Building My Own Arcade Machine - From Nostalgia to Creation
Overview
I grew up loving arcade games. I remember family holidays, standing on my tiptoes to reach the controls, shovelling 10p pieces into the latest machine I could find. That electric hum, the flashing lights, the satisfying click of the joystick—arcade games were magic.
That nostalgia never left me. Years later, with the skills to actually build something, I decided to turn that memory into reality: I'd design and build my own fully functional arcade cabinet.
This project took months of planning, research, trial-and-error, and refinement. But the result? A fully playable arcade machine sitting in my house, loaded with dozens of classic games, that brings back that arcade experience anytime I want.
This is the story of how I built it, what I learned, and why this project mattered beyond just having a cool game machine.
Why Build an Arcade Cabinet?
The practical answer: I can.
The real answer: Because the best projects are the ones that matter to you. This wasn't a commercial venture or a requirement. It was pure passion—solving a problem (lack of access to classic arcade games) in a way that was technically interesting and personally fulfilling.
Building something from scratch teaches you things that day job work often doesn't:
- End-to-end ownership - I had to understand every part of the system
- Design thinking - How would this actually be used? Ergonomics? Height? Control layout?
- Problem-solving under constraints - Budget, space, materials, tools
- Completing something - From concept to finished product
- Creating something real - Not a software project that might be archived—something physical, tangible, used
These lessons transfer directly back to engineering work.
The Design Phase
Before touching tools, I spent weeks researching and planning.
What Size?
Standard arcade cabinets are approximately 27" wide, 24" deep, and 66" tall. This seemed right—tall enough to feel authentic, but not so massive it dominates a room.
What Wood?
I researched materials extensively. Options:
- Plywood: Cheap, stable, easy to work with. Downside: doesn't look great without finishing
- MDF: Medium-density fiberboard. Smoother finish, machines cleanly, takes paint beautifully. This is what I chose.
Materials cost: ~£150 for enough MDF to build the cabinet
What Controls?
Authentic arcade controls are important for the experience:
- Joystick: A quality arcade joystick. I went with a Sanwa JLF-TP-8YT, considered the gold standard
- Buttons: 6 buttons per player (standard arcade configuration)
- How many players: 2-player setup, side-by-side
- What games drive the design: Arcade games from the 1980s-90s typically supported this control scheme
Controls cost: ~£200 for quality joysticks and buttons
What Monitor?
I used a 24" LCD monitor. Not authentic (real arcades used CRTs), but:
- Modern monitors are lighter weight
- They consume less power
- They're easier to source
- They're more reliable
- LCDs display the pixel-art games reasonably well
Monitor cost: ~£100 (recycled old monitor, so no additional cost)
What Computer?
The arcade machine needs something to run the games:
- Option 1: Raspberry Pi - Small, low-power, runs emulation well
- Option 2: PC - More powerful but overkill for retro games
- I chose a Raspberry Pi 4 with Retropie software
Computer cost: ~£80
Total cost: Around £450-500 for a fully functional arcade machine.
The Build Process
Phase 1: Planning and Cutting
I created detailed plans using basic CAD software, accounting for:
- Monitor placement (height so it's visible when standing)
- Control panel angle (arcade machines tilt the control panel forward for ergonomics)
- Speaker placement
- Cable routing
Then came the cuts. MDF cuts cleanly with a circular saw, but precise cuts are essential. I made a jig to ensure consistent dimensions.
Photo series: Marked boards ready to cut, first cuts, side panels taking shape, testing height by standing up sections
Phase 2: Assembly
Once all pieces were cut, assembly was straightforward:
- Screwed the carcass together (the basic box structure)
- Installed the back panel for stability
- Tested the frame for squareness and stability
Important lesson: Don't skip the test assembly. I did, and found one angle was slightly off. Caught it early.
Phase 3: Painting and Finishing
This is where the cabinet goes from "metal framework" to "arcade machine."
I chose a classic arcade aesthetic:
- Black body with metallic silver sides
- Bright red and yellow trim
- Glossy finish for that retro arcade look
Painting process:
- Primer coat (essential for MDF, which absorbs paint)
- Two color coats
- Protective clear coat
- About 30 hours of paint work across 3 weekends
This phase taught me: Preparation is everything. A rushed paint job looks amateur. Taking time to sand between coats and prepare surfaces properly makes the difference between "looks like a DIY project" and "looks professional."
Phase 4: Control Panel
The control panel is the interface between player and game. I spent more time on this than any other part.
Layout considerations:
- Standard arcade uses two rows of buttons (punch and kick for fighting games)
- Spacing must be comfortable for extended play
- Button color choices matter (red, blue, yellow, green—following arcade conventions)
- The joystick must be at the right height and angle
Assembly:
- Routed holes for buttons and joystick
- Installed and wired everything
- Tested responsiveness and comfort
I made the control panel tilt forward at about 10 degrees—both for ergonomics and to match the retro arcade feel.
Phase 5: Electronics and Software
This is where the machine comes alive.
Connections:
- Raspberry Pi runs Retropie (a Linux distribution bundled with emulators)
- Joysticks and buttons connect via USB arcade controller encoder
- Monitor connects via HDMI
- Speaker system via 3.5mm jack
Software configuration:
- Installed Retropie
- Added game ROMs (legally sourced—games from manufacturers that don't enforce copyright, abandonware, etc.)
