Nostalgia is a powerful thing. From Stranger Things to remastered games, it recaptures the feeling of a time when gas was cheap and the only thing you had to worry about was getting your homework done in time. Or, in this case, running out of quarters before you beat that high score.
Toy manufacturer Tastemakers announced Arcade1Up, a line of home arcade cabinets in February with a price tag of $399, a fraction of the cost of most arcade cabinets. When it listed pre-orders this week, however, Walmart lowered the price to $299, and GameStop quickly followed suit. That means you can put a fully functioning arcade cabinet in your home for the price of a Nintendo Switch.
There are some caveats here. The cabinets are four feet tall instead of the standard six feet found in arcades. According to Arcade 1Up’s website, it’s so you can play either standing or sitting. But for an adult to comfortably play standing, they’ll also need to purchase (or make) a riser. FYE is the only retailer offering pre-orders on Arcade1Up risers, but Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond will reportedly have them in stock as well.
Because they’re running games on an emulator, Arcade 1Up cabinets only weigh about 60 pounds. The price tag and size make Arcade1Up one of the most accessible options for having an arcade cabinet in your home.
Pre-orders are currently only available at Walmart and GameStop Bed Bath and Beyond has the machine listed as “coming soon”. (FYE has pre-orders up, but is still listing the price at $399.) Arcade1Up cabinets will be released on Sept. 25.
Each Arcade1Up cabinet includes between two and four classic arcade games. You can choose from Rampage, Asteriods, Centipede and Street Fighter 2 models. Walmart is also selling an exclusive Galaga version. A Final Fight cabinet is coming in Spring 2019.