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Are Arcade Machines Expensive?

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When looking to buy an arcade machine, there are a lot of things that you need to consider and money is one of them. Many people wonder how expensive arcade machines are and whether they are worth purchasing. 

In this article we will cover some of the costs of arcade machines as well as what you can expect to get for different budgets.

Are arcade machines expensive? Unfortunately, the answer is… it depends. Whether an arcade machine is expensive depends on what type of machine you buy, what you consider expensive, and even which games you want on it. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re buying the arcade machine for your home, arcade or even a bar, the first thing that will hit your mind is either your “Budget” or “Money.” Thanks to the mobile phones, tablets, and computers the prices of arcade machines have continued to go down over the last few years. 

As technology becomes less and less expensive arcade machine reproductions go down in price as well.  

Want to know what you can get for your money? Then keep reading….

Do you LOVE classic arcades and arcade machines? Then you have to check out these amazing machines for your game room by clicking here.

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If you have a game room (or want one) you have to check out this classic arcade game console that attaches directly to your TV.

This machine has classic arcade controls but hooks directly up to your big-screen TV so you can easily move it (even if you don’t have a dedicated game room).

Oh, and did I mention that it has 5,000 games built in that you can play anytime you like?!?!

Stand-up Arcade Machines

Typical Cost: $995-4790

If you’re a fan of retro gaming, then stand-up machines might be your best companion. Whether you are talking about the game The Simpson or the famous Wild Gunman (Part 1 and Part 2) you can find all of them in stand-up arcade machines. Let’s talk a little more about these machines. 

The Cabinet

You can’t discuss a stand up arcade machine without talking about the cabinet. With many arcade manufacturers you can personalize the arcade cabinet to fit your style or to showcase your favorite gamesUnl. The artwork on the sides of these cabinets is what really helps them stand out in a crowded arcade or bar. 

Unlike other arcade gaming machines where you will sit and play, stand-up machines provide you ample space to add colors and different game artwork up and down both sides. 

When ordering a stand-up machine, you can get a design created especially for you. This will make your purchase even more special and memorable. If you want more personalization, you’ll have to pay more of course but for some people it is well worth the cost. 

The Software

Although the looks and feel of the arcade machines are probably enough to get you excited, the real fun comes when you get the software for your machine. The software will have the game installed in it and by running the software you can also add additional games. 

The more complex and robust that the internal software is and the more games that your cabinet has the more you will have to pay for it. After all, licensing all of those different games doesn’t come cheap. 

Sit-Down Arcade Machines

Typical Cost: $995-5,995

Sit-Down Arcade machines are just awesome and you can find them in a variety of places in the country. The Sit-Down Arcade machine can be customized with a variety of options such as additional controls, additional accessories and other game-related things to fulfil the modern gamer needs.

Let’s talk more about Sit-Down Arcade machines to help you learn more about this style of machine. 

The Cabinet

Although, there may not be many places for you to put graphics and do all the modifications like stand-up arcade machines, that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun graphics on your Sit-Down arcade machine. Personalization can be added on the stand/footer of the arcade, as well as on the tabletop (around the screen).

But with the personalization on the footer of the cabinet, you will of course have to pay more. 

The sit down cabinet is normally designed for two player games where opposing players can sit on each side and take turns or battle against each other (depending on the game). These games can be a lot more fun than a stand up machine as both players can easily see the playfield while also allowing people to stand around the sides and see the tabletop as well. 

The Software

The software that is used in the stand-up arcade machines can be used in the sit-down arcade machines as well. The more you invest in your software and machine, the more games that your arcade machine will have on it. 

When you go for a larger investment in the software field, you can expect more functionality, more features and more games. But it’s all about how much you want to invest.

Virtual Pinball Machines

Typical Cost: $5,995-11,995

If you’ve got a great budget and you want to play more than one pinball game, then a Virtual Pinball machine might be your best bet. Pinball machines are favorites of many people (including me) but the virtual pinball machine takes it a step further. 

You can play a large variety of different games on your virtual machine rather than only being able to play a single one with a traditional machine. Of course there are downsides to virtual pinball (mainly that it is a computer game vs a real pinball rolling around) but many people like the variety that it offers. 

What is your budget?

At an online arcade machine shop, you can get arcade machines from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars. It depends on many things such as; popularity of the game, version of the game, which software you want to use, stand-up or sit-down machine, modifications and a lot of other factors as well.

But before making any purchase or giving a look at what is available in the market, it’s always a great idea to give your bank account a look. Before you start looking at machines it is a good idea to know how much you want to spend. 

Don’t find a machine and then decide if you can afford to buy it. Set a budget and then only look at machines that fit inside of it. 

Arcade machines can be tons of fun for the entire family but paying on it for years with your credit card would not be fun at all. 

What can you get for your money?

As we told you earlier your budget plays an important role when you go to buy an arcade machine. You can find machines for a variety of budgets but the less you have to spend the less you will get. If you only have a few hundred dollars to spend then you will not get near as many games or as good of quality if you spend thousands on the machine. 

Under $500

With this budget, you’re most likely going to get a simple arcade machine. But don’t let this deter you because basic looking arcade machines are still equipped with tons of classic games that you can choose from. 

A great arcade machine in this price point are the ones made by Arcade One Up. They have a variety of different games that you can choose from but most of them will only have 2-5 games on the machine. 

For example, You can get a Space Invaders machine from them on Amazon and not blow your budget. 

$500-$2,000

If you’re spending between the budget mentioned above, then you can add some serious customization to your machine. Begin selection some additional functionality, extras, upgraded software and start looking at some of the all in one machines that are on the market. 

An excellent choice in this price range is the Weststate tabletop machine. It has 1,162 different games and can be found on Amazon here.

$2000-4,000

If your budget is more than $2000, then you can expect anything. A budget like this can allow you to choose any of the arcade machines in the market with all the functionally and extras.

Whether you talk about the design, nu-gen integration or anything else- you can dominate the market of the gaming world.

A popular choice in this price range is the 4 person all in one arcade machine that comes with 3,016 games! It can be found on Amazon by clicking here

Learn More

Want to learn more about the options that are available on the market? Home Leisure Direct put out a buyer guide for arcade machines that should help you decide what is best for you. That can be found down below. 

Conclusion

Buying an arcade machine can be an expensive purchase but if you keep your eyes open and shop carefully you can find less expensive machines around. If you prefer not to compromise on the number of games or quality of the machine then keeping your eyes on your local Facebook for sale groups and craigslist is a good way to find a deal. 

You can also purchase the arcade machines that hook up to your person TV and just come with the controllers, joysticks, and the software for the games. These are normally far cheaper than buying a stand alone machine since they use your preexisting TV and don’t require a large bulky cabinet. 

Some people don’t like that style of machine as it isn’t “retro” but it sure is good for the wallet if you are trying to save some money. 

You can find a setup like that on Amazon by clicking here