- Configured controls for different game types
- Set up the menu system
The challenge: Different arcade games expect different control mappings. Pac-Man only needs 4 directions. Street Fighter needs 6 buttons and a joystick. The software needed to handle these variations.
Result: Booting up the machine for the first time and having it work—seeing that green CRT startup screen appear—was magical.
Photos: The Build Timeline
[Note: Original photo gallery preserved]
- Marked MDF boards ready to be cut
- First cuts done
- Side panels cut out
- Side panel stood up to test playing height
- First button fitted
- Cabinet carcass screwed together
- Back view of the carcass
- Back view with back panel on
- Front view of constructed cabinet
- Painted cabinet (glossy black finish)
- Painted control panel (red and yellow)
- Box of buttons and joysticks, ready to be fitted
- Cabinet painted with buttons fitted
- Painted control panel with buttons fitted
- Monitor installed inside cabinet
- Quick test of the controls
- Completed cabinet in my game room
- Family enjoying the finished machine
Challenges and Solutions
Challenge 1: Monitor Fit
The monitor was slightly larger than I anticipated. The bezels extended beyond my planned opening.
Solution: Adjusted the front panel opening by 2mm on each side. This required careful routing but solved the issue.
Lesson: Always measure three times. Mistakes cost time and material.
Challenge 2: Heat Management
A Raspberry Pi in an enclosed cabinet with a monitor gets warm. Without airflow, components risk overheating.
Solution: Added ventilation holes on the rear and sides, and installed a small fan on the back panel. This keeps temperatures reasonable even during extended play sessions.
Lesson: Thermal design matters, even for small systems. This applies directly to server and hardware design in professional work.
Challenge 3: Wiring Complexity
Six buttons, two joysticks, power, audio, video—the rear panel needed to be organised.
Solution: Cable management clips, labels on every connection, a wiring diagram taped inside the cabinet.
Lesson: Good documentation saves future-me time. I can troubleshoot quickly if something fails.
Challenge 4: Game Compatibility
Some games weren't responsive with my control setup. Different arcade boards had slightly different expectations.
Solution: Created multiple control profiles for different game types, and adjusted mapping as needed.
Lesson: Testing across edge cases matters. This directly parallels software quality assurance.
What I Learned
1. Physical Projects Have Constraints That Software Doesn't
Software can be perfect and still ship. Hardware has tolerances, materials have properties, and things wear out. Building physical objects taught me humility about precision.
2. Aesthetics Matter as Much as Function
The machine works perfectly, but why do people gravitate to it? The paint job, the lighting, the retro aesthetic. Function is table-stakes. Design is what makes something memorable.
3. End-to-End Ownership Is Satisfying
I didn't delegate a single part. I understood every component, every choice, every tradeoff. At work, we're often specialists. This project reminded me why full-stack understanding matters.
4. Documentation Saves Time
I kept notes throughout. When issues arose, having recorded solutions saved hours of troubleshooting.
5. The Journey Matters More Than the Destination
Building this machine was satisfying because of the process—the research, the problem-solving, the incremental progress. The finished product is great, but the building was the real reward.
Where It Lives Now
The arcade machine sits in my game room. It gets played regularly—my family enjoys it, friends love trying it, and it's become a conversation piece. The Raspberry Pi runs silently. The screen glows invitingly. The joysticks respond with satisfying precision.
The question I get asked most: "Why spend all that time and money when you could just buy one?"
Because buying is consumption. Building is creation. Building required learning, problem-solving, creativity, and patience. Building created something that reflects my choices, my taste, my effort.
And honestly? It works better than most commercial arcade cabinets I've seen.
Why This Matters Beyond the Project
This project taught me why side projects and passion work matter so much. In your day job, you're constrained by requirements, deadlines, and business needs. Those constraints are necessary.
But your side projects? They're where you get to learn unconstrained. You make every decision. You live with every consequence. You see something through from concept to completion.
The problem-solving skills developed here? Directly applicable to work. The discipline to see something through? That's leadership. The attention to detail? That's craftsmanship.
If you're wondering why I talk about the importance of side projects so much—this arcade machine is why. It's not about having cool hobbies. It's about staying engaged, learning deeply, and reminding yourself why you got into building things in the first place.
If You Want to Build One
If this inspires you to build your own arcade machine, here's what I'd recommend:
- Start with a clear design - Spend time planning. Mistakes are expensive.
- Document everything - Photos, notes, wiring diagrams
- Invest in quality controls - The joystick and buttons are what you interact with. Don't cheap out.
- Plan for finishing - The paint and aesthetics take as much time as the structure
- Test incrementally - Don't wait until the end to test electronics
- Join communities - There are active arcade building communities with advice and troubleshooting
The process teaches you more than the finished machine.
I'd love to hear if you're building something similar, or if this inspires you to start a project of your own. What would you build if you gave yourself permission? Reach out on LinkedIn and share your ideas.
And if you ever visit, I'll let you play.
Mark Lambert is an Engineering Manager at Avayler (Halfords Group) who believes side projects are essential for growth. When he's not building engineering cultures, he's building things—arcade machines, games, and tools that challenge his skills. Find him on LinkedIn.