If you’ve lived in the 80’s digitally or in real life, you will probably recall the wonderful world of arcades. Although there are still some arcades in certain malls in your area, a majority of them will most likely have closed. This is mostly because of the rise of personal gaming consoles, wherein people no longer have to go to arcades to play games.
Although there are advantages to having your very own gaming console, the closing of arcades is still a great tragedy. So if you want to relive the golden age of the arcade era, you should really build your own arcade room. As great as the idea may be, it goes without saying that you might have to invest a lot of money into it. So you should make sure that you utilize all your resources properly. Here are 6 tips for building an awesome arcade game of your very own.
Use an 80’s Theme
The 80’s era is the golden age of arcades. The arcade was the main hangout place for kids back in the day. Did you want to hang out with your friends? you went to the arcade. You ask a girl out on a date? You hung out in the arcade. The arcade is one of the most nostalgic places for an 80’s kid. So if you are going to build an arcade room of your very own, you really have to use an 80’s theme.
Use 80’s Memorabilia as Decorations
Aside from choosing the right color scheme for your arcade room, it is also a good idea to use 80’s memorabilia as decorations. Some examples of these memorabilia are old rock posters and old toys.
The rock bands during the 80’s were truly iconic, and memorabilia like signed t-shirts, figurines, and even comic books are very valuable.
The ‘80s is also considered the golden age of the action figure industry because TV shows such as He-Man, Transformers, and Gi-Joe were specially created to advertise toys. So if you have old action figures in your basement, they are perfect for decorating your arcade room. If you don’t have old action figures, you could still buy them online or in garage sales.
Utilize Quality Lighting Methods
One of the most noteworthy characteristics of an arcade was its lighting fixtures. If you look back on the old arcade designs, there was such a huge number of lighting fixtures being used. So if you are going to build your own arcade room, you should utilize the right lighting options.
One great lighting option that you could use is neon lights. This type of lighting was very popular during the ‘80s because bright lights were the craze. So adding a few neon signs to your arcade room could give it a retro look. If you want the old-style neon-signs, you could check online. There are a lot of old establishments that are more than willing to sell their old signs. You could also check with flea shops or garage sales.
Aside from neon lights, you could also invest in flexible LED screens. These screens are a recent innovation and are very easy to construct and install. Although these screens are very recent innovations, you could still use them to capture your 80’s theme. If you are interested in using flexible LED screens for your arcade room, you should visit Viewpointec through their website. Here you will get the best LED screens in the market that are capable of fulfilling a lot of your graphics and lighting needs.
Invest in Arcade Machines
When it comes to building an arcade room of your very own, the most important thing to do is invest on your arcade machines. These machines are coin-operated machines that were a constant in arcades back in the day.
Although there are some consoles that allow you to play the classics like Pac-man or Space Invaders, you should always aim to get an arcade machine. They might be a bit more expensive than the console versions, however, their feel and overall nostalgia factor totally make up for the additional expense.
Aside from arcade machines, you could also get shooting galleries, basketball games, and crane machines. These games were particularly popular during the ‘80s and they could really bring a sense of nostalgia to your arcade room.
Do Your Research Before You Purchase Anything
If you are going to buy an arcade machine, it is important that you do your research before you invest money in anything. Arcade machines are particularly rare, and if you purchase one that already has damage, you’ll have a hard time having it repaired. So before you invest money on anything, you should do your research first.
Don’t Rush the Process
If there is one thing you should remember about building your very own arcade room, it is to not rush the process. Remember that building an arcade room will be a costly and time-consuming process. You will not only need to design your arcade room, but you should also purchase top-quality arcade machines and memorabilia. Aside from the machines and memorabilia being expensive, they are also difficult to acquire. You will need to scour online stores and thrift shops for them. You will also need to repair them if they get damaged, and because they are quite old, getting spare parts for them could be a pain. So if you want to set up your very own arcade room, you should be willing to put in the time, and not rush the process
Conclusion
If you are an 80’s kid or a gaming aficionado, you should really think. of investing in an arcade room of your very own. Before you do invest money into the project though, you should make sure you have a plan. With these tips, you’ll be able to build a great arcade room of your very own.