Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: javeryh on August 25, 2025, 11:35:33 am
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If so, what games do you think are fun/playable with arcade controls (assuming 8-way stick and buttons)? I am trying to decide how to set up my next single player cabinet and I have been having a lot of fun recently with Game Boy games on my bartop so I think some of those would translate well. So it has me thinking about what else could be playable in short bursts while standing up.
I don't have any "modern" retro set-ups with a widescreen monitor, bezels, a crapload of emulators, etc. All of my cabs are arcade only. Might be time if for nothing else to have some new games to play...
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In general I think console games are not a great fit for arcade controls or cabinet play, and the only emulator I install is MAME. That said, I do have a few NES games on my modern-retro machine, which is most often played seated (Punch Out, SMB for my niece, etc.).
Games from the NES/GB seem to map over well though, as would Atari stuff were there not original arcade versions of most of their best games.
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In general I think console games are not a great fit for arcade controls or cabinet play, and the only emulator I install is MAME. That said, I do have a few NES games on my modern-retro machine, which is most often played seated (Punch Out, SMB for my niece, etc.).
Games from the NES/GB seem to map over well though, as would Atari stuff were there not original arcade versions of most of their best games.
Punch Out is originally an arcade game too!
Dunno about consoles, but a mate of mine had an Amiga. In the late 80's we were students, often poor and jobless, so played it a lot. In particular I loved playing Paradroid, which translates well to a sturdy arcade joystick (the Amiga ones we had back then were always crap). Anyway, I worked out how to get WinUAE going just to play Paradroid on my arcade, and it was definitely worth the effort.
Controls are obviously a big issue. Older consoles with pad-type controllers work more intuitively with arcade, but later consoles with fancier stuff like hats are more difficult to translate to an 8-way.
Having said all that, there is nothing to stop you using a modern compatible wireless controller with your arcade cab. They are available.
For various reasons I get sore feet from prolonged standing, so have a few stools to use with my upright cabs. Also good for kids that can't reach the controls.
Sometime I'll go through the rest of my Amiga library. There definitely are some more original gems in there.
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Punch Out is originally an arcade game too!
Lol, good point! On that one I found the single-screen presentation worked a lot better for me with a horizontal monitor.
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My first arcade control panel was on an Atari 2600. It was janky, and I, like virtually every home player, didn't have access to real controls at that point in time (I was probably one of the first ever to have hacked the joystick and brought out an Asteroids button layout). Next was a much better standup panel for my ColecoVision, using WICO joysticks and buttons using the same method. Then I got a gutted Defender cabinet with a good monitor and that panel got re-done for an Amiga arcade machine.
Arcade style games are plentiful, and were the gold standard for many consoles. Consoles were originally touted as a way to get that experience at home, so even non-arcade IP's were designed to mimic those characteristics.
The point is, MANY console and early computer titles lend themselves well to the arcade experience, so long as you have the controls necessary on your panel to properly control the game. I.e. if the game needs an analog stick to play well, an 8-way probably won't cut it. But if the game uses a D-Pad and there are enough buttons for the functions in the game, I've always found it preferable to play those types of games as though they were an actual arcade title. It can actually elevate the experience, even turning some lackluster titles (looking at you, 2600 Asteroids) into something more enjoyable.
As far as recommendations are concerned, just don't pre-judge. Try as many as you have access to. You're likely to be pleasantly surprised at what works.
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Old school consoles, like Atari joystick games, work well on an arcade game. Atari Combat is a fun 2 player game to me (I don't think many others care for it because I can never find someone to play against). Most of the Atari games have a short play span. Even games that I could play forever like Space Invaders and Pac-Man aren't games I'd play for 30 minutes straight nowadays. I had a problem with the Atari emulator closing up and returning back to the front end, and the mapping the game select, difficulty, reset to arcade buttons, so I gave up trying to include them.
Eventually I setup a Raspberry Pi to emulate consoles, a handheld to emulate handhelds, and I keep my arcade games on my cabinet.
