Space Invaders
1978 · Taito · fixed shooter
Read spotlightHistory · Games · Cabinets · Tools
Classic arcade games, explained clearly.
Explore landmark coin-op games, arcade history, cabinet controls, collecting basics, preservation priorities, lawful emulation, and practical planning for a home arcade.
Start with the classics
Landmark arcade games
Short histories, control explanations, beginner strategies, and notes for modern home play.
Asteroids
1979 · Atari · vector shooter
Read spotlightPac-Man
1980 · Namco · maze chase
Read spotlightMs. Pac-Man
1981 · Midway / General Computer Corporation · maze chase
Read spotlightDonkey Kong
1981 · Nintendo · platform game
Read spotlightGalaga
1981 · Namco · fixed shooter
Read spotlightUnderstand the medium
Practical arcade guides
Learn how the business, hardware, controls, genres, and preservation choices fit together.
The Golden Age of Arcades
How the late 1970s and early 1980s created a shared public culture around coin-operated games.
Read guideArcade Origins in the 1970s
A practical timeline from early electronic amusement machines to the first major video-game hits.
Read guideThe 1980s Arcade Boom
Why cabinets spread through malls, pizza shops, convenience stores, and dedicated arcades.
Read guideArcades in the 1990s
How fighting games, large motion cabinets, linked racers, and polished 2D action reshaped the floor.
Read guideArcade Game Genres Explained
A plain-language guide to the major arcade genres and the control styles they usually require.
Read guideFixed Shooters Explained
How limited movement, formation patterns, and escalating speed produce durable score-chasing games.
Read guidePlan before buying
Eleven browser-based tools
Estimate room capacity, electricity cost, collection budgets, control layouts, floor loading, party capacity, and restoration allowances. The high-score tracker stores entries only in your browser.
Open the toolsPrivate by design
No account and no server-side storage
The calculators run in your browser. Entered values are not submitted to this site. Monetary tools use U.S. dollars by default.