From pinball to racing games, arcade machines are our area of expertise here at Williams Amusements. From upright cabinets to cocktail cabinets and cockpit machines, we can revive and restore old machines, and create bespoke custom built machines in a range of styles. But what are these three arcade machine styles, and what are they used for?

Upright cabinets

By far the most common arcade game style, the upright cabinet is the typical machine you will have seen. With the joystick and controls on a horizontal panel leading out from the vertical cabinet, and the screen located just behind these, upright cabinets are the typical arcade machine. These style of machines left a lot of room for artistic decoration and graphics to grab the attention of passing potential players.

Cocktail or table cabinets

A cocktail cabinet is shaped like a low rectangular table. The controls are usually set at either side of the broad ends, and the monitor is built into the centre of the table. These machines are well suited to turn based, two player games, where the screen will rotate to face the player at the right time. This style of arcade machine was usually released at the same time as the upright cabinets and it became more common in bars and pubs, where the drinks could be placed at the side, and players could sit down to play.

Cockpit games

Finally, cockpit or environmental games are seen mainly for racing arcade game machines. These create a truly immersive gaming experience, with a screen and controls built in with a seat and additional, often motion sensitive controls. These take up the most room but are some of the most popular arcade games because of their game play.

Why not take a look at our range of arcade machine styles today, here at Williams Amusements?