned about being original, please ask for or watch one of our videos that shows the game in play. They look awesome! But maybe I'm a little bias, who knows? Lol ☺I have scoured the internet and have never been able to find anything at all related to "Military Grade" as it pertains to arcade games and why/how having this expensive upgrade would be advantageous in an arcade game. Our Monitors are designed to last for years with continuous use in commercial applications, just like your brand new TV.

Feel free to visit the Warranty section of our website to see a video discussing how our warranty works.All of the machines we manufacture are designed for decades of use, just like a brand-new TV. We recommend saving power by turning your game off while not in use. A three-year warranty comes standard with all arcade purchases. A five-year extended warranty is able to be purchased during checkout. (I don't think you need it, but it is an option if you want it.) Our warranty is similar to your car manufacturers warranty and it covers the cost of replacing any parts. It also includes any necessary postage.All of the products we sell are brand new and are fully tested prior to shipping. We run each new machine for several hours to make sure there are no glitches. Typically, if something electronic is going to malfunction it does it the first time we turn it on. (Before it ships) In the event you do have an issue please call our tech support team. This information is also provided during the confirmation phase of the order and again with tracking once the machine ships out. You will ALWAYS be able to reach someone from 9am-6pm PST Monday-Friday and usually on weekends. Each game only has 4 main parts. 1. The joysticks-buttons (trackball if purchased), 2. The power supply, 3. The monitor, 4. Speakers. Once we diagnose the problem we can send out any replacement parts. The games are designed so that customers with no technical skills can quickly swap out any necessary part. There is nothing that cannot be replaced in under 10 minutes using a screw driver. This was an important design element because it is cost prohibitive to ship games back and forth across the country and unless you're in Santa Clara, CA we don't have someone near you to help with the game. In the event you attempt to service the machine on the phone and tech cannot resolve we will look to hire someone locally using the website www.taskrabbit.com. (like Uber for odd jobs). If a tasker is not available or is unable to resolve the issue we will consider a free replacement. In the event a game needs to be replaced the customer must be willing to palletize the game they have for return shipping.By purchasing one of our games you are entering into an agreement to work on your game under our guidance should the need arise. We will also require you to verify in writing that you have read and understand this requirement. We will never ask you to do anything that would harm the machine or void the warranty. We will also never require you to do anything dangerous or overly technical. In addition, we have a nice series of videos showing you how to make changes and repairs to your machine. A manual will also be included with all arcades.

Left Handed Cabinet? Occasionally I will get asked if we can make a righty vs lefty cabinet. We cannot move the location of the joystick. 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. If you learn to play any other way you can never go into an arcade and play because you have learned wrong. It's like learning to play a guitar upside down. We strongly recommend you learn to play the correct way, and 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

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.

How are the machines delivered?Once any new order is received a confirmation email is sent out which confirms the details of he order. Your delivery address and what you bought are verified. We also provide you with a link to the shipping and warranty tabs of our website along with the phone numbers of the various people you will need to contact moving forward. Unless indicated otherwise all new orders are shipped within 5 business. Transit time varies based on your proximity to CA. All shipments are shipped via LTL freight carrier. Once the game ships tracking is emailed to the address provided during the purchase.The service provided is curbside freight and the truck will be equipped with a lift gate (if necessary). When the shipment arrives at your local terminal the will call the name and number you provided at time of sale to set up a delivery window. (This applies to residential deliveries only, for a business delivery they show up during normal business hours and do not call first.) From their first contact you have 48 hours to take delivery. For example if they called you on a Monday you could request delivery on Tuesday or Wednesday. Any longer and storage charges of $100 per day may apply. Please note that all freight deliveries are curbside freight, they do not bring the game into the house, they do not unwrap it, and they will not navigate it up any stairs. We can arrange for these services but they will cost more. Please note that your new arcade game is fully insured during transit. You will be required to unwrap and inspect the cabinet during the delivery, instructions will be emailed over with your confirmation both in writing and in a youtube video. We will ask you to confirm in writing that you have received and understand your obligations. If these instructions are not followed its possible you will not be paid on a damage claim. If you require the shipping company to come on a guaranteed day or set time we can arrange for this prior to shipping for additional charges. We are not responsible for extra charges at destination that you sign for. If you refuse to accept your game for any reason other than shipping damage and the game ships back to our warehouse you will be responsible for paying the return shipping and a 25% restocking fee. We are also not responsible for delays due to flooding bad weather, breakdowns, or any other reason unrelated to our company.

