I’ve got a pretty slick custom arcade cabinet in my man cave, but it really takes up quite a bit of space. Original arcade cabinets needed all of that room for a big CRT monitor, multiple circuit boards, and ventilation. But today’s flat-screen monitors and efficient computers require no such space considerations. So the idea of an arcade cabinet that hangs on the wall seems like a natural.
The guys over at Chicago’s Basement Arcades are making these flat cabinets which can easily be hung up on the wall, or placed on a tabletop. Each cabinet has a built-in 22″ LCD monitor, a backlit marquee, and the proper arcade joysticks and buttons for 2-player games. Best of all, the entire cabinet only sticks off the wall 16 inches, making it perfect for small spaces.
A complete system sells for just $1199 (USD), and can be decked out in one of several graphic themes, or customized to your liking. Each one comes with a link where you can install over 3300 classic arcade games, as well as many from Atari, Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and Neo Geo consoles. There’s also a DIY cabinet available for just $299, but you have to provide all of the components and artwork yourself.
Just be sure to mount this thing into your wall studs. Even though it weighs just 45 pounds, you wouldn’t want it falling off and crashing to the floor during an overzealous Street Fighter II match.
