I’ve been collecting and maintaining game consoles my whole life and have a deep love for retro gaming. I’m considering buying a used arcade system for $1500 CAD that supports many classic consoles like Sega, Nintendo, and Sony. Although it’s an impressive addition to my collection, my concerns are about space, cost, feasibility of playing console games on an arcade, and if this purchase is ultimately worth it. I can emulate many of these games on my PC already. Would love to get some perspective from fellow nostalgic gamers on the pros and cons.
7 Answers
Sometimes those enormous libraries sound great but think if you’d actually play those games. A PC setup could offer way more for less money, adding other gaming goodies for the full nostalgic experience. Could be a better investment.
For $1500, I’d suggest constructing a setup with a Raspberry Pi or dedicated PCs for emulation. NAS can store games, films, music… All of this for less cost, potentially improving your entire entertainment system. More bang for your buck!
If you go this route, I’d recommend looking into Synology or QNAP for beginner-friendly NAS options. Good luck!
Arcade cabinets are big and you might not want one clogging up your space, but they give you such cool retro vibes. If that’s important to you, it might be worth it, despite the logistics.
Don’t be taken by the concept of having a huge collection of games. Consider if the arcade cabinet itself holds genuine value. Could be more worthwhile investing elsewhere.
Consider building a mini PC setup to hook up to your TV instead. You can easily get the same experience without the giant machine taking up space. Just get some arcade sticks for the console feel.
I got a $99 arcade controller that works with emulators. Built a cabinet, added a monitor—did the whole thing under $500. You might consider doing something similar, especially if space or cost is a concern.
If you can afford it and got the room, I’d say go for it. Just remember, you’ll need to fix stuff if it breaks. The arcade parts usually just plug into a PC through USB, so maintenance should be straightforward.
Thanks! Not sure what a NAS is, but sounds intriguing. Never thought this post would be so enlightening!