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There were full arcade machines that played NES, SNES, Genesis, and (wait for it) Neo Geo games! The NES and SNES consoles had arcade controllers too (NES Advantage / SNES Super Advantage)
Anything that uses digital controls works well enough on arcade controls. Its when you get into analog controls things go a little sideways (late PS1, N64... that era). Especially dual stick analog control games.
The problem is console games are often significantly longer in play time, so standing 'up' at the arcade controls might not be awesome after a long while.
I have everything on my cabinet. And I have a semi-conceled drawer that pulls out with light guns and wireless xbox controllers if I'm in the mood.
Long story short. Do what makes you happy.
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Some of my Favorite Computer and Console games...
That would be good on an Arcade Machine
Sega Genesis - 16t (16 tons)
Sega Genesis - Zany Golf
Sega Genesis - Thunderforce II
Sega Genesis - Target Earth
Sega Genesis - Ghost Hunter (Zhuo Gui Da Shi)
Sega Genesis - Batman
Sega Genesis - Rambo III
Sega Genesis - The Revenge of Shinobi
Sega Genesis - Castle Of Illusion
Super Nintendo - Contra III The Alien Wars
Playstation - Rayman
Playstation - Ridge Racer (Additional gamplay features, not in the Arcade)
Playstation - Rage Racer
Playstation 2 - Guitar Hero (Series) Need a Guitar Controller for best Results
Sega Master System - Shooting Gallery (Best Lightgun game ever made, hands down)
Sega Master System - Missile Defense 3D (Lightgun + 3d glasses)
Sega Master System - Zillion
Sega Master System - Astro Warrior
Atari Lynx - California Games (the "BMX" game. Surfing is fun too)
Atari 2600 - Combat
Atari 2600 - Hockey
Atari 2600 - Frogs and Flies (I think I recall that being fun against others)
===== Computer Games =====
Amiga - Battle Squadron
C64 - Raid Over Moscow (read how to get out of Hanger, or you may get frustrated)
C64 - Bruce Lee
C64 - The Last V8 (First stage is fantastic. The 2nd isnt. Controls are very hard to master. Awesome Music. Psychologically Powerful)
C64 - Astro Panic
C64 - Miami Ice
X680000 - Thunderforce II
PC - Mini Car Racing (EGames)
PC - Platypus (Claymation Shmup, by Anthony Flack)
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C64 - Raid Over Moscow (read how to get out of Hanger, or you may get frustrated)
C64 - Bruce Lee
C64 - The Last V8 (First stage is fantastic. The 2nd isnt. Controls are very hard to master. Awesome Music. Psychologically Powerful)
C64 - Astro Panic
C64 - Miami Ice
I would like to add the following to the C64 list:
C64 - Paradroid
C64 - Impossible Mission and Impossible Mission II
C64 - H.E.R.O.
C64 - Lode Runner
C64 - California Games
C64 - Hacker and Hacker II
C64 - Archon and Archon II: Adept
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Atari Combat is a fun 2 player game to me (I don't think many others care for it because I can never find someone to play against).
There are several hacked/homebrew versions like "Combat AI" that run on Atari 2600 hardware/emulators where P2 is controlled by the computer.
Scott
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The “new” Countermssure 2 7800 game is vaguely like a one player combat. A previous version of it is freely available for download.
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Just from a basic user interface perspective, ALMOST anything from the NES/GB/Atari era should work fine. Once you get to Sega Genesis and then SNES, it starts to vary more and more per game. Many will still work great, and the dpad will usually be okay. But there are games that assume you can easily press LB/RB/A/B all at once fluidly and accurately. That is a LOT easier to do on a standard SNES gamepad.
Also consider that many arcade games naturally lend themselves to shorter sessions played while standing, while a lot of console games work better in longer sessions (perhaps with saved files) played while sitting.
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I have retroarch installed on my cab for one specific game, the Jaguar version of Tempest 2000. At some point I need to get Geometry Wars on there.
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yeah ps5 online..smacc people around like they owe me money :cheers: