Guide to the Six Best Arcade Games for Home

Guide to the Six Best Arcade Games for Home

Pool tables, dart boards, and foosball tables are all common additions to a man cave. You might even have a noteworthy collection of game consoles, a state-of-the-art television, and a high-power computer. But if you’re looking for a way to transform your man cave to the next level, an authentic arcade machine is the way to go.

Arcade cabinets come in a variety of different designs and styles, and many are greater than the ones you played on growing up. They can either fit in with your stylish room or can sport classic, bright artworks from your favorite games, and, most importantly, have a multitude of games all-in-one.

We know that making a substantial purchase can be daunting, so we’ve compiled all the relevant information to assist you in deciding the best arcade game for home.

Best Arcade Games Quick Picks

We save you some time reading to provide you with our top picks from the list.

Top Arcade Games for Your Man Cave

For this buying guide, we scoured the internet for the best readily-made available home arcade games that would make a perfect addition to your man cave.

They all vary in size, the number of games and players, and artwork, so it’s up to you to choose which one works best for you, whether it’s an upright model, cocktail machine, or tabletop design.

1. Creative Arcades Full-Size Commercial Grade Cabinet Arcade Machine

Creative Arcades Full-Size Commercial Grade Cabinet Arcade Machines | Stools Included | Light Pine Woodgrain Edition | 32" Screen | 4500 Games (4-Player)

If you’re not a fan of the bright, classic artwork that plasters many arcade machines and are interested in something more subdued, the Woodgrain Edition Arcade Machine by Creative Arcades may be the one for your man cave.

It comes pre-programmed with 4500 classic games from the 80s and 90s, a 32 inch LCD screen made of thick tempered glass, and four-player controls with a trackball in the center. All of their arcades include commercial-grade speakers with complete volume, bass, and treble control inside of the cabinet. They also provide you with two stools free of charge.

The arcade cabinet comes with a three-year limited parts warranty. It comes pre-assembled and only needs to be plugged in before you can start playing. You can choose from a coinless or paid operation, and you can save your favorite game titles and high scores.

Creative Arcades also offers an identical, smaller arcade with a two-player capability instead.

2. ARCADE1UP Street Fighter: 3-in-1 Home Arcade

ARCADE1UP Street Fighter: 3-in-1 Home ArcadeThe 3-in-1 Home Arcade by ARCADE1UP is a traditional-style arcade machine, approximately ¾ of the size of average commercial arcade cabinets. The smaller size also comes at a smaller price, as it is less expensive than a full size machine.

With a 17 inch LCD screen, authentic arcade controls, and artwork that envies the original games, you’ll feel like you’re back in the 90s with a cup full of quarters. If you don’t feel like dealing with loose change, you can turn on coinless operation mode.

It includes three games: Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Street Fighter II: The New Challengers, and Street Fighter II: Turbo. The games are designed for two players but can also be played as a single player.

3. Doc and Pies Cocktail Arcade Machine

Doc and Pies Cocktail Arcade MachineDoc and Pies’ Cocktail Arcade Machine is a double-sided cabinet with a 19-inch screen on top. It’s designed similar to an air hockey table, with controls on each end and the game in the middle. It has full-size joysticks and buttons, with classic artwork on the cabinet top featuring PacMan, Galaga, Donkey Kong, and more.

It has over 60 games preloaded starting from the 1980s, and you can view the full list here. For a higher price, they offer an identical machine with over 400 games.

4. Prime Arcades Cocktail Arcade Machine

Prime Arcades Cocktail Arcade MachinePrime Arcades’ Cocktail Arcade Machine provides you with over four times the games that Doc and Pies’ Cocktail Arcade does; you can read the full list here. It comes fully assembled, ready to plug and play, and includes two chrome swivel stools.

It has a 19 inch LED high-quality monitor that provides crystal clear graphics beneath a layer of thick tempered glass. The glass covers classic artwork from Centipede, but you can pay extra for custom artwork from other games like PacMan or Mortal Kombat. The controls are illuminated under a black light to give the authentic dark arcade experience.

As far as cocktail arcade machines go, this one is the real deal.

5. Prime Arcades 4 Player Arcade Machine

Prime Arcades 4 Player Arcade MachineFor anyone who has multiple guests over at once, Prime Arcades’ 4 Player Arcade Machine is a solid choice. Instead of having to take turns, you can all reminisce around the large 32-inch screen with individual controls for each player and a trackball in the center.

It has over 3000 classic four-player games that you can view here. Adult games are automatically disabled upon delivery in the case that there will be younger players, but instructions to enable them are provided.

The artwork displayed is a mashup of classic games and characters, but you can pay more to have custom artwork on both sides, the center, marque, and bezel. The machine comes pre-assembled, so you can start gaming right away. It comes with a five-year warranty and lifetime tech support.

6. Doc and Pies Tabletop Arcade Machine

Doc and Pies Tabletop Arcade MachineYou can choose from four classic designs with the Doc and Pies Tabletop Arcade: Galaga, PacMan, Ms. PacMan, and Donkey Kong. It comes preloaded with 60 games, or you can pay a little extra for 412 games; not all of the designs have access to both options.

It’s a smaller machine, so you have to place it on a table or bar. It has a full-size authentic joystick and buttons with a 19-inch screen. As with all Doc and Pies machines, it comes with a two-year warranty and free support for the life of the appliance. Some customers placed the device on a riser instead of a table or bar, while others mounted it directly on the wall.

Final Verdict

Overall, the best arcade game for home depends on what you prefer, although some options are better than others.

For multiple players, the Cabinet Arcade by Creative Arcades exceeds all of our expectations. It’s aesthetically pleasing, packed with thousands of games, and is an actual commercial-grade machine.

You can adjust volume, bass, and treble, unlike many other arcade machines that don’t even let you adjust the screen brightness. In terms of interface, you can bookmark your favorite games to save time and choose between coinless or paid play to give you a truly nostalgic experience.

If you’d prefer something other than an upright design, both the cocktail arcade machines by Doc and Pies and Prime Arcades are worth looking at. Doc and Pies offer 60 games, while Prime Arcades has over 400. They’re both similar in size, but Prime Arcades features high-quality components such as their tempered glass top, crisp screen quality, and powerful processor for quick load times.

We hope that this guide helps you in making an informed decision about the best arcade game for home, and most importantly, remember that adding extra players adds to the fun!