If your shopping around you probably notice that most other cocktail arcade companies sells their cabinets with 60 games, or 412 games, or 1162 games, etc. There is a reason for this. All of these boards are available on Amazon Prime. For example, You can buy the 60 game board from Amazon Prime for $39.99. (Try it, search Amazon for "60 JAMMA" ). A lot of these companies are buying these boards, plugging them in, and selling them for a hefty markup. We've seen as high as $1000 more!We are a USA based company and are not licensed to include all of these games from different companies on one machine. This is why we do not include a game board. Our low prices reflect this. If you factor in the quality we provide, we feel our games are by far the best all around value! Our Google Business reviews (linked on the top of the website) can attest to this fact. Please be sure to read what our customers have had to say!Whether or not an arcade machine already has a the game board included it should never be the deciding factor when purchasing. Its like choosing your car based on what CD is in the CD player :). We realize that may sound counterintuitive, but since every company buys the same boards off Amazon Prime, you should buy the cabinet that is the best built, the one that will last, and the one that is the highest quality, and with the best support. Again, you shouldn't buy an arcade only because the seller bought a $40 board off Amazon Prime plugged it in for you. Given that sticking in the game board takes 3 seconds, not having that board isn't really a big deal. Especially if they are charging hundreds of dollars more for a $40 board. Before you waste money on an overpriced machine with a game list that is identical to what you can buy yourself for $40, watch this 90 second video that shows you how to plug in a board. Even if you DONT want to buy your own board, you should watch this video so you know what it looks like. (If the link doesn't work, please copy and paste in your browser). To copy, highlight the link below and press CONTROL+C. To paste press CONTROL+V. https://youtu.be/hNZeGV7CI5cIf you don't want to watch the video, visualize a big cardboard box. Now, picture having Nintendo Console sitting inside that big cardboard box. If you had to open the lid of that big cardboard box, locate the Nintendo Console inside, and then stick a Super Mario Brothers Cartridge into it, that's about as hard as plugging in this board. Its certainly not worth paying extra for.And when it comes to our more advanced 2 player cabinets, we set them up so they can play PANDORA Jamma boards! Pandora boards are by far the best multigame boards in the industry! They literally have almost every arcade game ever made, in addition to tons of classic Nintendo, N64, Sega, Playstation, Dreamcast, Turbo Grafix 16, games all on 1 board. Moreover, These boards are inexpensive, around $60 total.Direct links to the exact boards are in the product description for each arcade on the website. Or, if your curious, search Amazon now for "60 JAMMA" or "412 JAMMA" or "3188 "Pandora JAMMA" if you want to see how easy it is to find the correct boards.Before delivery, we send you a youtube video that shows EXACTLY how you plug in and set up the boards. The process is simple and takes about 3 minutes. OR, just call us (WE WILL ALWAYS ANSWER!) and we will walk you through it.

Should I leave my game on and running 24/7?No. Please turn the game off when it is not in use to save power.Should I use a surge protector?It's always a good idea to plug any electronic device into a surge protector. If you don't know what a surge protector is please google it or call us.

More details can be found under the Shipping Tab of our website.Can you bring the game inside the house and/or down stairs?The service provided in your standard shipping price quote is curbside freight. The driver will bring a truck with a lift gate and remove the cabinet from his vehicle. Technically that is where his involvement stops. That being said most drivers will bring the game up to the front door as long as there are no steps. This is not guaranteed however so please plan accordingly.If you would like the game brought into the garage or into the threshold of the house and dropped this can typically be added to the order for an additional cost. Prices for "basic inside delivery" range from $50-$150 and are variable based on the cabinet and your location. You have to add this service prior to delivery. If possible, please submit your request in the notes during checkout and a Paypal invoice will be emailed to you. For this type of basic inside service the driver is alone and using a pallet jack. For this reason, he is unable to navigate any steps. If the surface being navigated has any steps (even a 1" lip) the driver will stop and drop the cabinet at that point. It is not possible for a lone driver to navigate any steps. (He's using a pallet jack).If you need the cabinet brought into the house and up or down any steps we can set this up for you by purchasing "white glove" services. For white glove we would ship your game to a local moving company near you for the standard flat rate shipping charged on the website. This moving company would then call you in 3-10 business days to schedule the redelivery of your cabinet using 2-3 men and place the game up or down the stairs into the room you request. This type of service typically costs between $400-$800 more. This would be in addition to the cost of shipping the game cross country. For a white glove quote please contact us. It should be pointed out that it would be much less expensive for you to find a local mover to provide these services for you. Consider using www.taskrabbit.com, like Uber for odd jobs. White Glove must be prepaid and prescheduled.

All of our arcade machines use a joystick (possibly a trackball if you bought one)  and buttons, to play games.    For this reason,  our machines  can only play games that originally used a joystick, a  trackball, and/or buttons.  99% of the games on these boards we recommend are played with  a joystick/trackball+buttons format.   For example, Pacman, Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog, Defender, Galaga, Frogger, and Street Fighter, etc all used a joystick and buttons in their original format. They play exactly as they should on our cabinets.   Any game that required something other than a joystick and buttons to be played might not be compatible on our machines.   Even if you see a specific game on the list, that does not necessarily mean that game will work IF that game does not use a joystick+buttons set up to play it.    A great example of a game that IS on the 3188 JAMMA game board list but is NOT compatible with a standard Joystick+buttons  arcade setup is a game called Tron.   Tron uses a custom spinning joystick which makes Tron totally incompatible with any other game. Tron should NOT be on a any multi game board.  For this reason, please be warned , even if you see Tron on the game list you will NOT be able to  play it correctly on a machine without a TRON joystick. To play Tron you have to have a dedicated Tron arcade.     To reiterate, 99% of the games on these multigame boards use a joystick and buttons.   That being said, we are not familiar with every one of the thousands of different  games on the boards  and have not played every single game in its original format.  We rely on you to know if your “favorite game” used a joystick and is therefore compatible or not compatible on our cabinets.    If your not sure about any specific game  please ask and we can look into it.      If there are any specific games which are MUST HAVES for you and  you want us confirm compatibility, PLEASE ask first and we can make a video showing that game being played.   Our ultimate goal is (of course!) to make sure you are totally satisfied and happy with your new game.  And that starts with total transparency :)