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EnglishWhat Other Arcade Projects Does ArcadeCab Document?
Updated
ArcadeCab covers more than its four main cabinet plan sets. Beyond full-size MAME cabinets, the site documents custom control panels, trackballs, coin doors, cabinet modifications, front-end software, and a gallery of visitor-built cabinets. Much of this material is dated but is kept online as reference, so treat it as a design archive rather than a current buying or software guide.
Custom control panels and input hardware
The site's control-panel work includes the Ultra-Trackball design and the single-player panel that grew out of it. These plans suit someone who wants a smaller one-player setup instead of a full two-player panel. The same section of the site also covers custom panels, trackballs, and coin doors as separate projects.
If you are planning your own panel, the useful part is the documented layout and measurements, not a parts list you can order today. Check each component's current availability before committing to a design.
Cabinet modifications and one-off builds
ArcadeCab records modifications made to existing cabinets alongside its plan sets. The BarCade is the clearest example: a compact tabletop arcade built around spare PC hardware and leftover materials. The site itself notes that the original hardware is now very dated, but presents the project as an example of adapting a build to parts you already have.
That framing is the right way to read most of the older project pages. The construction approach and measurements still transfer; the specific hardware usually does not.
Front-end software and older projects
The site also documents front-end software and other projects accumulated over the years. ArcadeCab states plainly that some of this software and hardware is now historical, and that those pages stay up because they retain value as reference material and as part of the site's history.
Practical use: read these pages for how a front end was configured or how a cabinet was wired, then verify current versions and compatibility yourself. Do not assume an old recommendation still reflects what is available or supported.
Visitor-built cabinets
One of the site's more useful sections is the gallery of cabinets people built using or adapting the published plans. Some followed the dimensions closely; others widened, shortened, or completely re-themed the cabinet. The site treats that variety as the point.
For a first-time builder, this gallery is worth browsing before you cut anything. Seeing where others widened or shortened a plan tells you which dimensions are load-bearing to the design and which are flexible.
How to use the archive
| What you need | Where to look | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| A smaller one-player panel | Ultra-Trackball / single-player plans | Detailed layout for a compact control setup |
| A build from spare parts | BarCade | Tabletop approach; original hardware is dated |
| Ideas for adapting a plan | Visitor's cabs gallery | Real builds that changed dimensions or theme |
| Historical software or wiring reference | Projects section | Reference only; verify current compatibility |
The plans and PDFs are presented as free downloads, and the site lists PayPal among its support options. No pricing for parts or software is stated on the pages summarized here, so budget from current supplier quotes rather than from the site.
Start with the project type closest to what you want to build, confirm the parts are still obtainable, and use the visitor gallery to see how much a plan can be bent before it stops working.